I am just thinking of down the road. I would like to see vintage test equipment to say functional for future generations to enjoy. If one of these switches go bad it will present a service challenge due to the epoxy. I actually found your channel from Gerry Sweeney. Glad to see you guys keeping these old gems alive!

I have this counter too but it is yet to be afflicted with the switch problem. The issue may be related to how the counter is stored. Mine was purchase at an MOD auction and has subsequently been kept in the house. The problem looks to be a prime candidate for a 3D printing solution!

I like that kind of instrumentation. My wish is to purchase one such as yours. I have one really old universal counter which you can see on my channel. It is Nordmende DIC 3356. That jumpin arround could not be the problem at all. Or as you said, 1kHz from your scope is probably not highly stable.

Thanks Ian, I bought some with a 7mm shaft length (as opposed to the 11mm you used) 261214486564. Thanks for the info, if I get around to the repair I will do a video response. Thanks again. Gerry

It's 11 Nov 2015 and I've got a Racal 1992 coming. Now I know how to repair the switches, should the need arise. Apparently switches are a common problem with these puppies. Thanks Ian.

Sorry about commenting on such an old video. I have the racal 1998 simpler frequency counter, the 10mhz reference ovan on the back panel was cooked to death, it was very old indeed, perhaps yours needs a check for stability. They are a brilliant counter for there era, and well worth the trouble of repair :-D

Nice Vid mate u made a really nice job of that.

This is an Ebay trick......when the seller runs out of stock they hike the price right up to stop folks buying......then when stock comes in they lower it again. This is cheaper than killing the ad completely and paying the selling fees all over again. Ian.

Hi, presume you mean the lage 28-pin LED driver IC (intersil)..........Luckily, the IC was socketed so I just pulled it. If I remember correctly I think I had to snip away some of the plastic joining the 2 rows of pins to get access to the solder pads. No real harm done.

@ Gerry Sweeney I watched your video and read your comment below on Ian KZfaq channel about the switch height for the Racal-Dana 1999. Ian said he used 11mm and cut it down a little. And you said you ordered and used a 7mm switch but I remember you used two shims to raise the shaft higher. If you did it again would yo use a 9mm or something even higher? Thanks in advance. Walter

Hi, I did think of that......but it was easier/quicker to mod the caps.

What kind of reference is in this counter?

do you know what shaft height the switches were that you used?

I just picked up one of these, none of the buttons work, will be doing the same replacement, I have purchased 10mm height as that seemed about right from measuring it, i will find out when I go to do it. I will do a video for my channel to show it.

From what I hear the tactile switches do suffer, but how widespread those switches are used I don't know.

Hi Ian, I have a Racal-Dana 1999 the switches are also terrible. Which switches did you use for the repair, do you have a part number? Mine only has 14 buttons so looks easer to repair. Gerry

What kind of product have you used to clean the panel and the acrylic display cover? I'm afraid to remove letters from the panel and the transparency of the acrylic.

I'm in the process of replacing the buttons on a 1992 right now. I'm curious as to how you dealt with accessing buttons S12, S13 and S14 under IC2?

@Bob England What did you end up doing with regards to the switch replacement on the Racal Dana Universal counter? I have a 1992 and have the same problem getting to the switches under the large IC. It has a socket with two lower pieces of plastic. I can remove the IC and the first layer of the socket but the lowest part of the socket is solid and still in the way. I'm not even sure why the overkill on the socket is warranted - all it seems to do is prevent one from getting to the switches to replace them. I wonder if it could be careful cut out of the way as this may be less risky than trying to de-soldier the entire socket. Please let me know what you did. Thank you. Also where did you source the switches and what part did you end up using?

Does most Racal-Dana equip from this vintage suffer this problem?

Gerry, I think I must have got them via Ebay........I thought it was Farnell, but a quick look through my purchase history and they are not there. Anyways, the footprint is perfect just a pity the shaft is a bit long on the ones I used. If you can get them about 4mm shorter then they'd be better. w9gb may have offered some possible alternatives at cherrycorpdotcom

The ones at cheerycorp do not look right. I will have a scan around on ebay. Thanks

Ian: quick question. How did you "hollow out" the button tops? I tried with an X-acto, and it's crude at best. Was thinking the dremel next, but I'm worried about it wandering and chewing through the sides. Thanks!

Has the seller of the 11mm height switches spotted an opportunity, or did you really pay over £100 for them? I have ordered some of the 7mm height ones for insurance for when my counters switches give out. Tony

Cherry MX or CS model switches may fit this unit.

I think I would have dremeled the switch shaft to fit the button rather than destroying the button cover.

Hi Ian, I was given one of these as a "present" from a friend of mine as it was not working, and it seems the the faulty switches appears to be the reason behind this "kind" gesture. Anyway after watching your video I was thinking I might give the button upgrade ago - I have looked around ebay for the two item numbers listed below and the are no longer listed but I have found these - www.mouser.com/ds/2/209/MS-100638-199913.pdf. Any good?

Found them.....Ebay 320965040599 Not sure exactly how much I cut them down by though.