OK, so most if not all of my vintage receivers need this done. I have the SM for most (mostly HKs--330, 430, 730, etc) so I'm halfway there. What is the cheapest way to get into this buying something off the shelf (even eBay) or DIY?
Well, what test equipment do you currently have? In my opinion, to do a good alignment of the FM front end, you need a decent 2 channel oscilloscope and a good FM signal generator. I happen to like the Sound Technology FM 1000A, though there are plenty of other choices.
The next thing you need is patience and practice. also, I'd start on a receiver that you don't much care about, because it is easy to make things worse if you make an error, so go slow. If you decide to take a unit to a repair shop, and assuming that nothing else needs attention, I'd figure 1-2 hours of bench time, depending on how bad the existing alignment is, and how far you want the shop to go.
Regards, Tim Schwartz Bristol Electronics
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