[AiboPet]

Mine seems to settle down after it's been on about five minutes....but even a complete recap of the little sound/IF board hasn't fixed the weird static crackle "fits" mine has. It's EXACTLY like someone messing with a dirty volume pot, but it's long before the volume (I can turn the crackling sound up and down...and have cleaned the hell out of that pot).

I could stand to do some more work on the sweep circuits....but I still hafta get something to test caps. Getting a bit tired of the "shotgun" approach....and am gonna NEED to start testing caps if I ever get to the little Singer TV6U (LOTS and LOTS of caps!)

I sure wouldn't mind being considered to buy that little sound/IF board from your old set since you seem to have solid sound. Deffinately agree that the "GAIN" control is sorta weird. SORTA like a contrast control at a very narrow part of it's range. I think I also do remember there actually IS a contrast pot, but it's one of the only hidden pots. Cosmetic condition of my 301 is almost spot on. I did end up breaking two of the four little knobs in back though. They seem awful tight on those shafts, and I broke two of them "underneath" where it doesn't show. Had to wrap them back together with electric tape and this doesn't LOOK like anything is wrong, but they are sorta loose on the shafts now. I got some nice big chrome metal ones from some ebay seller (look like the power/volume on the later Trinitrons). They work...AND look okay, but they are very obviously "wrong".