[dominicbeesley]

Fair play Col,

I have to admit first time I did a telly I did a blanket cap replace and I didn't get lost. However, I didn't really learn anything much. Last time I did it one by one and I learnt a huge amount about what all the bits and pieces do.

Having said that I think you were already close. If you can get big sparks like this you've got more than enough volts to light up a CRT. Either you have something that is making the CRT dim in the electronics - in which case shorting grid to cathode will light it up. Or the resistor chain is pulling the second grid low (I've no idea what this should measure in volts but I'm pretty sure you can prod all the pins of the CRT with your DMM on a high volts reading and report back here with findings to check)

Or. like I've had a couple of times now the ion trap magnet has got tired and so needs budging a bit closer to its sweet spot.

This is where the mirror will come in handy:

With the set on and looking at the mirror, cathode shorted to grid

1) note the position of the magnet (so you can get back to square one if needed - a felt tip and arrows on the tube neck will work)
2) slide ion trap back and forth
3) rotate by 10-15 degrees
4) repeat 2,3 until you get something lit up on the screen...

Good luck...I'm working away so might not be able to join in next week but will be following the fun on my mobile phone...

Dom