[Boatanchors] R-390 or R-392 meters?

[Al Klase]

Hi Wayne,

As I think you suspect, neither of these is an R-390 or R-392 meter.  
The R-390 line level meter is a VU meter, but has a white-on-black 
scale.  Yours is probably a drop-in replacement.  I did this with a 
similar meter to take care of an R-390 a while back.  The R-390 carrier 
level meter is labeled 0-100 DB.

I've been accumulating meters of this form factor whenever I encounter 
one of a buck or two, because of the missing-meter syndrome in the 
military receivers.  Even if the scale is wrong, it's better than no meter.

The originals were done in radium paint.  The fluorescent pigment 
involved has generally deteriorated to a dull orange color, and gives 
off no light.  The radium is still there and can be detected by a Geiger 
counter.  I suspect the odd colored paint on your 0-1 mA is 
radioactive.  Because the meter is sealed, I consider it safe.  I 
wouldn't want to open the thing up and eat or inhale the dust however.

I wouldn't mind paying ten bucks for one of these if I needed one, but I 
think $70 would be a real stretch for a unit that not an exact replcement.

Regards,
Al

H.W.Hall wrote:
> Happy New Year, everyone!
>
> I have rediscovered a couple of meters, which I obtained at a hamfest a lot
> of years ago. I believe they belong to either an R-390 or R-392 receiver.
> Pictures of them can be seen at:
> http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/hwhall/2meters.JPG
> They both have the original mounting screws and the rubber gasket on the
> back.
> First question is: Are they both applicable to these receivers?
> I'm pretty sure about the VU meter but the other doesn't look a lot like
> I've seen in my research, though I'm pretty sure they both came from the
> same chassis.
> Second is: What might they be worth?
> On Ebay they seem to have run from around $10 to $70 for just the VU meter,
> but there were few auction samples to go by.
> Thanks for the info...
> 73,
> Wayne
> WB4OGM  
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-- 
Al Klase - N3FRQ
Jersey City, NJ
http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/