[Hammarlund] Collins or Hammarlund?

Tue, 9 Mar 2004 00:30:32 -0600

You will probably get many comments/comparisons, but here's my $0.02 worth.

SP600 -
Band cruiser: spin the VFO knob and it'll fly! (The R390 knob will not spin,
but you can build up your forearm with it).
So-so selectivity
Real good sounding audio on AM. Try to tune sideband (DSB) by riding the RF
gain, it's pretty hard to do precision tuning.
Tunes to 54 Mhz
Big & heavy (only exceeded by the R390).
Hard to work on.
Very cool looking

R390(A)
Incredibly sensitive
Pretty good selectivity
1 MHz band segments...not a real cruiser
Sounds quite good on AM (with appropriate speaker and/or diode output). Can
sound pretty good on sideband (DSB) if RF gain is ridden.
Probably the more stable of the two receivers
Better frequency readout accuracy
Tunes to 32 Mhz
Hard to work on (but modularlized)
Biggest & heaviest
Probably the better receiver (and more desireable)

Which performs better? What are you listening to? For SWL AM broadcast,
either will do a great job. 75 meter AM...probably the R390. Amateur SSB or
utility listening...neither will do as well as a more modern receiver.
Probably the R390 (note, manufactured by many, not just Collins, ditto with
the SP600) will win every A/B comparison on the test bench. But you can't
measure aesthetics, audio quality, and spinning knobs on the test bench!

With all this said Craig, if you're finishing out your shack, you need one
of each!

73
Dan
K0DAN

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Craig Roberts" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <:[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 23:17
Subject: [Hammarlund] Collins or Hammarlund?

> Okay -- just for fun -- R-390 or SP-600? I want to finish my shack with a
> big ole, honkin', bulletproof band cruiser.
>
> I think the Hammarlund's a much sexier LOOKING receiver, but the
> Collins-designed set--though it looks like a piece of Soviet military test
> gear -- must have very something special going for it to have earned its
> legendary status.
>
> Tell me about them, warts and all, please.  Which one performs better
(yeah,
> I know -- it's the Collins, et al; but is it a matter of inches or feet),
> and which one's easier to work on. I assume I'll have to work on whichever
> one I buy -- especially if it's an eBay queen.
>
> This should be fun.
>
> 73,
>
> Craig
> W3CRR
>
>
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