[Milsurplus] Birminghamfest First Day Report

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

In a message dated 5/2/2009 11:49:08 PM Central Daylight Time, 
kk5f at earthlink.net writes: 
> CDA-T crystal oscillator for AN/ART-13 (not sure if rest of installation 
> kit was
> included).


I would guess that presence of the kit was highly unlikely, although it 
could happen. But I've seen a relative bunch of CDA-T plugins over the decades 
and the only ones I have ever seen that included the kit were the three I 
got from Sid Arotsky thirteen years ago last month. The conversion kit is not 
trivial. And the plug-in without the kit or all of the parts and 
instructions thereof is totally useless for anything other than putting on a shelf to 
look at.

> R-808/GRC-14 (Boy, what a monster!) for $150
> 
> There were a few other items and quite a number of civilian vintage 
> receivers.
> 
> I left with the ATA modulator/dynamotor, the DY-2A, a Clegg 22'er, and a 
> working
> 1934 Crosley Model Sixty-One BCB/SW radio. Everything else listed above 
> was
> still there when I left mid-afternoon.
> 
> I was tempted by the R-808/GRC-14, but did I mention what a monster it is?


I'm not especially a fan of the R-808/GRC-14 but I think it gets a bad rap 
for reasons that are at least partially unfair. I can't argue that it is not 
perhaps as good a receiver as HF receivers go as the R-390/URR or 
R-392/URR. But it is unfair to put it down simply because of the weight. Which is 
always the first thing someone mentions. I haven't bothered to look up the 
exact weight of the R-808 and the R-390 (notice that I did not say "Non-A") but 
my 65 year old back says that they are in the same class. The R-808 includes 
a built-in FSK converter and a 115 VAC supply. So in all fairness, one 
would have to compare the weight and volume of the R-808 to the weight and 
volume of an R-392, CV-278/GR and 24 volt storage battery or PP-1104, or to the 
weight of an R-390 and CV-116 or CV-182.


Robert Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480