[Milsurplus] RAS Set-Up Drowned

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 11:07 AM, David Stinson <arc5 at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ray Fantini" <RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] RAS Set-Up Drowned
>
>
>>.... It's a difficult radio to use and is still my favorite WW2
>>receiver....
>
> LOL!  I know just what you mean.  I'm sorta like that about most of my
> mil rigs.  Such trouble to get them working, tune them up and keep them
> working, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Which is the point that some still seem to miss about the old gear.
It's not that you could make this or that perform better by changing
X, Y, and Z and re-designing W with a later circuit. It's the fact
that the stuff works, *however* it works, like it did 60-70 years ago,
despite all of it's shortcomings in performance compared to a new
Yaecomwood radio of today. Anyone can experience the latter, all it
requires is money. The old stuff requires a whole lot more of us, and
will test your mettle along the way. The pay off at the end may result
in mediocre performance by today's standards, but it's still amazing
to those who appreciate and enjoy the history involved.

And it's still comforting to me to twiddle all those bakelite knobs
and feel like I'm actually operating the radio, not the other way
around.

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4