This reminds me of a story. My friend Greg and i were just out walking in South Everett WA, this must have been around 1985. We saw a sign "GARAGE SALE" so we said "Why not?" and we went in and looked. The fellow among stuff i forget, had an R-390 fir sale. I wonder how many yard sale visitors were looking for an R-390 that day. The occurence was in my estimation heaven-sent anyway: the fellow had worked for Carver ( audio ), and i got a set if docs for the Eton built, Carver 4 - band car radio, which had been completely recalled due to Eton's poor engineering of the radio's cassette deck. He said, "Now don't let anyone know where you got these !" So what, i say.

I also recall around 1973 C.E. i asked a surplus dealer back east about buying an R-390. Probably Slep. Man, am i ever glad i didn't follow that up ! Anyway they told me, raise the receiver up by means of a couple wood supports under the radio, cooling circulation will be better and longterm reliability enhanced.

OH i also remember the U.S. Army Radio Receiving site where Edmonds Community College now is. They had a wall of R-390A all connected to acres of rhombic antennas. How i, a lowly SWL with a Lafayette receiver, would have liked to tried those out, but i of course lacked any security clearance.