[Premium-Rx] WJ 8940B Available

[John Lawson]

   Hello to the List, another newby signs on.

   My radio interests are generally off-topic here; I enjoy HF AM on the 
lower bands (160, 75, 40) using mostly vacuum-tube based broadcast gear - 
I have had several R-390s and 390As, R-388s, etc etc...  currently I'm 
restoring my second RCA BTA-500MX AM Transmitter. I spent many years 
in the film industry in the post-production and audio side, as well as in 
music studios, so my goal is "perfect audio" ...  insomuch as the 
ionospere will permit - HIHI.

   Along the way, I have acquired WJ-8940B Recieving System, serial no. 1. 
(not a typo - it was built in 1977). I have the whole thing, the rack, 
cables, fittings, etc.... plus all documentation, manuals, dozens of 'C' 
size prints, PLUS the original sales invoice (to Ford Aeroneutronics), and 
many files and notebooks full of the saga of getting it installed and 
working. In short, all the 'provenance' is with it.

   This radio can be seen here:

   http://watkins-johnson.terryo.org/site-index.htm#data

   and scroll down to "Data Sheets"; click on 'WJ-8940B Reciever System'



   Although I had several fantasies of getting this old girl on the air 
again, realistically that is not going to happen given my schedules and 
business concerns. So I would like to see this Radio placed in the hands 
of someone who would be able to care for and appreicate it, rather than it 
sit on my dusty storage shelves all alone.


   The System has a couple of troubles that need to be considered...   the 
biggest prblem is that the computer doesn't boot. (a DEC LSI-11 system is 
embedded in the Control Unit).  I am very familiar with DEC computers of 
this vintage, and I see that the nicad batteries on the battery-backed RAM 
cards have gone the way of all 30-year old batteries.

   Secondly, at some point early in its career, the Auxillary Synthesiser 
(which the notes reveal as particularly troublesome) was replaced with a 
Fluke 6160B programmable synthesiser - the radio worked well with this 
mod, so I'm assuming it came from WJ - also the I/O cabling was modded to 
be able to connect to the Fluke.


    As a 'rescuer' and restorer of elderly broadcast equipment, I am 
acutely aware of the need to preserve and protect legacy equipment, so I 
am keen to find someone who would like to do the same with this piece of 
WJ history. Further, I'm not interested in making a lot of money off the 
deal, just mainly recover my costs. Auction sites and 'bidding wars' are 
not an option...  let's get the System restored and working again!


   If any interest, please contact me privately off-list at the email 
address this came from: [jpl15 at panix.com] - for more info, pix, etc., 
etc., etc.

  I am in Carson City, NV and very experienced with shipping Large Heavy 
Delicate electronics - or arrangements can be made for pick up at my QTH - 
delivery within a few hundred miles is also possible, depending on the 
magnitude of the bribe you offer me...  :)


  Cheers

John Lawson KB6SCO
Carson City, NV
DM09fg