[R-390] Re: My R390A

[Kenneth Crips]

If you'll remember in the early 70's AM transmitters of any make were
largely considered junk by the ham community. At that time a KW-1
was hardly worth the price it would bring for scrape metal.
To this day you can find Collins broadcast band transmitters sitting
outside in the bone pile of radio stations around the country.  They
weight about 1100 pounds, if the power supply is there.

I can remember as a kid in the early 60's My dad was one of the 
engineer/DJ's for the radio station KTHE 1240 (it's still in business)in 
Thermopolis, Wyoming.  I remember two things clearly about the station.  One 
was the occasional blue coronas that would appear on the transmitting tower. 
  I wanted to go outside to look at this but My dad knowing the danger 
during such conditions only let me watch through the windows.  The other was 
at sign-off.  Dad would give the; "This is
KTHE is closing it's broadcast day, we will be back on the air at
6:00AM.  Dad would then play the National Anthem.  When that finished
Dad would turn around and open a glass door on the transmitter,
hit a switch and I would watch as two gigantic transmitting tubes
would dim, and listen to the cooling fans shi to a stop.  What is sad is I 
could have had that transmitter several years ago for the hauling if I had 
found out about it earlier, it was hauled off the a scrape yard.


                            Ken




Kenneth A. Crips, Amateur Radio Station W7ITC,
Home of the Chew Crew.  Razz, Beezie, and Morgan.
Cheyenne, Wyoming's Irish Terriers with an attitude.



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