[R-390] Question about R-390 (Non A)

[Jim Temple]

Things have been a little slow, so thought I would ask a couple of
questions.

1.  After aligning the RF section, the calibrator signal peaks at a
different position than where the antenna coils aligned.  I did make sure
that the antenna trimmer was at half mesh and did not touch it during the
complete alignment.  Now, the antenna peaks at "0" and the calibrator will
only put out about 1 volt diode load voltage.  The diode load will peak at
about 5 volts if I peak the antenna trimmer, which ends up at about 2
O'clock.  I tried to leave the antenna trimmer in the position where the cal
is peaked, and realigning.  The realignment went fine, but the cal signal is
still displaced at about 2 O'clock.  Adjusting the two trimmers on the
Calibrator deck does nothing to move the peak to coincide with the antenna
peak.  Does this anomaly suggest off value parts in the calibrator deck??
Perhaps this is normal for the R-390?  On my R-390A both coincide perfectly.

2.  On bands below 16mhz, the antenna trimmer will peak with internal noise.
At 16mhz and above, I can not detect a peak with internal noise.  However,
it will peak with an incoming signal.  My R-390A will peak with internal
noise on all bands.  Again, is this normal for an R-390?  I understand that
the 16-32 coils, in earlier units, might have slugs and coils that do not
realize the total potential that later units have.  Has anyone heard of
this?

Thanks for your past support.

Regards,

Jim