[R-390] R390/Solid State

Thu, 8 Aug 2002 18:51:34 -0400

I'm an EE and worked many years in solid-state and tube RF design and I'm
totally at loss why is that urge some people feel to take a mature and
proven product and start "improve" on it....
The R-390 is a result of zillions of dollars of design and development
effort and it is one of the ultimate HF receivers in existence.
Its sensitivity and noise figure are about the optimal you need for any
practical purposes.
Is it the power consumption that bothers some people?
If you're an EE worth his salt, and looking for a challenge, maybe you can
design and build a solid state receiver from scratch,  which will beat the
original R-390 in performance, and keep the D&D costs to a level which won't
make you broke out of your house and retirement...
Butchering an R-390 in the manner you're planning to do, will leave you not
with one of the best receivers anywhere but will render it totally
worthless, and you'll destroy a historical technological resource which
unfortunately is found in ever dwindling numbers and is irreplaceable.
Would you want to destroy a historical artifact such as a pyramid to rebuild
it with more "modern"  building materials?
Here I do exactly the opposite from what you want to do: once in a while I
find a "modified/improved/modernized"  military radio which was a
technological marvel for its times and restore it as it was intended to be.
This way hopefully it'll be preserved for posterity, in the same working
condition to enjoy and to use as it was 50-60 years ago.

My 2 cents' worth...

73, Meir WF2U
Landrum, SC

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]  On
Behalf Of Michael Young
Sent:	Thursday, August 08, 2002 4:27 PM
To:	[email protected]
Subject:	[R-390] R390/Solid State

I have an R390 (not A) receiver that I have been wanting to convert to solid
state for many years.  Now that I am retired after 32 yrs as an electronics
engineer (communications and instrumentation) I am ready to have a go at it.
One of the things I bought a few years ago is the IF strip from an R390A
(tubeless -- but with all Mech Filters).  I have the depot manuals for both
the R390 and R390A.

Can someone point me to some sites that have information on my proposed
venture?  I am not particularly interested in reinventing wheels.  I also
want to build and install a electronic digital counter or the vfo.

TNX

Mikey

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