[R-390] R-390A vs RA 17

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

I'd have a difficult time comparing the two for performance, Bryce. I have
both, and I love 'em both because they're both first-rate rigs. The fun is
in operating the RA-17* after having used so many of the more
'conventional' types where the needle sweeps across a dial or the dial
spins. That tape measure/film strip-type of display is certainly something
to behold.

Likewise, changing bands with the preselector-type of band change scheme
takes a little getting use to. Took me a while to figure out why the radio
seemed dead, with only white noise coming from the two speakers(mine has an
optional external speaker mounted in a panel just above the radio). After
fiddling around with it for a while, it suddenly sprang to life quiet by
accident.

I'm not set up to do an accurate comparison Bryce, but I can tell you that
the one I have works as least as good as the R-390 class of radio. I used
it to listen to the final broadcast of Radio St. Helena a year or so back
with great results from a portable antenna. It tunes a lot easier, too!

The one BIG drawback in my view is that it's a major pain in the arse to
service! The chassis is cast aluminum and reaching some components would
seem to require a major tear-down of the radio. The R-390 has it licked
here, easily  - the modules are cake to remove and generally service. I
currently have a cold solder joint or other bad connection that requires me
to wiggle a certain tube to get the radio to receive, then it works fine.
Unfortunately, the base wiring for this tube is buried under several other
sub-assemblies and it looks like I have major surgery ahead just to reach
this one, small area. Grr!

Other than that, it's a nifty rig. Stable, crisp, sensitive, and a real
hoot to operate. Working on it and locating parts( for those of us in the
US)is a rather large drawback, IMHO. So, rather than trying to decide
between the two, just find one of each!

I know of at least one other person on the list with both, Don has offered
to lend me moral support and advice when I get around to dissecting mine,
because he has one and understands the ummm.....nature of the beast, shall
we say? I almost think Barry Hauser(is he #1, #2, or #3?)has both, and I'd
bet others do as well. It'll be interesting to see what others have to
offer, hopefully something a bit more technical in comparison to my 'seat
of the pants' description.

Oh, one more thing - never worry about where you'll put it before getting
it. Always better to have the rig and have to shuffle things a bit than to
not have it and find lotsa room!

73 de Todd/'Boomer'  (haulin' and shufflin')

Bryce Ringwood wrote:

> Hi folks,
>
> I was eyeing a sexy Racal RA-17 up and down this afternoon - how do
> they compare to the R-390-A ? First thought was that the tuning +
> preselector looked a little cumbersome. (2nd thought was where the h*ll
> would I put it?)  Does anyone out there have both?
>
> - Bryce