[R-390] Re: R-390 <> Type 77 China trade

[Ed Tanton]

I'm certain most of you have seen the emails from Xu in P.R. China... today 
my old-but-working-well R-390 left for mainland China via US Mail / Parcel 
Post (surface). Net cost was $130 shipping and I gave the packer $50.

The "deal" is that I get a new Chinese Army HF Type 77 solid state rcvr 
w/many spares. I had my choice of (both NOS) tube or solid state-Xu said he 
felt the solid state version was much better, although physically uglier... 
and since I was never able to confirm that the tubes in the older tube 
version had EURO/US equivalents, I feel safer with the transistor unit. 
Both are new units, although Xu offered (and I asked him to do so) to open 
the sealed unit and check it out for me.

Should be 4 to 6 weeks. The transaction is supposed to work as follows: I 
emailed a scan of my postal receipt and he will ship the unit out sometime 
between now and this weekend. Let's hope it works out OK for both of us!

Cost? Well, I bought the R-390 several years ago and-though it cost a bit 
more than I should have spent at the time-electrically, it works FINE. 
Physically, it is between good and very good, and is complete with a 
proper-connector power cord.

For those of you who have been to my website, and may have noticed all the 
Chuck Rippell-rebuilt R-390-A photos in my RECEIVERS page... it ISN'T THAT 
UNIT. Anyway, besides the 'cost' of the R-390, the shipping by straight 
'surface parcel post' was $130. The packaging guy has ALWAYS done such good 
work for me-and did an EXEMPLARY job on this: building a custom cardboard 
(they won't allow wood-and the "girth" spec is about an R-390 chassis plus 
one inch all the way around, PERIOD... while you might succeed in fudging 
the weight, the SIZE better be OK) box that would exactly match the size 
specs. With foam spacers between the knobs and the cardboard walls, a layer 
of foam on the back between the 1/2" side/back lip and the actual rear 
panel; and building a custom-made top and bottom that added 2 more layers 
of cardboard to the edges. It was still severely under-protected, but it's 
the best that could be done under the no-crating rule, and the size 
limitations. Truth is, it could still come back. Anyway, I gave the box guy 
a $50... he didn't want to take it, but that box helped at the PO, it was 
so well done, etc.  I wish I had taken a photo. So, the total is: R-390 + 
$130 + $50. Having the really nice R-390-A... it's worth the risk... in 
exchange for a world-class conversation piece!!!

Photos of the Chinese Type 77 receiver are available by request. I don't 
want to put them on the website unless I have it in my hot little hands. By 
the way, it has Chinese characters everywhere, but Arabic numerals... so... 
considering a receiver is practically self-explanatory, that shouldn't be a 
problem. Also, Xu has promised to include a translation sheet for the 
characters on the front panel.

Of course I'll keep the group appraised. I truly do think Xu is a 
straight-up guy, and am really looking forward to it.


73 Ed Tanton N4XY <n4xy@earthlink.net>

Ed Tanton N4XY
189 Pioneer Trail
Marietta, GA 30068-3466

website: http://www.n4xy.com

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