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

WF2U [email protected]
Wed, 19 Jun 2002 08:07:59 -0400


I bet the Chinese military radios are not like the cheapo Chinese toys which
fall apart as Scott mentions.
Don't forget, the toys are produced cheaply for some profit margin of the
manufacturers and all the middlemen. They are made for consumers and not as
something that can make the difference between life and death as in military
equipment. And there is the matter of cost: there is no consideration of
manufacturing costs for the military, especially in a communist state-
whatever it costs to achieve the desired results, the government pays for
it.

I found the Soviet military radios I collected in the last few years built
like the proverbial brick *&%#house, with quality components and exemplary
functionality and I'm sure the Chinese manufactured military radios are not
less functional and rugged.

By the way the Chinese  Type 77 receiver is a solid state version of the
Russian R209 "Krot".
The R209 is an older tube model (with subminiature tubes). The frequency
range, and the display of the Chinese Type 77  are identical and the general
panel layout is very similar. I have the feeling that while the Russians
obsoleted this model in the early 80's, the Chinese developed it further and
just redesigned it with solid state devices. The tube type Chinese receiver
is the clone of the original Russian R209
A number of Eastern  European hams who used the R209 claim that it is an
excellent receiver.
I played with one in a hamfest in Germany 2 years ago and I was impressed.
If this Chinese model is anywhere near as good as the R209, then it's a nice
receiver for the money/trade.

73, Meir WF2U




From: 	[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]  On
Behalf Of scott
Sent:	Wednesday, June 19, 2002 6:33 AM
To:	[email protected]
Subject:	Re: [R-390] Re: R-390 <> Type 77 China trade


Wow.  Can you imagine being Xu and getting your hands on a 390?  Like a kid
at christmas.  Finally a toy that will not fall apart when played with.
Quite unlike my childrens toys that are all made in china and fall apart
after several hours of light play.  DON't handle the Type 77 too hard.
Maybe don't even look at it the wrong way Ed.
Can I get someone to trade me a 390 for the pile of broken chinese toys I
have?

Scott





----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Tanton" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2002 11:21 PM
Subject: [R-390] Re: R-390 <> Type 77 China trade


> 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 <[email protected]>
>
> Ed Tanton N4XY
> 189 Pioneer Trail
> Marietta, GA 30068-3466
>
> website: http://www.n4xy.com
>
> All emails <IN> & <OUT> checked by
> Norton AntiVirus with AutoProtect
>
> LM: ARRL QCWA AMSAT & INDEXA;
> SEDXC NCDXA GACW QRP-ARCI
> OK-QRP QRP-L #758 K2 (FT) #00057
>
>
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