Fw: [R-390] R-390 slugs

Jim Temple [email protected]
Sun, 5 May 2002 11:56:30 -0400 

OK, I think I have found a pattern to the color dots on the R-390 non-a
slugs.

In reviewing the Yahoo archives, I found two different members reported a
similar color pattern.  This was:

RF COILS...
0.5-1     yellow dots
1-2        yellow dots
2-4        yellow dots
4-8        red dots
8-16      blue dots
16-32    blue dots

Variable IF COILS...
3-2        red dots
18-9      blue dots

These color dots are consistent with ALL the coils within the listed coil
row.

Although the color dot pattern was not 100% in agreement, it was something
like 95% in agreement.

In checking my new/old R-390 this morning, I observed the exact pattern that
I listed above, 100%.  I observed two dots of the same color, 180 degrees
apart, on each slug.  Based on the observations of three different
individuals, at different times, I would feel comfortable with claiming that
the color pattern outlined above is correct for the earlier production runs
of the R-390.  My observation is also consistant with the Final Engineering
Report on the R-390, refrenced below.

NOW, this does not explain the science of the material used, permiabilities,
and other scientific properties, but it does seem to explain what color dots
go to what slug and what slug goes to which coil row, IN EARLIER PRODUCTION
RUN R-390'S.

As I earlier observed, I had noticed one of my coils was aligning to
instability.  I noticed that one of the 16-32 slugs was of a different
color.  So I exchanged the slugs and the alignment went well after the swap.

It is now clear, from my recent observations of the color dots, that the two
slugs that I swapped, IN FACT WERE OPPOSITES, which when exchanged,
correctly associated themselves with the same color slugs in that row.  Now
all the slugs, in each row, are of the same color.

I present my observations in the hope that owners of the R-390 might be able
to explain inexplicable alignment problems and use todays observations to,
hopfully, realize that there are three different slugs used in the earlier
production R-390's.

Of course, this information is useful only to the extent that the subject
slugs have surviving color codes painted at the top of the slug, where the
spring attaches to the slug.

73, Jim

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Temple" <[email protected]>
To: "robert J. wagner" <[email protected]>
Cc: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2002 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [R-390] R-390 slugs


> Hi Bob,
>
> It appears, from my research, that there are two series of R-390 slugs.
The
> first series is for the earlier production runs of the R-390.  This is
> discussed in the Final Engineering Report for the R-390, available at
> www.r-390a.net/faq-refs.htm .  Apparently the earlier production runs used
3
> different values of slugs in the R-390.
>
> 1.  For the 8-16, 16-32 RF coils, and the 9-18 Variable IF coils.
> 2.  For the 4-8 RF coils, and the 3-2 Variable IF coils.
> 3.  For the .5-1, 1-2, 2-4 RF coils.
>
> They are not necessarilly matched to individual coils, but the type of
slug
> is selected for the above listed coil banks.
>
> The second series of slugs, for later production runs, were poorly
> documented in the 1962 TM 11-5820-357-35, page 3.
>
> Nowhere is there a definitive explaination or graph detailing how to
> identify the different values of slugs for replacement or alignment
> purposes.  Some on the list attempted to chart their exhisting R-390
slugs,
> to varying degrees of success.  This is documented in the Yahoo Archives
as
> discussed below.
>
> I will continue to research this issue and report back from time to time.
>
> Jim
> 73, KF4ICZ
>
> ----- Original Message ----- >
> > Well, I have been going over the Yahoo archives and it seems that there
is
> > no easy way to judge what slugs and coils match in the R-390.  There was
> > considerable discussion about color codes, etc.  Everything you ever
> wanted
> > to know about R-390 slugs is discussed in the April 1999 time frame,
give
> or
> > take a couple of months, in the Yahoo archives, except the final,
> definitive
> > answer.  So it seems there is no real answer, beyong going back in time
to
> > question the manufacturers of these items. :-)
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jim Temple" <[email protected]>
> > To: <[email protected]>
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 10:58 PM
> > Subject: Fw: [R-390] Question about R-390 (Non A)
> >
> >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Jim Temple" <[email protected]>
> > > To: "Paul H. Anderson" <[email protected]>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 10:56 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [R-390] Question about R-390 (Non A)
> > >
> > >
> > > > All the slugs, except one, had some kind of brown shellac coating
> them.
> > > One
> > > > was black on the 16-32 slug rack.  I swapped this one with the one
> coil
> > > slug
> > > > that was unstable, and the peaking instability went away.  Perhaps
> > > somewhere
> > > > along the way, the slugs were exchanged, hurting the stability of
the
> > > unit.
> > > > It would be nice to have a comprehensive tally of the various
> > combinations
> > > > of slugs available in the R-390.
> > > >
> > > > Jim
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Paul H. Anderson" <[email protected]>
> > > > To: "Jim Temple" <[email protected]>
> > > > Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 10:55 AM
> > > > Subject: Re: [R-390] Question about R-390 (Non A)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > You're ahead of me on the 390 alignment, but one thing I do know
is
> > that
> > > > > there are at least three different types of slugs for the RF
deck -
> > and
> > > > > can for can, they change depending on the mod level.
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm away from my manual, but the 1962 390 manual (tm
11-5820-357-35)
> > has
> > > > > some info about slug changes.  David Medley had knowledge about
> them,
> > I
> > > > > think, but didn't make it clear to me if he knew which color slug
> went
> > > > > where, or even if there was a scheme for that.
> > > > >
> > > > > We really, really (as a group) need to figure this out if we can -
I
> > > > > suspect a lot of 390/391's are suffering from mismatch of RF deck
> > slugs.
> > > > >
> > > > > Paul
> > > > >
> > > > > On Tue, 30 Apr 2002, Jim Temple wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > 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
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > R-390 mailing list
> > > > > > [email protected]
> > > > > > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > +---------------------------------------------------+
> > > > > | Paul Anderson           Public Data Queries, Inc. |
> > > > > | [email protected]             734-213-4964 x308         |
> > > > > +---------------------------------------------------+
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> >
> >
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> >
>
>
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