[R-390] Clean gear train

[Phil Atchley]

Hi Folks.
Today I pulled the RF deck out of this EAC that I'm presently overhauling.
This unit has to have absolutely the cleanest gear train I've ever seen in
an R-390A upon arrival at this QTH.  When I got it I was told the set had
been "gone through" but could probably use lubing as it had been awhile.
I'm not sure what "gone through" meant but it certainly wasn't re-capped.

Yes, there is some light dirt between the coils etc but nothing like what
I've come to expect.  Even the rack springs are still shiny!

Normally, I pull the RF deck, remove all slug racks, tubes coils etc and
then do a complete "slosh" cleaning of the mechanism with a solvent and
garden hose.  Not this time.  Instead I'm removing each rack and its coils
individually, clean said coils/slugs, squirt a little DeOxit in the coil
sockets, clean/oil the rollers and reassemble doing one rack at a time.
Then of course I'll "LIGHTLY" lube any points that I feel need it.  I've
been down that road several times now and feel that excess lube is worse
than no/little lube.  

NOTE:  My first R-390A ever got a FREQUENT and GENEROUS treatment of a
special "extra slick" lubricant from a pump spray bottle at regular
intervals.  This was BEFORE I was on the Internet or had even heard of the
R-390 mail reflector.  Needless to say, there was always a "puddle" of that
stuff on the table under the receiver!!!  I don't recall the name of the
product but I must say it was slippery, but I'm not really sure it made the
receiver any easier to tune 8^)  


73 de Phil, KO6BB

****************************************************
*  DXing THE WORLD WITH THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT.   *
*  RECEIVERS:                                      *
*    '67 EAC R-390/URR Surplus Receiver with a     *
*            HAMMARLUND HC-10 Sideband adapter.    *
*    YAESU VR-5000 Wideband,  REALISTIC DX-392.    *
*    Home built Longwave "Hybrid" CW receiver.     *
*    Others which pass thru or are waiting repair. *
*  ANTENNAS:                                       *
*    Coil Loaded 18.5 Meter Long Sloper.           *
*    Roof mounted Hustler 6BTV 6 band Vertical.    *
*    Scantenna Scanner antenna at 7 Meters high.   *
*  LOCATION: Merced, Central California.           *
****************************************************




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