[R-390] FWD: Flight of the Phoenix Msg 1

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

Okay - you asked for it, so here it is. The old PC is up and running,
and it's just like stepping back in time two years. Date came up as July
10th 2001, the day it was shut down for the last time. Talk about a time
capsule! Definitely some fine posts from Nolan, Dr. Jerry, Barry Hauser,
Roy Morgan...and many others. Even found the last emails I exchanged
with Bill Orr W6SAI about the SP-200 and 600. Some on here from Ed
Clegg, too. (Yep - love that Clegg gear too!) 


 Turns out that this is only message #1, not the actual completed unit
post that I thought. Still, it's a very interesting post and is - indeed
- classic Nolan. Maybe this was his first post? Maybe not. Either way,
it's a good read and you can see many of the early questions Nolan had
before he had done the new research and found better ways and materials.
I also have the BETA copy of his Rev. 4 (11/29/99) Master Capacitor list
for the R-390A (Nolan always called them by their true name, not a
non-name). 

Be sure to see one of the famous signature files at the end.

 Enjoy!

~Boomer




Subject: 
        [R-390] Flight of the Phoenix Msg 1
  Date: 
        Tue, 19 May 1998 17:30:22 -0500
  From: 
        Nolan Lee <nlee@communique.net>
    To: 
        R390A Gurus <r-390@qth.net>


Starting a couple of days ago, I pulled what was left of my first
(aquired in the mid 1970's) R390A out of the attic where it's been
baking for 5 or 6 years or so at high temp, here in the Deep South.
Is it soup yet ma? You bet! Mmmmm mmmmmm good bubba!

I had retired it after a rather spectacular IF deck meltdown. When
it went, it looked like a special effect from either Star Trek Next
Generation or an old Voyage to the Bottom of ther Sea re-run. Ever
wonder why they didn't used fuses on that submarine?

After putting the fire out. I shut it down and stuffed one of the
spare IF decks in it. No good, it was gone. DOA bubba. I didn't feel
like looking for a cure at the time so I did something like was done
to Walt Disney's body. Since I was just a rather poor Redneck at the
time, and am still, I didn't have access to a cryogenic chamber to
freeze it. Instead, I stuffed it in the attic where a generous coating
of mud dauber nests and some of that there theroputic heat stuff would
preserve it for future generations in the event I died before I could
fix it.

At any rate, a couple of days ago, I was up there fixing the attic vent
fan that died a couple of three years ago and I happened to see it.
It was setting there calling to me. "Fix me....fix me......" I sat the
quart of beer down and hauled the 390A down the ladder. I let it sit
in a low spot under a tree in the shade for a few hours to cool down
before I hosed it off. I didn't want to subject it to sudden thermal
shock. If might have damaged something. After it cooled (about 4 beers
later) I took it apart and used about 6 cans of Gunk on it. Sure nuff
looks purty now. All of the protective mud dauber nests are gone along
with the grease off of the geartrain. A side benefit was that I finally
got around to filling in that low spot that the wife's been complaing
about for ten years or so. I bent me up a mess of hooks and then hung
each
of the modules on the clothesline to dry in the sun.

I intend to go thru each of the modules and resurect this thing. Since
the RF Deck is a pain to remove for occasional repairs, I want to pay
special attention to it.

Here is a list of questions concerning the repair of that there RF Deck
thing that I'd really appreciate yall answering.

1. I've checked all of the carbon resistors in it and will have to
replace
   about a half a dozen or so of them. Since carbon resistors suck in
the
   long run, what would be the best non-inductive resistor to replace
   these with? Think it's worth the hell of changing ALL of them?

2. The three brown tubular caps suck (1 blowed up bubba, 2 cracked).
   What's the best long term replacement for these?

3. What's accepted as the best grease for lubricationg the gears and
   rollers. I used rifle grease for years, but remember, I'm a Redneck
   so I'm sure that there are higher tech lubricants.

4. Ideas on the best oil to lubricate the bronze bushings in the gear
   train where the various sharts extend thru the RF Deck panels? I
   used 40W motor oil, jes' like the tractor.......ideas on something
   better?

5. This deck is marked as having Mod 5 done. What exactly did Mod 5
   involve? What's the oldest bulldog you know of?

6. I don't like the looks of several of the little coaxial cables
   that extent to the other modules. Anyone know the specs on this
   coax? I'd like to replace several of them.

7. I've never knowingly had a mica cap go bad in a 390A. Come to think
   of it, I don't think I've ever had a mica cap go bad in anything.
   Removing and checking every one of them with a bridge would take
   forever. ;-( Should I even bother? I say know, but some of yall
   are a lot sharper. What do YOU think?

8. Have I missed anything concerning the IF deck? Anything I should
   look for that some of you guys that have repaired dozens of these
   things have seen? Evil forces? The dark side?

9. I'd imagine that the chokes and ceramic discs are all OK. Comments?

10.See, you didn't think I could count that high with only 9 fingers,
   huh?

thanks in advance,
nolan


If an infinite number of rednecks riding in an infinite number
of pickup trucks fire an infinite number of shotgun rounds at an
infinite number of highway signs, eventually they will produce all
of the world's great literary works in Braille.


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