[R-390] R-392 available - needs work

[Barry Hauser]

John wrote:

> This lonely R-392 was just down the road from me and I couldn't resist so
it followed me home last week.

Uh-huh, I see ... The seem slick on the bottom, but really have millions of
tiny caterpillar feet.

> I'm now in need of the crystal cal module,  AF module and IF module, so I
was told.

Whoa .. sounds like you're really short on modules there, John.

> A power and audio connector would be nice as well.  It looks nice outside
and has the meter!

Those are obtainable. You could haywire 3 leads to the power connector --
actually two -- filament and B+ -- are generally jumpered for +28 vdc and
one is ground.  Best to pick up an LS-166 matching speaker.  Sound quality
is not too terrific as it's waterproof and concussion resistant (not much
audiophool compliance in the surround or spider), but it is plug 'n play and
comes pre-assembled with the correct connector.  Has a small 600 ohm
matching transformer built in.

> There may be other things as well as I have not had a chance to open it up
yet.

Sounds like it was an organ donor, but I'm surprised the meter survived.
I'd suspect you're mising some shafts and/or shaft couplings at least --
stuff that falls loose when the module gremlin absconds with the modules.

> (it's still in the back of the car waiting for my wife to go out long
enough to sneak it in)

Aahhh yessss, the old "boatanchor shuffle", I know it well. That's one of
the reasons to have more than one.  "Is that another one of those ugly
smelly radios?!!!", "No, dear, it's the same ol' one, just hauled it out of
the garage to work on it, heh heh."  Fortunately, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed
doesn't read tags and serial numbers. Actually, you need at least three of
each -- one to play, one to tinker with, and another as a decoy ;-)  Also,
the R-392 fits pretty well in one of those "banker's boxes" with the cutout
handles and the lid, though the lid won't completely close.  So they can be
hidden in plain sight.  Mark the label area of the box with something
innocuous and deceptive, like "Tax Files -- Save 100 years".

> I'd thought I'd ask here before I went to Fair Radio.  Not sure when I'll
get to it and it is my first R-392 so I figured it best to put out a posting
to see who has what for parts

Fair may have some stuff -- and might not have a few items, depending.  It's
a bit premature as you need to more completely evaluate what's missing.  It
may have been more randomly cannibalized with lot's of small unobtainiums
missing.

> as well as who here is into the R-392 to see if I can join the super
secret society.

Can you do the secret handshake?

>  At least I don't have to worry about an "A-nonA" thing with this radio!

Well, I dunno.  Sounds like you got an R-392-(Minus) A-C-I-(?)

You might get lucky, but this radio is probably like most things, the whole
is cheaper than the sum of its parts.  Most I've come across are
intact/complete give or take a small part.  Not a particularly good sign
that it was an obvious organ donor.  As with humans, even though they sign
the back of their driver's licenses, you can't harvest any useable parts
unless the prospective donor has gone SK.

Good luck in your quest.  Do you have a manual?  If not, you can download
one from several sites.  Paul Rovero has some nice, informative web pages on
the subject.

Barry