[R-390] She's a real beauty!!

[Barry Hauser]

Phil wrote:
>Well that expected R-390A arrived at my door today.

It's amazing how that happens.  They get around despite their weight.

> I can only say one
>thing about it.  SHE'S A BEAUTY!  The man said that it was cosmetically
nice
>and, except for the audio module had all EAC modules.  Well, inspection
>shows that all the modules including the audio one are EAC, or at least
have
>EAC stamps on them.  The back panel is also EAC and it has a very nice
>engraved panel.

Well, Watson, uh, Phil, it would appear that we can safely deduce that this
is a receiver of EAC origin.

> So far as I can determine, the entire receiver is EAC
>"EXCEPT" for the tag on the front that says Collins.  I suspect the tag was
>missing and somebody stuck that one on it.

Hmmmmm.... An old smuggler's trick, perhaps?  Easily rectified, but not with
a diode.

>The PTO is Cosmos (ugh), everything including the gear train is spotlessly
>clean (some dust of course).

Why do you say "ugh"?  While not necessarily la creme de la creme, Cosmos
PTO's are most prolific.  Somewhere around here I have two in a box.  Could
have swarn there was originally one.  Besides, Cosmos PTO's were made in
Queens Nooo Yawk.

> It has all the black tube shields (not the
>heat dissipating type), rectifier tubes, AND THE BALLAST tube!  This
>receiver is definitely about the nicest "unserviced" one I've ever seen.

A Stewart Warner '60 turned up on my doorstep recently.  No cabinet, but
coincidentally had all blace IERC shields -- but no inserts -- not any of
the 3 styles.  26Z5W's silicon rectifiered out, diode load jack on the front
panel and the Navy connector box on the back.

>It does play though S meter response seems to be down from what I'd expect.
>But then I didn't have a lot of antenna on it (5 feet of wire).

I have noticed that some radios seem to want an antenna, not my usual test
gimmick with the alligator and paper clips.  Also, be aware if cheating the
C-connector, the Twinax or some BNC jobbie -- lately paper clips are coming
through painted, not plated.  These have been made in China for some time
now as the construction plans for standard and jumbo paper clips were
somehow lost and they are unable to reverse-engineer the technology.

This particular S-W needed its antenna trimmer trimmed a lot.

> I figured that since the man I got it from had powered it, up a quick
checkout
> wouldn't hurt anything.

I've heard that before, and when I rely on it, I sometimes get crackle and
smoke.  I pull the IF and audio decks and check around.  Also put the plugin
caps on a cap checker and reform them if necessary.  The originally C553 (MF
killer) was there, but good for now.  Surprised that the original tantalum
in the audio deck was still intact (not leaked out with an acid trail.)  The
plugin caps -- from 1960 made by Pyramid -- checked perfectly with no
leakage.  However I was using a Pyramid cap checker. heh heh

> BUT, it won't be powered up again till I have gone
>through it end to end with a fine tooth comb, replaced the capacitors
>(especially electrolytics) and checked all the resistors etc.

Makes sense.

>The CV-979 Case:  DEFIINITLY a class act.  It is as shiny as the day it was
>pulled out of the box (which I understand wasn't all that long ago).  Not a
>scratch on it that I can see.  I was told it was a CV-929 but then none of
>our eyes are what they once were ;-)  (Is there even such a critter as a
>929)?

I have some cases around here, but none of those.  'scuze me a sec. ...
WAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!  .. sorry.  I dunno, it used to work a long time ago, but
alas, still no  CV-979

>I REALLY think that this one is going to have to be a "keeper".  I've said
>that before but though I've had some nice ones, none of this caliber!  It's
>almost a shame to pull the modules as that is sure to scratch some green
>paint off the screws <GRIN>.

First, Phil, you better keep this one, or you're gonna be known as the
"wham-bam, thank you mam'" guy of boatanchordom.  If you're careful, you
won't chip the green paint on the screws.  Put some tape on the screwdriver
tip. If any chips off, save the chips, grind up, mix with epoxy and replace
with a micro-trowel.

>I may eventually try to swap the Collins Tag (SN 4563) for a '67 EAC tag.
>Yes, I know it's only a vanity thing. But hey, shouldn't a set of this
>caliber be "correct" in even the little details?  8^)

Yup, you can do that later.  Meanwhile, remove the tag and reinstall upside
down.

Enjoy!

(Of course,  you're gonna turn this one into a beacon lowfer too, right?)

Barry