[R-390] EK-07 Appreciation Tour

[WF2U]

And I'll put another 2 cents in this kitty...

For band cruising and serious weak signal hunting the EK-07 is my
preference, but it shares first place with its competitor, the Telefunken
E104KW (mine is a /4 model, ex German Post Office...). It's even a bit
larger in volume than the R&S EK-07, but it's a few pounds lighter due to
the difference in the enclosure construction. It's sensitivity spec is 0.12
microvolt (CW) and input noise figure is 8.5 dB, very similar to those of
the EK-07. IF rejection is rated at -100 dB. It also has a built-in,
in-circuit tube checker, and similar selectivity selections. The dial
arrangement, resolution,  and smooth action are also similar to those of the
EK-07.

The third in this class is the Receiver Type 1340.21, manufactured by VEB
Kopenick, East Germany (GDR) in the 60's, after their purchase via a third
party of several EK-07 receivers was stopped by the West German authorities
so the East German intelligence services needed a good intercept receiver...
It's a sophisticated receiver with a phase locked loop stabilized local
oscillator. The dial arrangement in conjunction with a deviation meter
enables the receiver to measure the received frequency to within 500 Hz! All
this in a package somewhat smaller than the EK-07 and considerably lighter!

For band cruising, listening pleasure I concur with the SP-600 choice. I
also enjoy my R-366/TRR-5 receiver with its original 12" Jensen reproducer
for great SWL'ing.
For net operations but not weak signal hunting I like the R-390A's.
Immediately behind the R-390A's  is the Russian R-250M. It's the best
octal-tubed (23 tubes) receiver I ever used. It's just as sensitive as a
good, properly aligned SP-600, but more stable, better frequency resolution,
more selectivity options. It's also larger and heavier than the R-390A and
uses a variable IF with crystal controlled conversion for all the bands,
similar to the Collins method. It was originally designed in 1947! Mine is a
late -M series, before the -M2 model which used miniature tubes.
Then there is the British Navy Murphy B-40 receiver which is also a great
band cruiser, sensitive and great sounding - besides being very cool
looking.
There are a good number of other great boatanchor receivers I like to use as
well - the Marconi Atalanta, the GEC BRT-400, the Siemens E-305, E-309,
E-310 and E-311 and the Eddystone 730/4 to mention a few...

Enjoy!

73, Meir WF2U / NNN0AAF
Landrum, SC


> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Richard M. MC Clung
> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 9:49 PM
> To: R-390 LIST
> Subject: RE: [R-390] EK-07 Appreciation Tour
>
>
> I guess I'll put my 2-cents in this list of receivers.
>
> For band cruising and just plain signal hunting I will say the R/S
> EK-o7 is my Number 1 followed by an SP-600 with the Nuvistor Plug RF
> Amplifier Field Modification at Number 2.
>
> Pure listening pleasure would be the SP-600 with the audio output
> connected to a large bass reflex enclosure with a 15" woofer, a 6"
> mid-range and a horn tweeter. Even the earlier SP-100,200,400 series
> of receivers are great SW listeners. Especially if all of the up
> grades and modifications pertaining to frequency stability have been
> applied to them.
>
> For SERIOUS signal hunting I would go with the R-390 at Number 1, the
> R-725 at Number 2, the R-390A at Number 3. These three also sound
> pretty good when the diode load audio is feed into a decent audio and
> speaker system. The R-392, when properly aligned, hand picked tubes
> are selected, (get rid of the transistor audio amp and replace the
> tube) and a decent audio set up as above provided is a real
> surprising performer. But in the easy listening category they are
> still behind the R/S and SP-600.
>
> My ideal set up with the above receivers for Surveillance/Intercept
> operation; I would want an R/S EK-07 as a hunter/scanner to hand off
> to a pair of R-390's set up to operate in diversity with at least a
> vertical and a horizontal antenna.
>
> For easy listening give a pair of 6V6's into a large bass reflex
> speaker box.
>
> RICH  WA6KNW
>
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