[R-390] Nuvistaplug?

Sun Dec 25 20:53:36 EST 2005

Oops, there was supposed to be a" ;) " at the end of that "(including 
you need 21 major changes to get it right!)" Sorry if I offended anyone. 
Indeed, as I said, I am looking seriously aabout getting one of my own, 
preferabilly one without Diversity. And for the people in the business 
of listening to the HF bands, the SP-600J series is perfect for scanning 
for new signals, and the R-390A for monitoring. As for difference in 
sensitivity, there are few people that can afford to live at the very 
quiet sites the professionals use.

Les Locklear wrote:

>I saw that remark earlier, but let him slide. He obviously doesn't know what he is 
>talking about. And, I have tuned up enough people this year, my quota is almost used up.
>
>Actually there were over 40 different suffix numbers, the highest suffix number being 
>the JX-39 which was built for the FAA. The last SP-600 series built was the JX-21A which 
>had the product detector and 22 tubes vs. 20 in the standard models. Early versions 
>didn't have a suffix number, simply marked SP-600JX.
>
>A properly aligned and operating will hear anything you can hear on a R-390/URR or R-
>390A/URR (see how simple that is) (for the NON-A crowd). Those that whine about the 
>frequency readout don't know the bands very well, I know exactly what I'm listening to 
>when tuning with an SP-600. But, knowing the bands has become a lost art for the digital 
>generation.
>
>
>Les Locklear
>Gulfport, Ms.
>Professional Curmudgeon
>Equal Opportunity Annoyer
>
>On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 16:46 , 'Cecil Acuff' <chacuff at cableone.net> sent:
>
>  
>
>>Hey Folks,
>>
>>       Les Locklear can speak better to this...as can Andy and Al Parker 
>>but there aren't really 21 different models....I think there were just a 
>>group of different contracts of sorts over the years in the JX series and 
>>the JX numbers were not in order of manufacture.  Just because it had a 
>>different JX number didn't mean it had a change to the circuit 
>>configuration.  I think the JX-1 through JX-14 were pretty much the same 
>>then came the JX-17 which is know as the "Diversity" model and then back to 
>>the pretty much standard circuit configuration from that point on up to the 
>>top...which was what the JX-26 or 31 or something like that.....Then there 
>>was the VLF!
>>
>>There were a few field modifications released by the military such as the 
>>variable IF gain control on the front panel which is a nice mod!
>>
>>They changed from paper caps to ceramic caps at some point.
>>
>>I'm not partial to the Diversity model but they seem to bring more when sold 
>>than the others....
>>
>>If buying I would be more concerned about the condition of the radio than 
>>the model designation, but they are all getting more expensive for sure!  I 
>>own a JX-1 and a JX-14 and I think the JX-1 is the nicer of the two and will 
>>probably be my keeper along with the VLF and the SP-600 Leary.
>>
>>Those who are more knowledgeable in the models please correct me if I have 
>>led anyone down the wrong path!
>>
>>Cecil.....
>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: "Mark Huss" mhuss1 at bellatlantic.net>
>>To: "Cecil Acuff" chacuff at cableone.net>
>>Cc: "Michael Murphy" mjmurphy45 at comcast.net>; "r390 net" 
>>r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
>>Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2005 9:18 PM
>>Subject: Re: [R-390] Nuvistaplug?
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Oh, I could go on and on about the comparative performance of the 
>>>R-390/R-390A as opposed to the Sp-600 (including you need 21 major changes 
>>>to get it right!), but to be honest, I’m one of the guys that have been 
>>>bidding unsuccessfully for an SP-600 on E-Bay, so I shouldn’t talk. 
>>>Indeed, the only reason I don’t have one yet is trying to decide which of 
>>>the 21 different models is best for MW DX’ing. I saw some down in the Air 
>>>Force place, and was not impressed with it’s ability to dig some very weak 
>>>signals out of the noise that you knew were there. But for scanning for 
>>>unknowns, it felt very good. A hassle converting the tuning to an exact 
>>>frequency. So anybody want to sell me their #5 SP-600? Maybe give me a 
>>>better idea of the differences in the various models off the group. P.S. 
>>>Another writer sent me an e-mail at my direct address about the 
>>>Nuvistaplug. Said that it gave his SP-600JX1 another 9dB S+N/N, dropping 
>>>the noise floor to about equivelent to the R-390A, and he liked the 
>>>broader slope of the filters. Gave it more of an R-390 sound.
>>>
>>>
>>>Cecil Acuff wrote:
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>Group,
>>>>
>>>>Well whatever the SP-600 may lack in performance against the R-390A (the 
>>>>boys radio I'm told) it makes up for in it's tuning system, audio and 
>>>>classic looks......we don't call any of them "Depot Dawgs" either do we 
>>>>Mr. Moorer. (does have a pedigree though!)
>>>>
>>>>It's molded paper caps fail just as often as the ones in the R-390A and 
>>>>the government never set a mountain of them out in the weather for an 
>>>>extended period (that I've heard about anyway)....which has been blamed 
>>>>for the failures of those in the R-390A. Much scientific testing, such as 
>>>>boiling (or was it baking) and freezing of them many times over to 
>>>>simulate the SJC conditions has been conducted, as I understand it, to 
>>>>substantiate that conclusion. (results published elsewhere)
>>>>
>>>>HA!....just a little Christmas Eve fun folks...they are both great 
>>>>radio's and I am proud to own several of each!
>>>>
>>>>Merry Christmas to all....
>>>>
>>>>Cecil Acuff
>>>>WB5VCE
>>>>Gulfport MS (Katrina Central)
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>_____________________________________________________________
>>R-390 mailing list
>>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390
>>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/faq.htm
>>Post: R-390 at mailman.qth.net','','','')">R-390 at mailman.qth.net
>>    
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>  
>