[R-390] Re: R-390 Digest, Vol 9, Issue 32
Bill Mills
millsend at alltel.net
Fri Jan 14 17:22:31 EST 2005
Subject: Fair Radio R-390A "Blue Strippers"
I have attended the Dayton Hamconvention the past several years and have
made the trip to Fair Radio before the hamconvention. Last year, I was
surprised that Fair Radio had not pulled a dozen of the receivers from their
storage area and gotten them ready for sale. I spoke with the tech and he
stated their policy was to pull, test, repair and align only after receipt
of a sale order.
While I was at Fair, I was able to poke around in the back storage area.
Fair has cardboard boxes full of R-390A sub assemblies. Most are stacked 4
to 6 deep in the boxes. I purchased several assemblies to include a VFO and
audio deck and had to go through the entire box to find assemblies that had
cables, not damaged, etc. It will not be too many more years before Fair's
supply of R-390A assemblies will be available.
If you have the time and are in the Dayton, Ohio, area it will pay you to
make a trip to Lima and a visit to Fair Radio Sales. Reserve several hours
time to polk around in Fair
Radio because what they display in their catalog is a fraction of whan they
sell.
Good hunting.
Proud owner of a R-390A Collins and Capehart
Best 73,
Bill Mills
KC4AA
----- Original Message -----
From: <r-390-request at mailman.qth.net>
To: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: 14 January, 2005 18:15
Subject: R-390 Digest, Vol 9, Issue 32
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Old Brown Beauty Crack Problem (Gord Hayward)
> 2. Fair radio blue strippers (richard may)
> 3. Re: Old Brown Beauty Crack Problem (Bryce Ringwood)
> 4. Re: Fair radio blue strippers (N4BUQ at aol.com)
> 5. Re: Fair radio blue strippers (Dan Arney)
> 6. Re: Fair radio blue strippers (Cecil Acuff)
> 7. Re: capacitor thread (Cecil Acuff)
> 8. Re: Fair radio blue strippers (Paul Staupe)
> 9. Re: Fair radio blue strippers (Richard Loken)
> 10. You call *THAT* cracked??? (Tom Norris)
> 11. Fw: [R-390] Fair Radio Blue Strippers and other Ramblings
> (Lee Bahr)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 08:28:56 -0500
> From: Gord Hayward <ghayward at uoguelph.ca>
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Old Brown Beauty Crack Problem
> Cc: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <41E7C918.7050606 at uoguelph.ca>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
>
> I just render old paper caps to recover the Marconi wax to grease up my
> antennas for better DX.
>
> Cheers, Gord.
>
> >Clearly we also need to be archiving our cut out components in the proper
> >environment which slows down the aging process; if only for the
historical
> >record. I've found that Mason jars work.
> >
>
> --
>
> Gordon L. Hayward, Ph.D., P.Eng.,
> Associate Professor, Biological Engineering,
> School of Engineering, University of Guelph,
> Guelph, Ontaro, N1G 2W1.
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 08:45:04 -0500
> From: "richard may" <rtmay at htn.net>
> Subject: [R-390] Fair radio blue strippers
> To: ku4yp at verizon.net
> Cc: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <b83dd57175544ca58d1ccd005ec0e3e0.rtmay at htn.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Mike. I would like to tell you my experiences with Fair radio. I bought a
"Blue stripper" from them about a year ago.
> If you order one from them, expect about a three week wait before it is
shipped. Gary at Fair explained to me that it takes this much time to get
the radio up to their advertised "Checked out" condition. Here is what I
found when I received it:
> 1. Broken wire on VU meter: Repaired.
> 2. Seperated RF slug: found it in the can and expoxyed it.
> 3. BFO inoperative: BFO can replaced. Unit had been screwed beyond its
limits.
> 4. Crystal Calibrator out of tolerance: Replaced crystal.
> 5. RF rack spring missing: installed spring to stop hangup (This could
have happen when shipped).
> 6. Electrolytic (C609) in AF deck charred: Replaced, common problem.
> 7. Frame bent. Replaced side panel and rebent back panel best I could.
> 8. Filter choke (L602) damaged: Replaced choke. (This happened when the
chassis was damaged. Somebody used this thing for a football, probably at
the disposal site).
>
> In all fairness, Fair radio supplied the necessary parts free to repair
the unit. I also decided, since I was there, to pick up some additional
parts (PTO, etc). Gary gave me the run of the place to select the best
parts. All sub-units have been removed from the unrepairable receivers and
thrown into large bins. If you order an IF deck for instance, you probably
will receive the unit with all connectors attached and undamaged. The reason
it is advertised as "With no connectors" is because some of the have been
cut off or damaged. My guess is that about 80 percent will be OK.
> Gary also told me that it won't be long before he will be in the parts
business only. I saw only three palats of receivers that were still sealed.
My guess is about 125 left and that was last Feburary.
>
> Hope this gives you a better understanding of what to expect. If I had to
do it again, I probably would buy a "uncheck, repairable" At least I know it
will will turn on and receive at least one station. (His words).
>
> Good luck, Richard W8FCW, richardmay at hotmail.com
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 15:54:16 +0200
> From: "Bryce Ringwood" <BRingwoo at csir.co.za>
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Old Brown Beauty Crack Problem
> To: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Message-ID: <s1e7eb3d.049 at cs-emo.csir.co.za>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>
> I know a guy who renders down the old paper caps so he can dip the
> modern caps in the wax to make them look like the originals. Didn't know
> the technical term was "Marconi wax" - is it different from bees wax ?
> (looks the same).
>
> - Bryce
>
> PS You're never going to believe this -today the police arrested our
> War Museum curator for having heavy weapons in his museum. They
> confiscated the museum's armoured cars and various bits of light and
> heavy weapons and led the curator away in handcuffs.
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 09:05:30 -0500
> From: N4BUQ at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Fair radio blue strippers
> To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <1B43321F.7EFF9B1D.0000E03E at aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Fair radio sells strippers? :)
>
> Barry(III) - N4BUQ
>
> >Mike. I would like to tell you my experiences with Fair radio. I bought a
"Blue stripper" from them about a year ago.
> <snip>
> >Good luck, Richard W8FCW, richardmay at hotmail.com
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 06:34:09 -0800
> From: Dan Arney <hankarn at pacbell.net>
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Fair radio blue strippers
> To: N4BUQ at aol.com
> Cc: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <41E7D861.1080607 at pacbell.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
>
> Barry, Do the strippers wear pasties and ?G? strings?
> Or do they just have a "BLUE" STRIPE in the correct place HeHe
> Hank
> KN6DI
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 09:05:51 -0600
> From: "Cecil Acuff" <chacuff at cableone.net>
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Fair radio blue strippers
> To: <N4BUQ at aol.com>, <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Message-ID: <001601c4fa4a$898d01a0$6501a8c0 at acuff1>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Yea....only blue ones though....you know like those blue guys on TV doing
> the computer chip commercials...I guess they were surplus....not much call
> for a blue stripper these days....except the occasional smurf.
>
> Cecil...
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <N4BUQ at aol.com>
> To: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, January 14, 2005 8:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Fair radio blue strippers
>
>
> > Fair radio sells strippers? :)
> >
> > Barry(III) - N4BUQ
> >
> >>Mike. I would like to tell you my experiences with Fair radio. I bought
a
> >>"Blue stripper" from them about a year ago.
> > <snip>
> >>Good luck, Richard W8FCW, richardmay at hotmail.com
> > _____________________________________________________________
> > Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> > Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
> > _____________________________________________________________
> > R-390 mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390
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> > Unsubscribe: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/options/r-390
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 09:14:38 -0600
> From: "Cecil Acuff" <chacuff at cableone.net>
> Subject: Re: [R-390] capacitor thread
> To: "Bernie Nicholson" <vk2abn at batemansbay.com>,
> <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Message-ID: <001c01c4fa4b$c3b1ff10$6501a8c0 at acuff1>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Bernie and Group,
>
> A quick check of the Subscribers list indicates that unfortunately
> Dallas appears to have parted company with the group....He is quite
> knowledgably but I guess he didn't want to listen to any of our noise
about
> statistics and paper capacitors any longer....right or wrong.
>
> Cecil...
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bernie Nicholson" <vk2abn at batemansbay.com>
> To: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 10:36 PM
> Subject: [R-390] capacitor thread
>
>
> Dallas you may not have found many cracked capacitors ,but I can assure
you
> that if you had subjected the black tubular caps with colored stripes to a
> leakage test you may have been suprised , I snip one end of all this type
> and Meggar test with a 500v insulation tester and most are below 500K and
> some below 100K , the flat plastic yellow type in some IF strips are very
> good I havnt found any failed caps in the Stuart Warner & Capehart
recievers
> but the teledyne and some motorola rx s with the black beauties as you
> people refer to them are certainly candidates for replacement ,and
Something
> else I have noticed is that the Noise Floor is improved by replacing the
> leaky caps, lets face up to the fact CAPACITORS are not meant to be
> RESISTORS and Having pretentions to GREATNESS and waving your Degrees
isnt
> going to change this fact , I have restored 22 R390A receivers and 5
> R390 s, capacitors are problematic in lots of recievers , I know there is
a
> tendency for people with tertiary qualifications to ride roughshod over us
> mere mortals without them BUT Dallas hands on experience does count for
> something ,and Cecils experience is born out by mine , As you are aware
> dallas Statistics are funny things and can be doctored especially by
people
> like yourself for your own ends ,your quallifications in mathmatics dont
> cut much ice with me ON A RADIO SITE , I dont know why you would mention
> them ,Are you CRAVING CREDABILITY ? For the record my background was
the
> SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS ,and I am self educated in the electronics field,
and
> left school at 14 years ,I am now retired after 40 years in the workforce
> ,and still enjoy electronics as a hobby , Kind Regards to everyone Bernie
> N
>
>
> ---
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> _____________________________________________________________
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>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 09:19:45 -0600
> From: "Paul Staupe" <pstaupe at qwest.net>
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Fair radio blue strippers
> To: "Cecil Acuff" <chacuff at cableone.net>
> Cc: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <41E7E311.20107 at qwest.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-15; format=flowed
>
> Now the secret's out. The last time I was at Fair, I was glad to see
> that they were providing housing for a bunch of old blue strippers in a
> warehouse in the back. All I can say is that I'm glad that there's a
> place for all those old blue strippers to stay.... It's sure a lot
> better to have a roof over your head....
>
>
>
> Cecil Acuff wrote:
>
> > Yea....only blue ones though....you know like those blue guys on TV
> > doing the computer chip commercials...I guess they were surplus....not
> > much call for a blue stripper these days....except the occasional smurf.
> >
> > Cecil...
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: <N4BUQ at aol.com>
> > To: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> > Sent: Friday, January 14, 2005 8:05 AM
> > Subject: Re: [R-390] Fair radio blue strippers
> >
> >
> >> Fair radio sells strippers? :)
> >>
> >> Barry(III) - N4BUQ
> >>
> >>> Mike. I would like to tell you my experiences with Fair radio. I
> >>> bought a "Blue stripper" from them about a year ago.
> >>
> >> <snip>
> >>
> >>> Good luck, Richard W8FCW, richardmay at hotmail.com
> >>
> >> _____________________________________________________________
> >> Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> >> Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
> >> _____________________________________________________________
> >> R-390 mailing list
> >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390
> >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/faq.htm
> >> Post: mailto:R-390 at mailman.qth.net
> >> Unsubscribe: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/options/r-390
> >>
> >
> >
> > _____________________________________________________________
> > Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> > Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
> > _____________________________________________________________
> > R-390 mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/faq.htm
> > Post: mailto:R-390 at mailman.qth.net
> > Unsubscribe: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/options/r-390
> >
> >
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 9
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 10:17:42 -0700 (MST)
> From: Richard Loken <richardlo at admin.athabascau.ca>
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Fair radio blue strippers
> To: Paul Staupe <pstaupe at qwest.net>
> Cc: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID:
> <Pine.PMDF.3.95.1050114101639.541229217A-100000 at admin.athabascau.ca>
> Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
>
> On Fri, 14 Jan 2005, Paul Staupe wrote:
>
> > Now the secret's out. The last time I was at Fair, I was glad to see
> > that they were providing housing for a bunch of old blue strippers in a
> > warehouse in the back. All I can say is that I'm glad that there's a
> > place for all those old blue strippers to stay.... It's sure a lot
> > better to have a roof over your head....
>
> All strippers would be blue here, it was -38 yesterday morning and -30
today.
>
> --
> Richard Loken VE6BSV, Systems Programmer - VMS : "Anybody can be a
father
> Athabasca University : but you have to earn
> Athabasca, Alberta Canada : the title of
'daddy'"
> ** richardlo at admin.athabascau.ca ** : - Lynn Johnston
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 10
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 11:59:54 -0600
> From: Tom Norris <r390a at bellsouth.net>
> Subject: [R-390] You call *THAT* cracked???
> To: R-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <p0620073dbe0db75bbe40@[10.0.1.3]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
>
> Now *this* is cracked!!! The screen *resistor*,
> if I remember correctly, was a crunchy black
> piece of carbon that glowed red with power
> applied. I think the cap sputtered a bit as
> well before it blew its brains out.
>
> It came out of an SP-600 a few years ago and
> I've kept it around to serve as a warning to
> others. :-P
>
> http://www.fernblatt.net/miscpics/hellcap2.jpg
> http://www.fernblatt.net/miscpics/hellcap1.jpg
>
>
> Tom NU4G
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 11
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 12:09:11 -0600
> From: "Lee Bahr" <pulsarxp at earthlink.net>
> Subject: Fw: [R-390] Fair Radio Blue Strippers and other Ramblings
> To: <R-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Message-ID: <009c01c4fa64$2736e880$8f99e704 at oemcomputer>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-15"
>
>
> How do you restore a blue stripper when it does not have an engraved front
> panel? Did you have the front panel re-silk screened or did you just
> replace it with an engraved front panel from another radio? Or have both
> methods been employed? Seems to me a radio with no meters and facing a
> re-silk screen process would get the project up into big bucks fast.
(Maybe
> the blue comes off leaving a nice grey panel) I guess if you got lucky and
> got a blue stripper with an engraved front panel it would not be too bad a
> project if you had to repaint it. Missing meters really bugs me though.
>
> Since getting interested in R-390As a year ago, I have been able to find 4
> of them now and they were not too expensive. In fact, they cost me less
> then a blue stripper and they all have meters. ($75 to $250). I have not
> restored them as yet so I don't know what is totally facing me. I bought
> two replacement cap kits and a couple extra IF decks and a couple extra RF
> decks to get me going. Two of the R-390As were missing the power supplies
> but a member on here was kind enough to sell me two replacements at a
> reasonable cost. I also purchased the R-390A and SP-600 videos from
Hi-Res.
> I also downloaded from the internet the manual. (It took 3 ink cartridges
> to do it)! (It's wonderful)! Now I need to start restoring before time
> runs out! (I am 67).
>
> If I was going to start this quest all over again, I think I would
approach
> it the same way as I have done in the past. Don't be to quick to buy but
> look around. Maybe I just got lucky, but I think finding a R-390A locally
> or within driving distance will probably provide a better project
requiring
> less work for a better price. There are no shipping charges and you can
see
> what you are buying. I guess if I bought a blue stripper I would want to
> restore it too as I am dumb enough to believe every R-390A should be
> restored, although not a project for everyone. It sure would be a great
> accomplishment to do this. You certainly would want to take a lot of
> "before" and "after" pictures to appreciate the project once completed.
>
> The amount of knowledge on R-390As on this reflector is awesome.
>
> Lee
> w0vt
> Houston
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _____________________________________________________________
> Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
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>
> End of R-390 Digest, Vol 9, Issue 32
> ************************************
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