[R-390] Which R-390A

[Bob Camp]

Hi

It probably should be mentioned that on a lot of these radios the only 
thing from a given manufacturer is the name tag on the front panel. It 
is very rare to see a radio with all of the modules in it from the same 
manufacturer. It is even more rare to see a radio that you can prove 
has all the modules in it that it had when it shipped from the factory.

People seem to break down into two groups. One sticks with the Collins 
name tag because it's the "real thing". The other group likes the EAC's 
since they were the "last of the breed" in significant production.

I have yet to see any real hard data that would suggest any of the 
production lots were better than any of the rest. There are some subtle 
things that EAC did with the wiring, but the good old wire seems to 
work pretty darn well.

	Take Care!

		Bob Camp
		KB8TQ

On Mar 28, 2005, at 3:05 PM, Harold Hairston wrote:

> Hey, Chris & All;
>
> Sounds right to me. Hopefully,this thread is winding down. However, I 
> have learned a lot----and been somewhat enterainned at the same time!
>
> Now I have a legitimate question;
>
> I have been looking for an R-390A for last few months. Question; 
> Apparently, these fine receivers were manufactured by several (?) 
> different companies.
>> From those of you who have had experience with them, are receivers
> manufactured by one particular company more desirable as a restoration 
> project than another? Or, put more simply, if one had a choice, which 
> one would you recommend? Please reply direct.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Harold
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christian R. Fandt" 
> <cfandt at netsync.net>
> To: "R390 List" <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 2:04 PM
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Black faced R390-A
>
>
>> Upon the date 13:57 27-03-05, wglevy said something like:
>>
>>> When selling an R 390 an honest person would say where the R390 came 
>>> from, who worked on it and when, what mods were or weren't made on 
>>> it. Mentioning that Rich or Chuck or some other in the same class 
>>> had something to do could only add value. Intelligence Agency Black 
>>> is the lie that got the goat of our group. Do we have any spooks on 
>>> the net that can verify that the NSA, CIA, DEA ever had black 
>>> radios?
>>
>> Well, I'm decidedly not a spook but my 390A was said to have come out 
>> of the NSA. I got it from a small surplus dealer up near Rochester 
>> (NY) back in 1984/1985. I recall him telling me he got it in a batch 
>> of NSA gear that he bought from an auction in Virginia. He had no 
>> reason to BS me as I kinda knew him. Additionally, Nolan spoke well 
>> of him during one of our private email exchanges on a TV7 tube tester 
>> I had bought elsewhere.
>>
>> Looks like a "normal", unmodified unit: grey panel, no shutter over 
>> freq indicator, made by EAC in the '67 contract. Haven't turned it on 
>> for 4-5 years. I need to get a chance to un-rack it and do the 
>> preventative maintenance stuff: replace blocking caps in the mech 
>> filter circuit, check electrolytics, clean and lube gear train, etc. 
>> You know, the typical stuff one should do to protect and preserve 
>> their fine RX.
>>
>> BTW, it seems I've only heard of one black 390x on the list but that 
>> was some years ago (5 or more?). Can't attribute it but, IIRC, it was 
>> simply a unit painted by one of the list members. Anybody recall 
>> that?
>>
>> Doesn't it seem funny that if any black panel versions were 
>> factory-made and placed in the field in some quantity that some of us 
>> would have seen or at least heard of those units a decade or more 
>> ago??
>>
>> Regards,  Chris F.
>>
>> NNNN
>>
>>
>>
>> Christian R. Fandt, Treasurer
>> Antique Wireless Association, Inc.
>> Jamestown, New York   USA
>>                          email:  cfandt at netsync.net
>>                          Electronic/Electrical Historian
>>                          URL: http://www.antiquewireless.org/
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