[R-390] R-390 "deadly components"

[Kenneth Arthur Crips]

Comparing, in a negative way, high end receivers designed in the twilight of Tube radios is really stupid.  I look at all such radios in my collection as books written by the electronic engineers of the time.  All of these radios do the same job, it is how they do that job fascinates me.  I just got my RME-45 running this radio had it's final checks completed 8 March 1946. the Engineers at Radio Manufacturing Engineers decided to use loctale tubes, why did they chose this type of tube? The S meter is not hard wired but has a cord that plugs into a receptacle on the inside . I can just imagine and engineer who was tired of having to disconnect a bunch of wires to get a meter out.  The SP-600, why in gods name did they use the band switch turret with all of the little ceramic blocks.  Collins used PTO's which where more expensive then regular variable capacitors. They are superior but what caused Art Collins to go this way.  I can go on and on with this.  So instead of statement like the R390A/URR is a cheap copy of the R390/URR think about the reason for the engineering changes and what was on the minds of the engineers who designed those changes.

With all of this said my favorite receiver is my R388/URR (militarized 51J3)

                                             Ken



Kenneth, Radio Station W7ITC, 
with Beezie, Chic' Cowboy, 
Members of the Irish Terrier 
clan known as the Chew Crew.