[R-390] Will trade nice 390 or 390-A for

[2002tii]

Scott wrote:

> You are 100 percent correct about the antenna issue.

Amen!

> I am looking for a real work-horse though. In fact, I plan to sell a
> lot of my gear in order to purchase the Ten-Tec 340 or something along
> that line. To sum it all up. I will have room in the near future for a
> good antenna and am open to any good HF/ VLF receiver in trade. It
> does not have to be hollow state, just good :-)

My best VLF/ULF receiver is unquestionably the "B" version of the Racal
RA6790/GM (the R-2174B(P)/URR, NOT the R-2174 or R-2174A). These have
about double the circuitry and a completely different conversion scheme
compared to the standard 6790/2174/2174A. They're pretty scarce, though
-- I understand only 200 were made for the Air Force.

While I'm on the subject, if anyone knows where I can get technical
documentation on the "B" model, please let me know. I think it only
exists as Air Force R-2174B docs, there are apparently no surviving
RA6790/GM docs on this version.

The TT RX340 can be great, depending on what you want to use it for.
Some of the most valuable features don't work in all modes, however,
and if you're doing SWL-ing, it doesn't sound all that good. Not
horrible, like a Cubic or a WJ-8711/HF-1000, but not clean like a Drake
R8B. In particular, the DSP synchronous AM detector is all but useless.
It drops out of lock at the slightest provocation, and makes an ugly
loud popping noise when it does. The only time you can use it is when
you don't need it -- when the signal is very strong with no fading. And
although the radio tunes down to DC, it has lots of spurious responses
below 200 kc (200 kHz for the younger list members). All in all, I end
up using the R8B a lot more. Nothing I own (including my 390s, 390As,
and SP-600) pulls more signals out of a given antenna, except the "B"
version of the RA6790/GM below 100 kc.

Best regards,

Don