[R-390] new guy

[Roy Morgan]

On Nov 28, 2008, at 1:49 PM, Mike Andrews W5EGO wrote:...
>> Yes, definitely early stages of the BAB (boat anchor bug)....
>
> I underwstand that really advanced cases have symptoms which include
> trying to reconstruct Babbage's Difference Engine and Vannevar Bush's
> Differential Analyzer.

Yes. And there is a very uncommon and little documented condition  
whose sufferers may be members of a group known variously as:

- The Knights of the R-389 PTO
- The 70H-1 Society
- The 70H-1 Reclamation and Memorial Society and Support Group
- The Ancient and Honorable Society of the 50 Turns

To explain somewhat:

The R-389 is the VLF version of the R-390 family of radios.  It has  
some parts in common with the R-390/URR (which is sometimes known as  
"The Non-A").  One of the unique parts in the R-389 is the type 70H-1  
PTO, and the drive system that it lives behind.  The PTO operates over  
FIFTY turns, not ten as in most other main tuning PTO's designed by  
Collins.  It has a unique frequency coverage, and a unique corrector  
stack mechanism.  The drive system involves a main manual tuning knob  
with a friction clutch built into it, and an electric tuning motor  
operated  by a toggle switch on the front panel.   It appears that  
there is a great possibility of seriously damaging the PTO under  
certain circumstances.

There are at least two of us who have hopelessly damaged PTO's in  
otherwise would-be-working R-389's.  This would not be a problem  
except that 70H-1's are essentially unobtainable.  I know of only two  
that were offered for sale in the last 10 or more years. One was  
auctioned from Greece on ebay some years ago.  It turned out to be  
munched.  The second one I know of having been offered for sale was on  
ebay just recently, and the auction was ended prematurely by the seller.

Sooo...

if you thing you should belong to the above named societies, do let me  
know.

Roy

Roy Morgan
k1lky at earthlink.net
529 Cobb St.
Groton NY, 13073