[R-390] R-1247 Nasa Receiver FOR SALE

[Barry]

> Ben Hall, are you out there?
>
> When this subject came up many years ago, and he was at NASA, I
> recall that spacecraft sent back microwave signals, to get tight
> beams. The microwave signal was mixed down to something a 390A
> could hear. The Manson mods allowed very precise control of the
> frequencies used by the 390A for mixing in the RF deck and PTO.
>
> It's possible that the receiver won't work without the external
> Manson equipment, but could probably be restored to a normal
> 390A with a NASA nameplate. Does anybody know?
>
> Precise frequencies were required because the Doppler shift of
> the spacecraft signal was used for navigation velocity data,
> along with the position in the sky measured by the ground antenna.
>
> If there were multicouplers, they were for redundant 390A sets,
> not diversity reception. The sets didn't need Manson for that.
>
> There was a time when I'd have snapped up anything to do with
> NASA, but that phase of my life is fortunately over. Now I just
> copy Shuttle flights from NASA-TV to DVDs.
>
> Bill Hawkins

I can walk to NASA' backyard.  I keep hoping they'll set a pallet of R-1247s 
out to the curb one day...

Barry - N4BYQ