[R-390] R390 from Newbie

[Jerry Stern]

Dear Roy, Don and all who have responded,

Many thanks for getting me started.  Don Heywood also contacted me by
email (and telephone !!!) as he worked on this radio back in 2002 for
the previous owner.  Don gave me similar advice and the first problem is
indeed with the Antenna relay.  Although the relay visibly moves
correctly when switching in and out of Calibrate, with antenna connected
to balanced input the relay does not disconnect the antenna but with
unbalanced input the relay works correctly.  I will do some very gentle
Deoxit contact cleaning and double check the coax cables are connected
correctly.  Don helped me zero the carrier meter and I will go through
an alignment and as needed replace any tubes along the way.  Starting
with a problem is a sure fire way to jump into understanding a radio and
I expect to ask you all a lot more questions along the way.

73 Jerry
K1JOS



-----Original Message-----
From: Roy Morgan [mailto:k1lky at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 8:44 PM
To: Jerry Stern
Cc: R-390 at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [R-390] R390 from Newbie



On Jan 18, 2010, at 4:32 PM, Jerry Stern wrote:

> Hi Group,
>
> Just got a R-390 ...
> 1) receiver sensitivity not anywhere as good as my (unrestored) EAC 
> 390A.

RE: I am using a balanced antenna adapter to a 20m tuned antenna

Someone MAY have done the antenna wires swap thing to use the  
UNbalanced input and your use of the balanced input is not getting the  
signal to the right place.  Check the wee cables going to the antenna  
relay.

> 4) all signals much louder when function switch moved from AGC to 
> Calibrate

They should disappear mostly.. in CAL the antenna relay is operated to  
unhook the antenna input (and ground it, I think).

> 2) antenna trim seems to have very small effect in peaking any signal

Connect an antenna to the first test point in the RF deck to see what  
happens.  (It's a little pin jack near the 1st IF amp tube).

> 3) only small movements in the carrier meter in response to tuning 
> signal and/or antenna trim knob.  Tthe carrier meter is not the
> original
> one but a Simpson, white face, model 182, 1 mA but was reported to be
> working FB previously.

Check the IF Gain pot setting.. do the IF gain set cal procedure (then  
later do it again with Chuck Rippel's method).

> 5) Calibrate tone Ok on all 100Kc spots but compared to my 390A very
> low
> output so when bandwidth switch down to 2, or 1 cannot hear it anymore

The RF is not getting into the radio correctly.. the CAL signal goes  
in right at the antenna connection.

> 6) Line Level Vu meter appears to be working OK per basic testing in
> the
> manual.

Good, but worry about that later on.

Roy

Roy Morgan
k1lky at earthlink.net
529 Cobb St.
Groton NY, 13073
Home: 607-898-3607
Cell: 301-928-7794