[R-390] first SWL receiver

[Transmaster]

I have been mostly lurking on this list for years but I had to jump in on
this thread. My first shortwave radio was a Philco table radio which I had
circa 1961.  The thing I remember the most about that radio was listening to
Radio Moscow in the my basement bed room in bed at night under covers, nice
and warm. It was the first week of November with heavy snow out side. The
schools in Thermopolis, Wyoming where closed and we where not allowed
outside because of fall out from what I later learned was the 50 megaton
Tsar Bomba. The shiver of excitement I had at the time listening to the
Soviet Union is something I will always remember.  This hooked me on
shortwave radios. The first really good general coverage receiver I had
access to was a unknown at the time rig at the Naval reserve My dad worked
at the time (1966) I would shortwave listen for hours with it. All I can
remember about it was twin tuning windows, and a number of large black
knobs. One day I went over and this giant radio was gone. It really upset me
especially when I heard it had been ripped off by one of the the Naval
Officers.  What is interesting about this giant receiver which is a
Hammarlund SP600-JX17 is I now have it sitting at one of my Listening
stations.  I have a bunch of general coverage receivers including an 1967
EAC R390A/URR. But of all of the receivers I have had over the decades my
hands down favourite is my R388/URR. It is kind of sad, in a way, that so
many of the power house SW stations I used to listen to are now streaming on
the Internet.

Ken de W7ITC

On 21 August 2011 12:51, <bavarianradio at comcast.net> wrote:

> Bob, I too, had an RCA 811K. A friend bought mine for me at a yard sale for
> $2.00. I replaced the necessary filter caps and got it working, I also used
> mine for many years!! I eventually sold or gave it to a friend who 10 years
> later gave/sold it back (I can't remember if any $$ changed hands)  It
> eventually went to a friend who stored it in a facility that he ultimately
> couldn't afford and it all(many antique radios/consoles etc) went away. I
> acquired another one about 12 years ago but had no room to put it so I gave
> that one away as well. I now hav an 816K (not as pretty but a better radio)
> awaiting de-mousing nad restoration upstairs in my barn.
> I did many hours of DX ing and listening to AM hams in the northeast here
> (you know who I mean!!) I was located in South Weymouth at the time not far
> from the U.S. Navy base.  My first com receiver was a Hallicrafters S-40A,
> Followed by a couple of Heathkits that I still have.  73's Ross W1EKG
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> I had been collecting consoles and table models since about the age of
> 10-12 years old, collected many
>  and they came and went and blew many up. I traded a Panasonic 8 track car
> player to a friend for an
> approx 1936 RCA 811K around 1970 or 71, a 11 tube radio with push pull
> 6V6's into a 12" electrodynamic
> speaker. This radio was my constant companion all through my twenties and
> thirties until I got my
> first HRO-60, I pulled in over 75 countries on SW and many of the states on
> BCB on this RCA radio,
> I still have it in the cellar, it needs a recap but has never failed to
> work and have owned it now for
> over 40 years. I have many fond fond memories of it like the night I pulled
> in KSL Salt Lake City Utah
> from a hill in Worcester, MA with a 400' long wire antenna. I liked it so
> much I bought another one
> and it too awaits recapping, they are very sensitive receiver although they
> were made for fidelity
> not narrow band, I moved this radio from apartment to apartment up and down
> stair for years when I
> was young putting up antennas everywhere I went, it was great fun,
> Bob Young KB1OKL
>
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-- 
Kenneth A. Crips, W7ITC, NRA Life member. Home of the Chew Crew,  Red Headed
Irish Terrier House Ninjas, Cowboy, and Ladybug  10th degree black belts in
Mouch Fue, Bed Fue, and Con Artist Fue.