[R-390] Posted R390A Problems

[Cecil Acuff]

Well the R-390 series receivers are complex beasts and not the place to 
start your learning.  Do a couple of S-38's and work up to an SP-600 maybe 
before diving off into a 390.

I think we have a lot of new folks who have heard about the greatness of the 
R-390 and have gotten themselves one only to face the daunting task of 
trying to fix and/or maintain the thing with no real previous experience 
with the technology and little in the way of test equipment.  It is 
definitely a technicians radio.

It's kind of like buying a high maintenance Jaguar because you love the 
beauty of the beast but not really possessing any serious mechanics skills. 
First thing you know the rear diff is making noise or the Lucas electricals 
has gone haywire and you hope someone else has already had this problem and 
can tell you exactly which screw to turn to make it better....and in some 
cases that can be done but not a lot is learned in the process.  Old Jags 
are mechanics cars....

There are lots of books that can impart the theory of vacuum tubes to 
someone who already has a good foundation of basic electronic theory...but 
that's where you really need to start...if for no other reason to stay alive 
working on these things.

Not trying to discourage anyone just trying to be practical about it...

And by the way Jaguars are great cars...I love them.  Have owned one and 
hope to grab another at some point.

Just my 2 cents worth....

Cecil Acuff
K5DL

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Moses" <rhmoses at earthlink.net>
To: <R-390 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 4:45 PM
Subject: Re: [R-390] Posted R390A Problems


> Everyone has to start somewhere. There are a lot of newbies out there.
> Vacuum tube troubleshooting is not currently taught since it is
> considered obsolete. Keep the good questions coming! Otherwise this list
> will end up with such an aging population that obit notices will be 10%
> of the postings! It is fun for people to struggle with help from the
> answers on the list -- and learn how to troubleshoot and repair radios.
> Mentoring the newbies is essential to the survival of our hobby. (And
> without newbies the market for radios will quickly dry up.)
>
> 2002tii wrote:
>
>>One thing that can frustrate at least some of the more experienced
>>hands (or perhaps just me) is the appearance that the person asking
>>hasn't made even the slightest attempt at troubleshooting before
>>asking for help -- as if they expect to just be given the answers
>>without any effort.  ("My radio is doing x, y, and z.  Can anybody
>>tell me what component to replace?")  If one wants to fix 390s
>>(and/or other things), one needs to invest the time and effort to
>>learn how to troubleshoot electronics.  It is one thing to help
>>someone who appears to be making an effort to learn, and I don't
>>think anyone here has a problem with that.  But diagnosing radios
>>from 500 miles away over a mailing list for someone who isn't
>>interested or can't be bothered to learn to troubleshoot things for
>>him- or herself gets old after a while.  IMO, that person should
>>think seriously about having someone else fix the radio rather than
>>pestering the list before having made any effort to find the problem 
>>first.
>>
>>/rant off/
>>
>>Best regards,
>>
>>Don
>>
>>
>>
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