[R-390] First post to the list.

Robert Sisco rsisco at stx.rr.com
Wed Mar 23 19:17:52 EDT 2011


I am in love with Tisha, as I am sure the rest of the guys are. Sight unseen, HA HA.
My R390A has a great deal of memory associated with it. I bought if from John Maun W5MEU in San Antonio in the mid 80s. He was retired from the Research Institute in San Antonio. He was also retired from the Army. He was a rough seargent, who treated me like a son. He had R390A receivers staked all over his radio ranch. The one he sold to me was a pick of the litter. There is not a single scratch on it. The forbidden phosphor meters are in it. John was big on not doing modifications, but there was one he insisted on. In all his R390A receivers he would put a higher voltage capacitor in series with the mecanical filters. I will not use any cus words like John did, but people will flip the selectivity switch taking out all the mechanical filters, when this capacitor shorts. He told me in words I can not use here, if I was shopping for an R390A to tune in the crystal calibrator, then flip through each band. If the pitch stayed the same, that receiver would be worth a fortune!
     I am presently pairing my R390A up with a T368 AM transmitter. They must have been a matched pair in the Army. The RF deck is presently arcing over, when I modulate it. But, I am not going back there with a metal microphone in my hand. John warned me about a shock across the heart. Recruiting a two meter operator to help has been interesting. The "T3" weighs 700 lbs. 
I purchased a hydrolic table for moving the decks to the work bench. A hydrolic table is a good idea for dealing with a R390A, also. It is a lot cheaper than a painful hernia surgery of which, I have had three, due to dealing with boatanchor equipment.
     Thanks for the warning about De-Oxit and carbon pots. I guess Big Bath cleaner is OK for carbon?
I always read the label to see if the cleaner will melt plastic.
Thank You very much for the warm welcome to your list.
Regards, Robert Sisco K5LYT
     


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