[R-390] Nolan's Flight of the Phoenix

Thu Jul 18 00:10:29 EDT 2013

Received the following response from Don in regard to a "Part 2".

"Sorry Chris, ain't got it.....   73 Don"

I'm glad Don kept Msg 1 of "Flight of the Phoenix Msg 1".  As said by so
many who actually had the pleasure and opportunity to interact with Nolan on
the email lists, or like Les, who enjoyed a *most* memorable eyeball QSO
with Nolan (thanks for sharing, Les), my initial exposure and nearly as
immediate enjoyment of this unique individual's writing style was back in
2003 (or so) after I had acquired a TV-7A/U and TV-10D/U.  I stumbled upon
his website that was loaded with good info on them. I remember being struck
by his picture and Redneck demeanor. It was an immediate colorful experience
in an otherwise pretty bland landscape of web sites.  I wonder, now that I
know of his unfortunate stroke in 2001, who was maintaining the site then?
I simply don't remember if Steve's name was posted as the caretaker of the
site. Perhaps it was.

Anyway I ramble.  I hope "the other Barry" is successful in resuscitating
the old PC so he can hopefully extract his archives and share some
additional priceless Nolan Lee commentaries....and maybe even find "Flight
of the Phoenix Msg 2".

73,
Chris
W7JPG   

-----Original Message-----
From: r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Chris Kepus
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 3:44 PM
To: 'Don Heywood'; R-390 at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [R-390] Nolan's Flight of the Phoenix

Please send Part 2!, Part 2!!, Part 2!!!

-----Original Message-----
From: r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Don Heywood
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 1:16 PM
To: R-390 at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [R-390] Nolan's Flight of the Phoenix

Some one wanted to see the Flight of the Phoenix email from Nolan Lee, here
is part one.  
I miss him too.  Don WC4G

Subject: 
>         [R-390] Flight of the Phoenix Msg 1
>   Date: 
>         Tue, 19 May 1998 17:30:22 -0500
>   From: 
>         Nolan Lee <nlee at communique.net>
>     To: 
>         R390A Gurus <r-390 at qth.net>
> 
> 
> Starting a couple of days ago, I pulled what was left of my first 
> (aquired in the mid 1970's) R390A out of the attic where it's been 
> baking for 5 or 6 years or so at high temp, here in the Deep South.
> Is it soup yet ma? You bet! Mmmmm mmmmmm good bubba!
> 
> I had retired it after a rather spectacular IF deck meltdown. When it 
> went, it looked like a special effect from either Star Trek Next 
> Generation or an old Voyage to the Bottom of ther Sea re-run. Ever 
> wonder why they didn't used fuses on that submarine?
> 
> After putting the fire out. I shut it down and stuffed one of the 
> spare IF decks in it. No good, it was gone. DOA bubba. I didn't feel 
> like looking for a cure at the time so I did something like was done 
> to Walt Disney's body. Since I was just a rather poor Redneck at the 
> time, and am still, I didn't have access to a cryogenic chamber to 
> freeze it. Instead, I stuffed it in the attic where a generous coating 
> of mud dauber nests and some of that there theroputic heat stuff would 
> preserve it for future generations in the event I died before I could 
> fix it.
> 
> At any rate, a couple of days ago, I was up there fixing the attic 
> vent fan that died a couple of three years ago and I happened to see it.
> It was setting there calling to me. "Fix me....fix me......" I sat the 
> quart of beer down and hauled the 390A down the ladder. I let it sit 
> in a low spot under a tree in the shade for a few hours to cool down 
> before I hosed it off. I didn't want to subject it to sudden thermal 
> shock. If might have damaged something. After it cooled (about 4 beers
> later) I took it apart and used about 6 cans of Gunk on it. Sure nuff 
> looks purty now. All of the protective mud dauber nests are gone along 
> with the grease off of the geartrain. A side benefit was that I 
> finally got around to filling in that low spot that the wife's been 
> complaing about for ten years or so. I bent me up a mess of hooks and 
> then hung each of the modules on the clothesline to dry in the sun.
> 
> I intend to go thru each of the modules and resurect this thing. Since 
> the RF Deck is a pain to remove for occasional repairs, I want to pay 
> special attention to it.
> 
> Here is a list of questions concerning the repair of that there RF 
> Deck thing that I'd really appreciate yall answering.
> 
> 1. I've checked all of the carbon resistors in it and will have to 
> replace
>    about a half a dozen or so of them. Since carbon resistors suck in 
> the
>    long run, what would be the best non-inductive resistor to replace
>    these with? Think it's worth the hell of changing ALL of them?
> 
> 2. The three brown tubular caps suck (1 blowed up bubba, 2 cracked).
>    What's the best long term replacement for these?
> 
> 3. What's accepted as the best grease for lubricationg the gears and
>    rollers. I used rifle grease for years, but remember, I'm a Redneck
>    so I'm sure that there are higher tech lubricants.
> 
> 4. Ideas on the best oil to lubricate the bronze bushings in the gear
>    train where the various sharts extend thru the RF Deck panels? I
>    used 40W motor oil, jes' like the tractor.......ideas on something
>    better?
> 
> 5. This deck is marked as having Mod 5 done. What exactly did Mod 5
>    involve? What's the oldest bulldog you know of?
> 
> 6. I don't like the looks of several of the little coaxial cables
>    that extent to the other modules. Anyone know the specs on this
>    coax? I'd like to replace several of them.
> 
> 7. I've never knowingly had a mica cap go bad in a 390A. Come to think
>    of it, I don't think I've ever had a mica cap go bad in anything.
>    Removing and checking every one of them with a bridge would take
>    forever. ;-( Should I even bother? I say know, but some of yall
>    are a lot sharper. What do YOU think?
> 
> 8. Have I missed anything concerning the IF deck? Anything I should
>    look for that some of you guys that have repaired dozens of these
>    things have seen? Evil forces? The dark side?
> 
> 9. I'd imagine that the chokes and ceramic discs are all OK. Comments?
> 
> 10.See, you didn't think I could count that high with only 9 fingers,
>    huh?
> 
> thanks in advance,
> nolan
> 
> 
> If an infinite number of rednecks riding in an infinite number of 
> pickup trucks fire an infinite number of shotgun rounds at an infinite 
> number of highway signs, eventually they will produce all of the 
> world's great literary works in Braille.
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