[R-390] R390(non A) questions Pearls of Wisdom

[Lester Veenstra]

And of course:

http://r-390.com



Lester B Veenstra  K1YCM  MØYCM  W8YCM   6Y6Y
lester at veenstras.com

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-----Original Message-----
From: r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Cecil Acuff
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2018 5:00 PM
To: Roger Ruszkowski
Cc: r-390 at mailman.qth.net; navydude1962 at yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [R-390] R390(non A) questions Pearls of Wisdom

This may stir some up but...

What you will find with the R-390/URR is that it’s a much better built radio. You don’t need lists of trouble prone capacitors...because there aren’t any. All high quality mil spec (when that meant something) metal cased capacitors with glass seals. 

No mechanical filters that tend to wear out and fail, no electrolytic filter caps to rebuild...the 390 uses oil bath caps that rarely fail. 

Biggest issues are a few 47 ohm 2 watt resistors that go out of spec. Some below the audio tubes and some below the regulators in the power supply. Standard practice is to replace them with 5 watt wire wound cement blocks.  Also the regulator tubes run hot so a muffin fan in that area helps a lot...beyond that it’s tubes, out of tolerance resistors and cleaning, lubing and alignment.  They sound better too.

Some will say the 390 is a mans radio and the A a boys radio. 😦 

It’s strange... the 390As seem to sell for more and there were way more of them made than the 390s....seems backwards to me. 

The 390A is a cost reduced version of the R-390/URR...not sure how many they built but it wasn’t anywhere near the 60+ thousand A models.

Won’t see much from Rippel on the 390. Was told they scared him...probably urban legend though...haha!

Cecil
K5DL

Sent using recycled electrons.

> On Sep 7, 2018, at 11:53 AM, Roger Ruszkowski <flowertime01 at wmconnect.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Ed,
> You ask,
> Is there a comprehensive list of mods and restoration tips, along the lines of Chuck's?
> Eager to learn more about this receiver, as I am on the verge of getting one. Thanks in advance. 
> 73,
> Ed NI6S
> 
> 
> 
> The R390 Fellows keep up the following web site.
> www.r-390a.net/
> 
> The R390 and R390A both exist and we Fellows just keep them together.
> The R390A TM says read your R390 TM for procedures to complete R390A maintenance.
> 
> 
> Roger
> 
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