Collins R-390A

[Hook948]

Anyone have or had one? Whats your opinion? I found a pretty simple mod for the AGC for SSB reception, Anyone try it?.................The R-390A was developed in 1951 by Collins . It is also a double / triple conversion superheterodine receiver and covers the same frequencies (from 0.5 to 32MHz). It also uses a mechanical digital dial, has a PTO and supports AM and CW modes.The IFs are 17.5 to 25MHz (only for 0.5 to 8MHz), 2.5 to 2MHz (0.5 to 1MHz band only), 3 to 2MHz and 455KHz. It has one crystal (for 0.1 and 1KHz bandwidths) and four mechanical (for 2, 4, 8 and 16KHz bandwidths) filters at 455KHz IF. It has 26 tubes.

Hot Rod Lincoln -Dancing around the World ! ...... CDX948 Central Texas, - Hook948@hotmail.com</p>

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I had one for a while.There are a really good rx but heavy as he!!.Those Collins PTO's were quite stable and the circuits would track better than the capacitor tuned rigs.I had a navy 250KW longwave tx only 10 miles from me and I could see the antennas they were using from home.Iwas using a 600 foot longwire antenna and that baby would not overload or produce intermod at all.The signal strength was so strong that when it was on the air on 436.5KHz,I could hear the signal, when they were running CW,when the key was up .NO JOKE! The driver tubes were hot all the time and the finals were keyed and I was copying the tube leak-through from the drivers at S-9.Imagine what the full carrier was! The old R-390A made that signal show up only where it was supposed to.I bought a new R-1000 and then an Icom so I got rid of the old boat anchor. STOOPID!!

Garth 9VE01 PE993 CDX993 Learn from others mistakes.You can not live long enough to make them all yourself.</p>

 

[Hook948]

Thanks Garth! I just got a "lead" on where I might find one locally.I Got a tow a little while ago and when I was at his house, I could see something that looked similar to a Collins 390 in the back of his garage. I HAD to ask the guy what it was I was seeing, and he just chuckeled and said sure go take a look. It turned out to be a military battery charger but it really looked like a 390 without all the small knobs.<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/frown.gif ALT=""> I found out he was a radio tech for the Army years ago(retired in 1980) and he told me one of his old co-workers lived in town and last he knew he still had a whole 2 car garage full of that old radio "junk"<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/eek.gif ALT=":eek"> He didn't have a phone # for him and couldn't remember exactly where he lives, but he did say he ran into him at the grocery store a couple weeks ago so he still lives in the area. He gave me his name and you betcha I'll be on a "mission" tomorrow to find the guy<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=""> <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/happy.gif ALT="">

Hot Rod Lincoln -Dancing around the World ! ...... CDX948 Central Texas, - Hook948@hotmail.com</p>

 

[Hook948]

Well the guy got rid of everything.<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/frown.gif ALT=""> BUT.... I just sent off for a new reveiver. Check out my post under "New toy"<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/happy.gif ALT="">

Hot Rod Lincoln -Dancing around the World ! ...... CDX948 Central Texas, - Hook948@hotmail.com</p>