Re: Nice 390 on Ebay


Beerbarrel wrote:
> On 30 Aug 2005 06:57:11 -0700, "John S." <hjsjms@xxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >
> >> >> >> > It is a rather difficult to use and maintain receiver that is really
> >> >> >> > dated in comparison to modern tabletop receivers. A rack mount radio
> >> >> >> > of that size and weight seems a little silly today. But to each his
> >> >> >> > own I guess.
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> Not true. having owned and operated both the R390 and R390A for years,
> >> >> >> they are very simple to align and operate. All you need is a a manual
> >> >> >> and a signal generator. Try that with a R75 or AOR flavor of the week.
> >> >> >> As far as performance is concerned check out:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> http://www.sherweng.com/table.html
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> pretty heady company for an old boatanchor
> >> >> >
> >> >> >It's a long listing of receivers sorted by narrow dynamic range and the
> >> >> >R390A is beaten out on that measure by several smaller, much lighter
> >> >> >and more versatile receivers. I would think that if the R390A were
> >> >> >still a receiver that could perform it's intended task it would not
> >> >> >have been put out for surplus by the numerous government agencies that
> >> >> >once used it and Collins would still be manufacturing it.
> >> >> >
> >> >> >I'm not saying that the R390A doesn't offer good receiving performance,
> >> >> >because it clearly does. The old rigs like the R390A and National
> >> >> >HRO500 are electro-mechanical wonders that I get pleasure from by just
> >> >> >watching everything mesh together. But their shortcomings are
> >> >> >substantial when compared to more modern gear.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> I would not use the word substantial.
> >> >
> >> >There are I'm sure several reasons that caused the government agencies
> >> >to surplus and part out those large monitoring receivers. Those same
> >> >agencies are still very much in the business of listening and
> >> >communicating, but with more versatile equipment. A military
> >> >communications engineer I'm acquainted tells chuckles a bit when
> >> >telling stories about the older comm guys and MARS operators who are
> >> >fascinated with the R390A.
> >> >
> >> >> You clearly have never had the
> >> >> pleasure of operating one of these receivers that was at its peak
> >> >> performance level. The r390 series offers outstanding performance and
> >> >> maintenance potential.
> >> >
> >> >I agree, there certainly is a potential for a lot of maintenance on
> >> >that old tube radio. And there is the problem...keeping those old
> >> >boatanchors at a steady state of performance. I'm not sayng it isn't a
> >> >radio capable of high performance - clearly it is. But there are
> >> >several less cumbersome and more versatile receivers that will also do
> >> >what the R390A does, which is catch signals under difficult
> >> >circumstances.
> >> >
> >> >> Go out and buy one of these high priced modern
> >> >> receivers. When it breaks toss it in the trash because they were never
> >> >> meant to be serviced.
> >> >
> >> >There must be at least one good reason all of those 90 pound monitoring
> >> >receivers were sold off at auction by their original governmental
> >> >owners. What do you suppose that reason could be.
> >>
> >>
> >> It's just like anything else. They get replaced by modern technology.
> >
> >As with solid beam axles, drum brakes and carburetors in automobiles
> >new technology in radios results in an improved product. It will be
> >different than the old, but generally better at doing the intended job.
> >
> >
> >> The problem with the new technology it that to get the same level of
> >> performance you have to spend big bucks.
> >
> >But the military, CIA, DIA, NSA, Embassies were also spending big bucks
> >for the receivers and their maintenance.
> >
>
> But I'm not talking about Government organizations that have
> bottomless pockets. I'm talking about common everyday people.

But that was the context of the previous comments. And that was the
audience the R390A was targeted to. It was designed to be parked on a
frequency more than multiple band scanning.

>
>
>
>
>
> >> You aren't going to get that
> >> kind of performance from a tecson or degen.
> >
> >The R390A was never targeted at recreational listerns who would use a
> >Tecsun or Degen receiver. I don't understand the comparison. For
> >casual listening a DE1103 will run circles around a R390A.
>
> For listening to the ball game maybe, but we aren't talking about
> casual listening here. Hell, I can sit down with a 10 dollar boom box
> and be a casual listener. We are talking about raw performance.

But you made the comparison to Degen and Tecsun equipment, not me.
Clearly the DE1103 is far better suited for listening to listening to
programs of major broadcasters no matter the band. Band scanning and
hopping between bands are not the strong points of the R390A. It is
far better at parking on a frequency to
dig out radio flyspeck.


>
>
>
> >
> >> Also, you can't repair the
> >> stuff yourself.
> >
> >You could say the same thing about the R390A when in service since it's
> >operators as a group were not repair people either.
> >
> >> Most folks aren't going to have the special test bench
> >> that they need to create an effective repair. If they did, they won't
> >> be able to get the proprietary components that they need. I have the
> >> ability to fix just about anything that goes wrong with this radio.
> >
> >And that's fine - if you enjoy and want to spend hours repairing the
> >R390A that's ok. But most folks don't have the interest - they would
> >rather listen with something more reliable and flexible. It's kinda
> >like cars - there are guys who get immense pleasure from tinkering with
> >their set of wheels.
>
> Again, they don't break near as often as you make it sound. When they
> do, anybody with a little common electrical knowledge can repair it.
> Take today's radio and I'm sure they are more reliable, but when they
> break it's time to send it out for repair or toss it in the trash. You
> will actually be lucky if the manufacturer will repair it. I sent my
> Sony CRF-V21 back to Sony for repair. They told me that they no longer
> support this radio. That's great I thought. I have a 4000.00 dollar
> radio that nobody can fix and believe me I tried. In a nutshell, I'd
> never trade a 390 for a modern rig.

And that's a choice, but as with any decision there are tradeoffs.

>
>
>
> >
> >
> >>
> >> Do you realize that the radio was still being used during the gulf
> >> war?
> >
> >Not surprising, since phase outs don't happen all at once and it was
> >last produced in 1986 or so. And I'm sure there are MARS operators
> >somewhere still using it. It is clear the receiver does not have a
> >place in modern communications since the original owners of the R390A
> >series have abandoned it for more up to date equipment and modes of
> >communication.
>
> It's not clear at all. I would be willing to bet that it will be in
> the civilian market and operated daily for years to come.

No doubt, but it will appear for civlian use because it is a surplus
radio that no longer meets the needs of the listeners it was originally
designed for. It clearly does not have the place it once had in the
world of specialized communications and monitoring. It has been
replaced.

.

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