Topic: K1QAR's boatanchor alignment free clinic

[K1QAR]

Those old radios were meant to play, not sit and decay.  If you're man enough to lug it here, I'll try to get it working.  Just powering it up is therapeutic.  (initially with a light bulb in series in case of shorts).    Warming it up with electrons puts the heat where it counts - inside the components. Also reforms condensers, and evicts bugs and mildew.   For those with the R 390A, advanced troubleshooting and alignment.  Zero dollars.  Located out of the rain in the Commercial building by the Church Ladies' Cafe.

[AA1SU]

Hi Ted,
It looks like I will be acquiring a Collins R390A in the near future. According to the web page of the family that I am buying it from, it has a recent rebuild by Rick Mish and new silk screen on the front. Other than that I don't know the history of the unit. Once I have it, I'll turn it on and test it out. Will you be set up at Near-Fest this May? I attended one of your R390A forums a few years ago. It was a little over my head, but I had fun. Even though it may be in great shape, I may want to have you check the alignment on it, jut in case. I'll keep you posted.

Please reply if you get this, so I know you received it.

73
Paul N. Gyet AA1SU

[K1QAR]

Yup, will be there.  Also will be at Marlboro next week.

For receivers that have been sitting in storage, it is recommended that they be powered up 24/7 for a week or two prior to alignment, to drive out moisture that shifts tuning components' values.  Also allows you to check for squawks and get parts you might not find at the Fester.

If you happen to be passing through the Boston-Worcester area, I can do the free alignment here at the Faraday Cage (North Hangar, Minuteman Field, just off 495 in Stow)

[AA1SU]

Ted,
Thanks for the warm-up advice. I should have the radio in a couple of weeks. I went to the Rick Mish web site to see what he does. I will try to call him this week to ask which package he did to this receiver. He has four levels of repair. I will also ask the family how long they think the radio has been shut off. The user used it as a receiver when transmitting with an old Hallicrafters HT-40 transmitter. It was not his primary station; more of a vintage station for fun.

I live in Essex Junction, VT and will not be going to MA anytime soon. I'll keep you posted after I have it in use here, and after I talk to Rick.

On an interesting side note, earlier last year I was given a SSB adapter. I had no clue what it was for, and almost bought it to Near-Fest in October to get it off my hands. It is not a Collins, but it looks similar. When I saw a picture of one on Rick Mish's web site, I said to myself, "Hey, I think I have one of those!"  It is a GSB-1 by The Technical Materiel Corporation. It requires a 455 kHz IF. If it works with the Collins R390A, it is now a keeper. Any thoughts?

73
Paul N. Gayet AA1SU

[K1QAR]

Bring it to the Fester, and we'll see if it can be hooked up and made to work.  I think they get big money for those on Ebay, perhaps from the orthodox traditionalists.

I'm a lazy performance guy, so I  prefer the  $100 bolt on Treetop adapter, since it adds no weight and works great.  Its got a dual time constant product detector, sounds as good  on strong SSB signals as the modern riceboxes, (and is better on weak/QRM situations because of the R390A)

73,

Ted, K1QAR