Quote:>Also, Collins on the nameplate means nothing more than Collins on the
>nameplate; because the individual modules are interchangeable among
>various manufacturers. Now if you can find one with Helena Rubinstein
>on the nameplate, you've really found something.
This is definitely true of the R390-A, but less so of the non-A model. Pretty
sure Helena R. only got into the "A" production.
My R390-A has every module by a different maker, which is the way I like it,
since it shows off the modular nature of the radio.
I think my non-A is limited to Collins and Motorola (no lipstick smears :-)
BTW, I got my R390 (same model as the one on eBay) for $150 near the end of a
radio swap meet. The guy practically begged me to buy it out of his trunk. I
got it home, plugged it in on the garage floor, stuck in a pair of phones and
-- it WORKED on all bands! Still does, even tho my "A" model quit on me.
SW content listeners and AM Hams prefer the non-A for sound quality, while
DXers who try to dig out weak signals and CW Hams prefer the A. Both need to
be "hacked" for good SSB.
For $3500 you could buy a decent R390, pay someone to fix it up, then put 100
hours of your own time into making the cosmetic cleanups to equal the one on
auction. --Mike K.
Oscar loves trash, but hates Spam! Delete him to reply to me.