Don Bowey ) writes:

But also balance. I'm sure it's far easier to keep a balanced modulator
balanced when using semiconductor diodes than two tubes each supplying
two diodes.

Michael VE2BVW



If you were to use any tubes at all, it would be best to use one tube akin
to the 6be6, hang the oscillator and the product detector ckts on it, and
have the advantage of getting conversion gain instead of loss.

Don


I'd thought of that after I posted. It's easy to lose track of things,
and really, the 6AL5 suggestion was that.

Yes, once you take out the semiconductor diodes, there are better ways
of solving the problem than putting in tube diodes.

On the other hand, it's easier to imagine someone modifying the KWM-2
than the R390, which proves the point of whoever suggested the KWM-2.

Michael VE2BVW

"C. J. Clegg" wrote in message
news

Looking for the best all-tube general-coverage (0.5-30) receiver I can
get.

Need good operation on SSB and CW and capability on AM, along with
sensitivity, stability, ruggedness, and availability of replacement parts
e.g. tubes (that last one might be difficult...).

I'm thinking Collins 51Jx or R-390, although I remember that I really
liked an old Hammarlund I had once...

Would like to stay under $1000 but if I had to I suppose I could go as
high as $2000 for something that's really mint.

What do you guys recommend I look for?


AN\FRR-59

RA17

Richard Knoppow wrote:
Nomad wrote:
Actually the Collins designed R-388/51J series of receivers was a
predecessor design to the Collins designed R390A. See:

I am curious what you found lacking in the 51J compared to the
other receivers?
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles

I had the 51J-3/R388 so I can't speak to the J-4 which has the
mechanical filters.

I always wanted one of these as a mate to my 32V2. I always thought
that they looked like the quintessential boatanchor receiver.

The max bandwidth on mine (6KC) wasn't really wide enough for great
audio on AM
& with no product detector, it was not good for SSB. Compared to my
Super Pro (SP210), HRO's & even the Drake it had the worst audio.

Selectivity choices were limited.

Stability was excellent & that was really the radio's strong point.
Band cruising was a PITA. Lots & lots of knob turning required to get
from the low end of 160 to the high end of 10 meters.

My Drake R4A was much better for SSB, had better selectivity, was
equally stable & had better audio.
My Super Pro has far superior AM audio, a wide bandwidth choice for
HiFi AM & is a better SW bandcruiser. Same for the HRO's + the HRO's
are now my choice as the best looking boatanchor receiver with that big
round dial.

Bottom line the 51J couldn't do AM or SSB as well as my other radios, &
wasn't much fun for SW either. So out it went.

Now the R390A, that's another story entirely. Finally got one of these
recently & i find it to be a great radio. It can hear better than any
radio I've used (noise floor is lowest ever measured I believe -
143db), has 6 levels of selectivity (up to 16kc), mechanical filters,
great stability, & does great audio through the outboard HiFi.
Mechanical digital dial accuracy
& with an add on product detector it does SSB.


Terry
W8EJO

Seems like the R-390 has been left out. No, I do not mean the R-390A. The
R-390A was designed to be a lsee expensive version of the R-390.

The R-390 uses LC filters, which can yield better audio than the 390A, with
the mechanical filters. The mechanical filters also inserted a phase shift
of the signal.

Best to have one of each.

Colin K7FM

I really like all the R-388 receivers that I've had.
All worked right off the bat with no repairs, etc.
I still use on for 10 meter AM.
Easy to use!
Rich WA2RQY/4

On Jan 7, 1:54 am, "C. J. Clegg" wrote:
Looking for the best all-tube general-coverage (0.5-30) receiver I can
get.

Need good operation on SSB and CW and capability on AM, along with
sensitivity, stability, ruggedness, and availability of replacement parts
e.g. tubes (that last one might be difficult...).

I'm thinking Collins 51Jx or R-390, although I remember that I really
liked an old Hammarlund I had once...

Would like to stay under $1000 but if I had to I suppose I could go as
high as $2000 for something that's really mint.

What do you guys recommend I look for?

r390, r390a or sp600. They're survivors built like tanks,. The rest was ham
stuff not built for the long haul.


"C. J. Clegg" wrote in message
news

Looking for the best all-tube general-coverage (0.5-30) receiver I can
get.

Need good operation on SSB and CW and capability on AM, along with
sensitivity, stability, ruggedness, and availability of replacement parts
e.g. tubes (that last one might be difficult...).

I'm thinking Collins 51Jx or R-390, although I remember that I really
liked an old Hammarlund I had once...

Would like to stay under $1000 but if I had to I suppose I could go as
high as $2000 for something that's really mint.

What do you guys recommend I look for?

On Sun, 07 Jan 2007 01:54:11 -0500, C. J. Clegg wrote:


Looking for the best all-tube general-coverage (0.5-30) receiver I can
get.

Need good operation on SSB and CW and capability on AM, along with
sensitivity, stability, ruggedness, and availability of replacement parts
e.g. tubes (that last one might be difficult...).

I'm thinking Collins 51Jx or R-390, although I remember that I really
liked an old Hammarlund I had once...

Would like to stay under $1000 but if I had to I suppose I could go as
high as $2000 for something that's really mint.

What do you guys recommend I look for?

I have 2 in mind: the Rohde & Schwartz EK-07 - It works great on SSB as
well, but R & S made a sideband adaptor for it, and the Siemens E311,
which has a built-in product detector and selectable sidebands. It is the
last generation of high-end professional receivers with tubes.
The EK-07 outperforms the R-390A, but it's more complicated to service.
The Racal RA-17 or RA-117 are not bad, but not as good as the first two I
mentioned.

73, Meir WF2U

While the Rohde & Schwarz stuff is legendary (there is also the EK11-10
which has USB/LSB operation), it is also difficult to service and hard
to find.

This cannot be said of the R390A, but just in case, you might get two
of them and then be able to troubleshoot (and keep it up and running)
by swapping modules. The rx has the added advantage of having a large
devoted following, with ensuing mailing lists, documentation,
availability of tubes and spares, friendly help, etc. And then add the
Sherwood Engineering SE-3 Synchronous Detector to it for great SSB and
general listening pleasure.

It would also be good at handling transient peaks, as well as stable
enough to run RTTY and other utility modes.

My 0.10 Euro...

Best,

Clemens S.Ostergaard
Aarhus, Denmark

PS: Of course there is also the robust Chinese tube receiver 339 from
1976, being offered NOS over ebay, and getting a good review in E-ham.

And the Eddystone 880/2 is a superior tube receiver, which is so
intensely screened and doublescreened that nothing gets in (or out)
except through mains and antenna.


Meir Ben-Dror wrote:
On Sun, 07 Jan 2007 01:54:11 -0500, C. J. Clegg wrote:


Looking for the best all-tube general-coverage (0.5-30) receiver I can
get.

Need good operation on SSB and CW and capability on AM, along with
sensitivity, stability, ruggedness, and availability of replacement parts
e.g. tubes (that last one might be difficult...).

I'm thinking Collins 51Jx or R-390, although I remember that I really
liked an old Hammarlund I had once...

Would like to stay under $1000 but if I had to I suppose I could go as
high as $2000 for something that's really mint.

What do you guys recommend I look for?

I have 2 in mind: the Rohde & Schwartz EK-07 - It works great on SSB as
well, but R & S made a sideband adaptor for it, and the Siemens E311,
which has a built-in product detector and selectable sidebands. It is the
last generation of high-end professional receivers with tubes.
The EK-07 outperforms the R-390A, but it's more complicated to service.
The Racal RA-17 or RA-117 are not bad, but not as good as the first two I
mentioned.

73, Meir WF2U

There's also that big National receiver that has umpteen dozen tubes in
it,
shipboard, it's a monster.

found the name: AN/WRR-2

Don't see many of those on ebay.

On Jan 25, 10:56 am, " wrote:
There's also that big National receiver that has umpteen dozen tubes in
it,
shipboard, it's a monster.