• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

When it Rains It pours

Fair Radio in Lima, Ohio would be my first choice to look for a R-390 power cord or connector. If they don't have it on their website, give them a call, they have tons (literally) of stuff not on their website.
 
w3jn said:
Fair Radio in Lima, Ohio would be my first choice to look for a R-390 power cord or connector. If they don't have it on their website, give them a call, they have tons (literally) of stuff not on their website.
Click to expand...
Thanks I will give them a call Monday, it was not listed on their website.


Regards Snow
 
goodolpg said:
JV, what are those black hanging things above each work station? Or are they just blacked out top secret things?
Click to expand...

These positions were manned 24/7; those blacked out 'status' boards were for operators to keep the next operator informed of what was going on. Priorities were ever changing.
The photo (declassified) was taken inside the ops building at Shu Linkou Air Station, Taiwan around 1970, a joint services listening post hosted by the 6987th USAFSS with Army ASA and Navy NSG detachments. I was with the Navy NSG unit.

More blacked out 'status' boards. These were voice intercept positions, thus the tape recorders. My previous post showed the Morse (CW) intercept positions.
bj203shop51969.jpg
 
Fair Radio got them in hundreds by the pallet packs for resale and parting out when they were being phased out declared excess. They were the plentiful and affordable top grade "allwave" communications DX receivers in their day. The advantages included no rare unobtanium tubes in the 390A and workarounds for the rectifier and oscillator heater ballast. The Collins filters do become problematic as they age. A 390A with a 390 IF module is a great "forever" tubed AM DX receiver.
 
Some R-390As had little covers over the frequency readout so visitors to the comm center couldn't see where they were tuned
 
Any thoughts on what the Hallicrafters S-27 may be worth? It seems to be a pretty rare bird, I only see one for sale on Ebay for parts it is missing the cover and all but the rectifier tube is missing, hard to guesstimate given this little info.

Regards Snow
 
Not a lot. They aren't that rare and they weigh a ton. I see them sit unwanted at hamfests all the time in the 30-50 dollar range. If you like it, better to keep it because it is very cool - the were heavily used during WWII for a number of purposes, including with the FCC's Radio Intelligence division, radar research, etc. Check out the acorn tubes under the RF cover.

There's an airborne version with a tuning motor - the AN/ARR-5. Needs an external power supply and no push-pull audio. Was used during the cold war as an airborne RF surveillance receiver.
 
w3jn said:
Not a lot. They aren't that rare and they weigh a ton. I see them sit unwanted at hamfests all the time in the 30-50 dollar range. If you like it, better to keep it because it is very cool - the were heavily used during WWII for a number of purposes, including with the FCC's Radio Intelligence division, radar research, etc. Check out the acorn tubes under the RF cover.

There's an airborne version with a tuning motor - the AN/ARR-5. Needs an external power supply and no push-pull audio. Was used during the cold war as an airborne RF surveillance receiver.
Click to expand...
Good to know, better to ask then assume I suppose it seemed to me it had to be rare because there is only 1 currently for sale on Ebay but it must be only one because most owners realize their not worth much.


Regards Snow
 
Last edited:
Snow said:
Any thoughts on what the Hallicrafters S-27 may be worth? It seems to be a pretty rare bird, I only see one for sale on Ebay for parts it is missing the cover and all but the rectifier tube is missing, hard to guesstimate given this little info.

Regards Snow
Click to expand...
Nifty technical historical artifacts with limited utility.
 
Ok a few pictures of the last 3 items a Hallicrafters Model 505 Television a Hallicrafters S-40B and a Hammarlund HQ-145 these all power on The TV produces a picture the S-40B sounds great and picks up station 50 + miles away so I have hope that the other Collins R390 and R390A will work also.



SAM_7494.JPG SAM_7496.JPG SAM_7493.JPG

Regards Snow
 
Last edited:
Nice scores! All of them are in really nice condition. None extremely valuable, but all noteworthy in their own way.

The T-54 would certainly benefit from a recap. I wouldn't bother with recapping the 145 - pretty sure Hammarlund used ceramics in that radio so the only thing to look after is the filter capacitor, and I've yet to see one bad in a 145/150/160/170/180.
 
Similar in design to your Hallicrafters S-40B:

The S-40A:
Personal design by Raymond Loewy.

Included in New York's Museum of Modern Art collection.
 
w3jn said:
Not a lot. They aren't that rare and they weigh a ton. I see them sit unwanted at hamfests all the time in the 30-50 dollar range. If you like it, better to keep it because it is very cool - the were heavily used during WWII for a number of purposes, including with the FCC's Radio Intelligence division, radar research, etc. Check out the acorn tubes under the RF cover.

There's an airborne version with a tuning motor - the AN/ARR-5. Needs an external power supply and no push-pull audio. Was used during the cold war as an airborne RF surveillance receiver.
Click to expand...
@w3jn Are you sure? I have been reading up on some of these and everything I have read says the S-27 is a very rare bird the S-36 and S-36A's which is almost identical is pretty common but supposedly not many of the S-27's were made.

Here is a picture of a S-36 that says S-27 the meter on the right front of the S-36 is round versus a square bezel for the real S-27 from what I read they had a surplus of S-27 faceplates and used them on the S-36 models until they ran out and a picture of my S-27

s-l1600 (8).jpg SAM_7492.JPG
 
Last edited:
The S-40 series used a "Goldilocks" template for a multi-wave AM receiver that delivered more than 90% of what most folks were wanting in sensitivity, coverage, and rejection. The better 1930s console receivers used a similar arrangement of active preselector, converter, two stages of IF gain and bandpass filtering, detector with AGC loop, and audio amplification.
More gave increments of improvements at increased complexity and cost.
 
Last edited:
JamVal said:
Collins R390 or R390A's? I think the R390 is the more desirable.
I spent 2 years leashed to a pair of R390A receivers. When I got out, 50 years ago, I never wanted to see one again, but if I had the opportunity now I'd grab one.
Finding one in working condition must be getting pretty rare.
View attachment 2559899
Click to expand...

Just like the room I sat in on my ship for 4 years I listened to music from all over the world BEFORE there was "World Music"
 
Are you sure? I have been reading up on some of these and everything I have read says the S-27 is a very rare bird the S-36 and S-36A's which is almost identical is pretty common but supposedly not many of the S-27's were made.
Click to expand...

I dunno, I've had two myself and see them at times at hamfests around here. I guess "rare, as compared to what?" Maybe rarer than the S-36, but certainly not as rare as say a Raytheon 1230, of which I've only seen one in 40 years of looking.

I note you're selling all of these on another site. Too bad, hoped you would hook them up and enjoy them.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom