The AM Forum

Snapped a few quick shots for posterity of the temporary lash up used here for keeping up with AM activity. First signals of the Voice of Russia were received here in September (or was it August?) using the SP-600 in the rack with an old TV UHF antenna set atop. The R-390A made the trip down in October and has been in use since getting down here in November. And the mic just needed a place to hang out you might say.

Soon the new radio room will take over. But Jen has asked if we can keep the rack in the living room. She 'likes how it looks'. What are the chances??

A recent investigation into spousal radio equipment approval odds have calculated this is a 43921100 to 1 possibility!  Congratulations!  That's almost like winning the lottery!

yes but has she actually HEARD the beast 8)?  My wife has an aversion to HF receivers like I have to bad musical theater.

Geez! That's nicer than my shack and I've been here for several years.

She's a KEEPER!!!

Todd,

Very nice.

What is the item between the two 390s?

My wife doesn't hate radio, but she finds it totally uninteresting.  She can't stand to listen, unless the signal is perfectly quieting and close to FM broadcast quality.  She doesn't even like to listen to the AM broadcast band on the car radio because she says the stations all sound "staticky".  She can't understand slopbucket, even when it is properly tuned in, and finds SSB sound just as annoying as I do.

She would never approve of the rack.  She doesn't like the looks of the new stereo speakers I bought a couple of years ago because they don't look like furniture. The boxes are covered with black felt, the horn tweeter is exposed, and the woofer is covered with a see-through metal grille that makes the cone visible. Kind of like speakers you would see at a live music performance. But she does like the way they sound.

Yes she has, Peter. She actually listens in with me most nights as we get dinner ready, if any of the gang are around. Nights with no activity we fire up the Bud Pro SP-100 in the other room, crank the volume, and listen to AM 740 out of Toronto. As the sun sets, they come banging in. She's not crazy about marginal conditions that I'm used to listening through, and detests the duck sounds (definite keeper!).

The location is just off the deck by the pool, Steve. Won't be in it much longer, too cushy and goes against the 'radios throughout the entire house' rule. Just threw it together quickly to have something to listen to and also to get some stuff out of the way.


Depends which two, Carl. In the rack between the A and 390 is a CU-286 antenna coupler and auto tuner used with a pair of R-391s as part of the FRR-33 RATT system. Someday I may even find a pair of 391s to use with it. Between the R-390A on the desk and the rack is a nice old Westinghouse/RCA Radiola Sr and matching Aeriola Sr balanced amp, think you may have seen them when you visited. Can't remember if I had moved them yet or not.

Most the wooden radio stuff is still stored in the main guest room along with the mounted tubes. Guest room 2 houses much of the other stuff, one wall shown below with the SP-100. Once the main radio area is completed, much of the metal stuff will migrate there. I'm sure most overnight guests will be happier as a result, and I know the XYL will be.

Hi Todd,

I hope that this message finds you and Jenn doing well in the new 'KAQ homestead!

Wow, nice looking shack there, OM. I personally like it even more than the studio previously used by the Voice of Vermont. More importantly, I look forward to the day when I can work you from that new QTH!

A quick question for the resident R-390 expert, if I could. I am not familiar with the CU-291 Antenna Coupler that you mentioned in your first posting of this thread. As you know, I have the R-390 and the R-390A, a CV-591A, a CV-1722, and a pair of the CV-116/URR RTTY demod units. Perhaps the CU-291 would make a nice addition to my R390-related accessories.

Can you describe this unit for us? Is it a simple multicoupler, etc?

Thanks for your time and trouble!

Best 73,

Bruce

I don't think I come close to 'expert' level Bruce, I just like the receivers and have some idea how they work. ;)

That unit is actually a CU-286, you must be thinking of another thread perhaps? Pretty sure you looked this one over when the rack was in the radio room in VT. It's part coupler and part preselector, set up is accomplished by loosening the winged lock keys in the center of the knobs and adjusting them to specified bands/frequencies, then locking them and adjusting the sensitivity settings in the little side doors for each channel (8 per channel). Can't recall now without wrestling it out from the wall (carpeting sucks) how many outputs it has, either 4 or 6, all requiring a twin-ax connector (if you thought finding one for a R-390A was a hassle), and multiple inputs for antennae, control unit, etc. The FRR-33 group was used for diversity reception employing 2 R-391s, the CU-286, a control unit, and the power supply for the auto tune motors in the receivers and antenna coupler. But it also allows you to select one antenna or the other. Someday I may find enough pieces to build up the entire system.

If I can lay my hands on it, I'll bring the manual to Timonium for you to look over. I *might* know which box it's in and be able to lay my mitts right on it, then again perhaps not.