Phone Number for Chuck Rippel, WA4HHG, of R-390A Restoration Fame

[W2XR]

Does anyone have the latest phone number for Chuck Rippel, WA4HHG? He is the fellow in the Tidewater region of VA who does excellent restorations of the R-390A series of receivers.

The last phone number I have for him (757) 485-9660) is no longer in service, and his latest phone number is unlisted.

I did send him an e-mail inquiry several days ago, but I have not received a reply.

If you want to respect and protect his privacy, please send me a private e-mail.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks & 73,

Bruce

[flintstone mop]

This may not be true facts ,but I think Chuck is trying to get away from the repair and restoration. Possibly too many years at the grind stone. I don't know how Howard Mills W3HM, does it. No work area and piles of equipment from people waiting for his golden fingers.
Fred

[WA1GFZ]

I think Chuck belongs to this gang do he may respond.

[N3DRB The Derb]

by the time you figure out the time invested, there's no money in radio restos. So much time to do it right. I cant figure out how Howard does it. He only lives 5 miles from me, and I've never been over there.

I think working at the antique radio store is one of the reasons I flamed out on radio. Just too much of anything is bad for you. For about 4 years I literally did nothing but fix, restore, and operate radios, as a job. I became a walking encyclopedia on ham radio.  I should have been out getting laid and smoking weed.

[WA3VJB]

I should have been out getting laid and smoking weed.

My advice to you, sonny, is to begin catching up immediately.It's true that Chuck has wanted to scale back his R390 and R390A restoration business. For a while, he took on another fellow he was mentoring to do a lot of the repetitive, sequential bench work involved, where Chuck was there as an overseer, quality control, final test out, and sharpshooter.

Sure enough, the guy he was bringing on either lost interest or didn't pan out for other reasons. Separately, Chuck, who's in the Coast Guard reserve, was deploying as part of the Iraq invasion and may still be off to points unknown.  He also was thinking of moving from SE Virginia to central North Carolina, but that was a couple years ago.

Give him a while to respond. 

His "waiting list" was approaching a year's time, and unlike Howard, he will not take possession of any radio until there's a scheduled slot in the repair cycle for it.

Howard, as a barometer, is completely overwhelmed and is taking in about 7 units a week (all types) and is putting out 3-5 units a week. You see what that means.  That said, what a great job he does if you're willing to wait a few years ...  I'll be taking this R390 to Dayton, top dollar, with cabinet, for sale.

[N3DRB The Derb]

I'd be one of the dudes doing the medical MJ thing, but my pills work pretty well. I got another almost 2 months or so of freedom before I have to do another MRI to check to see how fast it's growing back and decide what to do from there. Hopefully I'll get thru hamfester season before they attack me again.

[flintstone mop]

Im glad this is the QSO section.........DERB/Tim you might consider visitng Howard and give him a hand. It would be good for you to use your hands and mind. You have a great talent and lottsa patience. I wish I lived closer to him. It would be nice to touch electronic equipment again. He has a great workshop and sandblaster station.The "BCQ thing got me back together (mentally). Cancer and Chemo are a dangerous combination for depression and feeling like a pile of poop.
Fred Flintstone

[N3DRB The Derb]

well, my left side i kinda crapped out. My left hand especially. I cant hold on to anything with it for very long before I drop it, and I don't even know it's gone until it hits the floor. Since I cant feel when I touch something with it, I think working around HV would be a problem.

[Bill, KD0HG]

When I was doing the R-390 audio chassis mods 10 years ago, I found that I'd be better off working for hourly minimum wage at a fast food place. Restoration and repairs on those boatanchors is labor and time-intensive and you simply can't charge for the true cost of your work. It has to be a labor of love, not for profit. Then on occasion a customer stiffs you on payment, making things even worse.
On the plus side, at least I could work out of my home while listening to 60s do-wop on 1520 KOMA with a cold 807 on the work bench.

There is that fellow in Wyoming doing R-390 work who is advertising in ER, is his name Chuck Felton?

[WA3VJB]

I remember you let me test drive one of those modified audio modules Bill, thanks again.  The diode load and external amplifier work a bit better for me, but for folks wanting a self-contained receiver, yours is/was the way to go.

I've worked Felton on 75m, (KD0ZS) he seems to know his stuff. In my opinion I bet he could be a little aloof in the customer relations department however and I don't think folks have warmed up to match his interest in his work.

No first hand experience, but his articles in Electric Radio show strong understanding and attention to detail. I'd give him a try on that alone.

http://www.feltondesign.com/

[WA1GFZ]

I was all set to hot rod a R390A with meters when I found my first Racal RA6830........R390A went down the road.
Life is short.......can't smoke week......have to get paid at home these days.