Uncle Peter wrote:

I just picked one up a few months ago. Are they worth restoring,
and how does their performance stack up?

In my opinion - they are a quite worth-while receiver - not quite in the
R-39Xx class - but not all that far from it. Definitely in the upper end
of the scale for that era and technology - being built more like a
military radio (using ceramic wafer switches, and sealed transformers,
etc.) Like some of the National and other "upper end" commercial units -
the AR-88 was used by the military quite a bit - some receiving formal
ID plates, etc. some of the later ones receiving Signal Corps
designation R-320 (though these were actually labeled by RCA as SC-88
receivers).

The FAA used them for many, many years - there was even a "triple
receiver" diversity rack having three stacked with supporting equipment...

best regards...
--
randy guttery

A Tender Tale - a page dedicated to those Ships and Crews
so vital to the United States Silent Service:
http://tendertale.com