FS: Racal RA6790/GM receiver
 

This 6790/GM has been completely serviced, reburbished, and updated by Gary
Wingerd, a former Racal top technician who was in charge of service for this
model for many years and now does so on his own from his home in Hagerstown,
Md. His skills are deservedly acclaimed, and the small number of receivers he
puts up for sale are snapped up.

This one has new LCD and LED displays, updated PROM, new lithium battery, top
and bottom covers, full technical manual (sold separately by Gary for $50),
audio connector, and power cord. It also includes the optional RF amplifier/LP
filter module, which includes lightning protection and isn't easy to find, and
the optional independent sideband module, which is even harder to locate. Based
on the manual and the manual revisions, the receiver was made in 1984.

Appearance is about as close to new as you can get.

Basic frequence range is 0.5 kHz-29.999 MHz. Frequency selection is by direct
keyboard input or continuous tuning with 8-digit LCD readout.

Unlike many 6790s on the market, this one also comes with all seven IF filter
slots full. There are six Rockwell-Collins mechanical filters and one crystal
filter. Mechanical filters: (2) Independent USB and LSB, 450 Hz-3 kHz
bandwidth, (1) 300 Hz, (1) 1 kHz, (1) 3.2 kHz, and (1) 4 kHz. Crystal filter:
(1) 16 kHz.

The 6790/GM is an admirable receiver, but it isn't intended for casual
listening on the desktop or bedside stand. It's big (22 inches deep and rack
width), and it lacks most of the playtoys of today's ham/shortwave receivers
such as memories and scanning capability. Government and commercial purchasers
didn't want to pay for that. They paid for performance, meaning superior
overload characteristics (dynamic range greater than 180 dB/Hz), low noise, 1
Hz readout, three tuning rates--fast (1000 Hz/revolution), slow (30 Hz), and
fine (1 Hz), stability of 5 parts per 100 million, essentially flat audio
response from 100 Hz to 16 kHz, and so on.

For more information and opinions about the 6790/GM, go to www.eham.net and
click on Product Reviews (under Resources in the left channel), then enter 6790
in the search box.

I'd much rather do a pickup deal than ship. I'm in Potomac, Md., just outside
Washington, D.C. I'll drive 50 miles or so to deliver on a solid deal--no
backing out at the last minute. If I have to ship, I will add whatever it
costs, including insurance and delivery confirmation, as well as packing
materials if needed.

Price is firm at $1,000, a bit less than I paid. The buyer won't be sorry. It's
one heck of a radio.

Email or call: 301-983-2407 home, 202-955-2609 office.

Avery W3AVE