I compare the size and weight.  The Japanese still like to build aircraft carrier sized radios.
The FT3000 is the follow-on to the troubled FT-2000 (1st IF design).
http://ac0c.com/main/page_ft2k_roofing_filters_project_overview.html

Personally, I would wait to see if they exercised the FT-2000 demons.

Lightning protection systems should be installed by a competent person(s) with a full understanding of the lightning protections standards: LPI-175, NFPA780 and UL96A. These standards must be followed during the design, installation and inspection of a lightning protection system.
http://www.kuefler-lightning.com/general-notes.htm

You have electrical contractors in your area (Indianapolis, Carmel),
 that specialize in Lightning protection systems.
http://www.lightning.org/installers/?state=25&country=

RF Industries sells three major connector types:
CRIMP, CLAMP, SOLDER

RFI Connectors are numbered and categorized by:

Type Connector (UHF, N, mini-UHF, BNC, SMA, etc.)
Male or Female
Install type (Crimp, Clamp, Solder)
Outside diameter of coaxial cable (0.405", etc.)
Cable Group (letter), for the coaxial cables the connector is designed for.
Connection dielectric: DAP (phenolic), PTFE (Teflon), Delrin, etc.
Finish of connector body and contact: Nickel plate, Silver plate

RFU-507-SI
http://rfsearch.rfindustries.com/ShowProduct.asp?classID=20&productID=5810

UHF (PL-259, Male) for 0.405" cables, CRIMP : RFU-507
Silver plate and PTFE dielectric : S
LMR-400 coaxial cable, Cable Group : I

--
RFU-507-SI
ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM:  Proper Cable Stripping Dimensions and Crimp Die sizes
http://rfsearch.rfindustries.com/drawings/RFU-507-SI.pdf

DRY FIT, BEFORE crimping.  I have found some minor errors in dimensions (typos) and
sent corrections to RFI - so always check work for first-time crimp.

===
YES, mistakes are easy to make -- IF you don't pay attention to characteristics.

Understood.  I have rescued three R5/R7 verticals over past 7 years, one was a Gulf War victim (lost its base assembly when shipped back).
The R5 is a great Field Day antenna for 20 through 10 meter usage.  
Very easy to lift (1-man) on a 1-1/2" mast.

The 17 meter trap can be problematic.  Often the original heat shrink cracks after 20+ years in outdoor UV light and weathering.

The R5 is actually the earlier R4 design from mid-1980s, before the 17 meter WARC band was available in USA, which the 17-meter trap was added.
Cushcraft then re-worked that 15-17 meter trap in early 1990s.

The 40 meter coverage is not bad with the R7 model, but as with all vertical antennas --
your 80 meter bandwidth will be narrow (~ 50 kHz).

Tom -

My brother and I also had the Craig Panorama 212 small reel-to-reel recorder.
It was released in 1966, made in Japan.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/historicgoods/6122635848/

No schematics found, but it is a discrete transistor design (audio amp, pre-amp).

R -

What happen to the Cushcraft R-5 ?
http://ok1ike.c-a-v.com/soubory/ant_txt/Cushcraft%20R-4-5-7.pdf
Personally, I think the R-5 and R-7 were the best, in this series.
http://www.mrs.bt.co.uk/mrs/r5/

The Cushcraft R-9 assembly will be like the R-8 model.
It takes TIME to assemble.  It is NOT pre-assembled or tuned (like R4/R5/R6000/R7 traps).

w9gb

I buy my crimp coaxial connectors from RF Industries OR RF Parts (just down the road).
Retail prices are often close.  Watch for specials OR order in quantity of 10.

RF Industries - Specials
http://www.rfindustries.com/RFI_Specials.html

RF Industries - Excess Inventory
http://www.rfcoaxconnectors.com/Excess-Inventory.html

It is easy to add some RFI connectors to an RF Parts order, to meet minimum orders!
http://www.rfparts.com/old_site/c-uhf.html

Accessories
http://www.rfparts.com/old_site/coax_accessories.html

This is a high-current SMPS, 60 Amps at 13.8 VDC.

Tokyo High Power (THP) HP-460
Product Page (USA)
http://www.tokyohypower.com/dc_power_supply.html
User Manual (English)
http://www.tokyohypower.com/pdf/manual_hp460.pdf

TOKYO HY-POWER LABS., INC.
1-1 Hatanaka 3-chome,
Niiza, Saitama, JAPAN 352-0012
Phone: +81(48)481-1211
Fax: +81(48)479-6949
e-mail: info@thp.co.jp
website: www.thp.co.jp
THP USA website: www.tokyohypower.com

Authorized USA Service Center for THP products:

AVSL (Audio Video Service Labs)
829 Lynnhaven Parkway Suite 128
Virginia Beach, VA 23452-7224
http://www.avsl.net/
(757) 340-7143 (Audio Video Service Labs)
(757) 340-1702 (Kenwood Service Center East)
(757) 340-6809 (FAX)

===
Tenma Model 72-7655
High Current (60 Amp) Switch Mode Power Supply with Remote Sensing and Control (900 W)
User Manual
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/content/ProductData/Manuals/72-7655.pdf

Certifications: CE-EMC: EN 55022 CE-LVD:EN 60950

IF a schematic exists, MCM Electronics usually provides, upon request.
BTW, it is VERY RARE for OEM power supply mfg. to provide SMPS schematic diagrams.
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/TENMA-72-7655-/72-7655

MCM Electronics
650 Congress Park Drive
Centerville, OH 45459
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/
Technical support team
email: tech@mcmelectronics.com
phone (800) 824-8324
M-F 8am-5pm ET

eHam.net Reviews
Tenma 72-7655
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1017
Tokyo High Power HP-460
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/9281

ON7EQ web pages on 40/20 meter trap dipole antenna construction should help.

Holiday trap antenna projects
http://home.euphonynet.be/on7eq/projects/holidayant.htm

Building the 20 meter coax traps
http://home.euphonynet.be/on7eq/projects/coaxtraps.htm

Bart --

Time to advance those skills -- to component level repair and fabrication.

Georgia Copper -- who advertise on a number of amateur radio web sites.
http://www.gacopper.com/

PolyPhaser sells various clamps
http://www.gacopper.com/GroundClamps.html

Shop at your amateur radio dealers -- Local Retail Shopping or Internet/Phone orders.

Heath-kit HW-7 house number: 417-224, and the schematic shows Motorola MPSU05
http://www.vintage-radio.info/heathkit/

RF PARTS lists this transistor as In Stock:
MPSU05       $2.95
http://www.rfparts.com/old_site/transistors_MISC.html

Earlier eHam.net Q&A
http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?topic=55890.0;wap2

Antique Radio thread on same query.
http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=218115

Can you find a 2N6551? This is in a TO-202 standard JEDEC case.
The pins are E-B-C and the tab is Collector. Should be a decent substitute.
http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/central/2N6554.pdf

==
KK4KF's Heathkit HW-7/8/9 Information Page
http://www.qsl.net/kk4kf/heathkit.html

List of Modifications for the Heathkit HW-7
by Randy Hardengrader, WJ4P
http://www.qsl.net/kk4kf/hw7-mods.html

RM ITALY is RM Costruzioni Elettroniche based in Ponte della Venturina
of Bologna province (Italy).

They now have a USA distributor (2013):

H&Y ELECTRONICS Co. Inc.
6315-E Poplar Tree Court
Louisville, KY 40228  
Tel: +1 502 2312999
Fax: +1 502 2312986
Email: hyelec@iglou.com
United States
===
Contact H&Y Electronics for support, warranty, parts, etc.

I always start by obtaining the manufacturer's Datasheet for the transistor.

NEC 2SC2785 Datasheet : NPN Silicon Epitaxial Planar Transistor for Switching and AF amplifier applications.
http://www.classiccmp.org/rtellason/...ta/2sc2785.pdf

Based on the NEC Datasheet, their are 6 different ^hFE₂ -- DC Current Gain ranges.

Bluecolour.net (China)
The transistor is subdivided into four groups, O, Y, G and L, according to its DC current gain.
http://www.bluecolour.net/script/pro...1240426773.pdf

Hallicrafter S-38 Knobs

IF you are missing the knobs, Renovated Radios now has reproduction knobs (KH1, KH2)
as well as rubber feet (FHal-S38) for the Hallicrafters S-38 models.
Scroll down past General Electric knobs.
http://www.renovatedradios.com/parts.html#knobs