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Reviews For: Collins 75A-3

Category: Receivers: Amateur Radio

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Review Summary For : Collins 75A-3
Reviews: 6MSRP: 400
Description:
Collins 75A series receiver with both mechanical filters and a classic phased crystal filter
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0064.7
N8FVJ Rating: 2020-10-04
Better than most Receivers Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I owned a 75A-3. I like it better than the similar R-388 as the R-388 does not have the mechanical filters that have good selectivity to help against those SSBers that impose on the AM window. Some are 2kHz away from the DX60 net that have been on 3880 kHz for many years. (No class guys, lots of room on 75 meters).

The 75A-3 is better built vs the many Ham radio receivers and a better receiver. It competes against GPR-90, HRO 60, any Hammarlund or Hallicrafters IMO.

KG8LB that I respect did not care for the mechanical filters. Perhaps he likes quality AM, I have no issue with tighter audio myself. Prices for the 75A-3 are about $350. It is a bargain at that price.

The 51J-4 is similar with an additional mechanical filter and of newer construction. The AN/ARR 41 R-648 is a better receiver though vs either the 75A-3 or the 51J-4. The R-648 competes against the ultimate receiver- R-390A.
KK6IYM Rating: 2014-09-05
Great radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have a 75S-1, a Drake R-4C, a Kenwood TS 830S, and a Yaesu FT 897D. The A-3 gets more stations with better understandability, than any of the others. Just follow the instructions in the manual and it truly is an awesome receiver. I only wish I had some way to control the frequency of a transmitter with it so I could use it in a transceiver operation. I like that you set it on CW, set the BFO pitch to the right spot, set the audio gain full on and control the volume with the RF gain. I have taken to experimenting with my other radios using the RF gain more and the AF gain less to eliminate noise on those times of bad reception. My A-3 came without a case but I found an old chipped up one on eBay. I had it sandblasted and powder coated with a fine black texture and the thing looks perfect---$65 for the paint job. What a beautiful radio and great SSB machine.

NJ
KK6IYM
W4PTO Rating: 2010-11-14
Good radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used the 75A-3 and quite frankly, W5JI is absolutely correct: what receiver of this vintage gives you a stunning combination of tunable xtal filters and mechanical filters to provide QRM fighting weaponry? The only other rx I can think of is the 51J-4 or any mech filtered 51J series rx. I have heard this radio from a good friend of mine from the midwest and I like it so much so, I traded him my 51S-1 for his A-3 and I still thought I got the better of the deal (to be honest, the S-1 needs a little work). So if your instincts tell you to get this receiver, please do it! You won't regard it.
W7MBR Rating: 2010-11-08
ANOTHER GREAT GRAY BOX! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Art Collins said more than once that he made the best "communication" radios available. "Communications"! Not hi-fi sets! Collins audio is perfectly acceptable, very clear and understandable for radio "communications". With their wonderfully designed permability-tuned-crystal-controlled-solid front ends they made manufactures like Hammarlund and Hallicrafters seem like toy makers. When you locked onto a station with a 75A-3 it stayed there and you knew within one KHZ where there was. The patented Collins mechanical filters were so good they are still used in some high-tec radios being manufactured today. So calling them tinny shows a real lack of the facts as they say. The 75A-3 and all of the so-called gray boxes are real radios that real radio operators appreciate. Stable, great dial accuracy, easy to tune, sound good, plenty sensitive and selective and built to mil-specs that last and last and last!
KG8LB Rating: 2008-11-12
Just Another Grey Box Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just another of the over-rated St. James Grey boxes from the Harley Davidson of radio. The calibration is about the best thing this receiver has to offer. The list of factory "updates" will help many of thes receivers but they still seem to have wimpy audio and the tin can mechanical filters don't do a thing to help.

Get rid of it and find a nice 75-A1 !
FORMER_W5JI_JC Rating: 2008-03-17
Excellent receiver Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Not sure why more hams don't seem to prefer the 75A-3 over the 75A-2 or the 75A-4. The series combination of the classic tunable, phasing crystal filter and two selectable Collins mechanical filters gives the operator the ability to compensate for a lot of QRM. The stability of the Collins PTO and the classic Collins design reliabilty go along with the excellent filtering to make the 75A-3 a great BA receiver.

The 75A-3 seems to sell for much less than the 75A-4 and yet, by my ears, offers much better audio and more operating flexibility. It is my receiver of choice for AM operation and is used often for BA SSB operation. I have the standard 3.1 kHz SSB filter and the optional 6.0 kHz AM filter installed.

If you like the Collins 75A series, give the 75A-3 more than a casual glance while shopping. I think you will find it to be a very nice receiver. Don't look for mine to show up at a hamfest or on eBay while my old heart is still pumping!

Jim W5JI