[Boatanchors] Military Transmitter Question (SRR series)

[Carl]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <w8au at sssnet.com>
To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Military Transmitter Question (SRR series)


> At 11:23 AM 11/23/2010, Kenneth Grimm wrote:
>>On Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 8:39 AM, Carl <km1h at jeremy.mv.com> wrote:
>>
>> > The only good place for the SRR series was over the side! As a Navy ET 
>> > Ive
>> > never seen a more unreliable POJ than RCA's replacement for the RB* 
>> > series.
>> > Carl KM1H
>> >
>>I couldn't agree more!  When I was young as well as stupid, I bid on a lot
>>of the SRR-13s in the govt auction over at Norfolk.  Unfortunately, I won.
>>I spent countless hours trying to make a few working radios out of a bunch
>>of POJ radios.  Fortunately, I found enough buyers to take the working 
>>ones
>>from me.  While I didn't make a profit on this "business" venture, I at
>>least broke even and learned my lesson!
>>Ken - K4XL
>>______________________________________________________________
>
> Interesting thread.  Going through ET"A" school at Great Lakes
> in 1958, I was taught the SRR series and it's same vintage xmtrs
> SRT 14/15/16.
>
> Being a young ham, I was really impressed with the projection display
> and was also an introduction into modular design and pencil tubes.
> These receivers worked fine in the school room..... BUT..
>
> After assignment to my first ship (a DDR) I noticed the SRTs but
> NO SRRs!  Still had the RBA/B/C setup.  Was curious but just accepted
> it.  In the two years on that first ship I had to repair only ONE RBC!
> I did hear of other DD's having some SRR sets.
>
> I didn't find out until a couple decades later that the Navy must
> have realized these were bench queens and held off the replacement
> of the RBA/B/C's until the R-390 models and others came out.
>
> I have an SRT-14 in the shack. I swore I would not pick one up since
> I continuously baby-sat those 76 tube synthesizer exciters with an OS-8
> tied to them for lissajous pattern checks, but nostalgia got the best
> of me.  SRRs appear now and then on the auction site, but I resist
> the temptation while watching someone else get the potential grief.
>
> Perry  w8au
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________


The RCA RB* series is an amazing piece of engineering that got us thru WW2 
and well beyond. Some ships still had them in the 60's.

A few years ago I picked up a barn fresh (literally) RBB-1 and RBC-1 from 
down on Cape Cod. No covers and somewhat corroded aluminum.

Looked underneath, hooked a variac to the matching PS and kept my fingers 
crossed. They came right up and there wasnt even an intermittent tube 
socket, switch or pot much less a leaky cap. They are used here with an ATC 
transmitter and both are untouched as far as repairs. Not bad for 1940 
production. Try that with a SX-28, Super Pro, or anything else of even later 
production, including any Collins.

The only other thing in the SRR category was the early URC-32's which I was 
blessed with as Mr Super Tech (according to the skipper who liked to loan me 
out to other ships which is the gratitude I got for him getting an E flag to 
show off) and nothing but a manual to go by to uncrate, set up, try to get 
working, etc. Those cost me lots of sleep loss and close to a few court 
martials when I told off a couple of radio officers and chiefs to STFU and 
leave me alone otherwise it would never get working with their yammering. I 
was an ETR2 at the time. I got an earfull from my skipper as he was laughing 
his a** off and telling me the damage control he had to do and agreeing with 
me of my assesment of the pests. He was a full senior 4 striper who made 
Rear Admiral at his next assignment.

Ive mellowed a bit since then.........

Carl
KM1H