[Collins] R-388

[telegrapher at att.net]

Sure a lot of differences in the manuals.  I have a 51J-4 that a local 
ham loaned me for evaluation and i think he said it was an upgraded 
R-388 because it has the mechanical filters in it.  Said it was kind of 
rare because of that feature.  Now i wonder if all 51J-4 units are just 
upgrades from the R-388/51J-3 series and whether this was a post 
manufacture mod or something that Collins started doing at the factory 
sometime during the 51J-4 production run?

Larry
W0OGH



Gerald wrote:

> On Mon, 2005-08-08 at 19:12 -0700, telegrapher at att.net wrote:
> 
>>Then why are the manuals for the R-388 and do not indicate a 
>>relationship as the 51J-3?  The 51J-2 and 51J-4 have their own named 
>>manuals.  Another fellow commented that the 388A was known as the 51J-4. 
>>  Again, no documentation to indicate such it appears.
>>
>>Larry
>>W0OGH
> 
> The R-388 I have seems to have the same input circuit as the 51J4 manual
> that came with it. It also has a smooth gray engraved panel and a round
> Collins emblem. I don't know if it was modified by Collins for lab test
> equipment or by its last owner who added a product detector and AGC mods
> because I recognize the resistors not being Collins parts. It does have
> the antenna trimmer on the front panel and it sure looks factory.
> 
> Could be that the 51J4 is exactly the same as the 51J3 (hence the common
> manual) except for the mechanical filter module. I know Sams Photofacts
> had a separate number for the 51J3. The previous owner of the receiver I
> have had numerous connections with Collins being an Iowa State EE
> professor and many of his students worked at Collins.