[Collins] MM-280 and MM-281

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

I found a Turner catalog and there's no denying the Collins MM-1 IS a 
Turner SR-90D. Turner also made a SR-90R that was a carbon microphone in 
the same case.

My catalogs are here somewhere in boxes poorly labeled and stacked in 
rows. So far I've found nothing that comes close to the MM-281 shown at: 
http://radioleo.tripod.com/leo/id28.html In the old days that 020 part 
number would have been a hint. It is yet. If it was made by Collins the 
part number would have begun 5xx, like 544 for radios. So it was 
definitely bought. The original specification would have given the 
vendor. Don't know where I'd store all those aperture cards of 
specifications but they sure would be handy for questions like this.

Or the MM-280 shown at: 
http://www.associatedradio.com/usedpages/mm-280.htm or 
http://www.collins-21.com/mm_281_b.jpg

I suspect Art and the Turner kids that formed Turner Microphone probably 
went to school together, so if Art had any say (and he always thought he 
did) they would have used Turner microphones. Collins and Turner have 
relatively parallel histories in time and in Cedar Rapids.

I've pretty much ignored the KWM-380, I was gone from CR and Collins 
before it appeared on the market at a time when I was a professional 
student and major purchases like ham gear weren't possible. I should 
have hocked my eyeteeth (before the dentist pulled them) and bought a 
house before 2009. Way before.

73, Jerry, K0CQ, Technical Adviser to the Collins Radio Association.

On 12/20/2010 5:13 AM, David Knepper wrote:
> Dr. Jerry, according to my Tuner catalog that I have in my files, those
> diecast satin finish alloy case handheld mikes were a model SR-90. The
> picture is undeniable.
>
> Merry Christmas
> David Knepper, W3CRA/W3ST
> Editor of the Collins Journal
> Secretary of the Collins Radio Association
> Now on Facebook
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dr. Gerald N. Johnson"
> <geraldj at weather.net>
> To: <collins at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2010 9:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [Collins] MM-280 and MM-281
>
>
>> They don't look like any I've known from Shure. But I know Collins
>> before Rockwell sold EV and Turner (Turner being a Cedar Rapids company
>> with an interesting history) with Collins name tags. The one tag I found
>> on a Collins gear web page only showed Rockwell-Collins. I don't know if
>> their might be a hint inside, like a maker name from the plastic mold.
>> Its possible Collins made them, but less likely than they had them made
>> or bought standard units off the shelf with the modification to put the
>> Collins label on them.
>>
>> Turner Microphones developed as an offshoot of the Turner Mortuary that
>> wanted better microphones for their mortuaries. Then for a few decades
>> Turner Microphones did well on their own. I've used Turner microphones
>> for PA systems and they had some popular microphones for ham and CB
>> applications. I'm not sure of their status today.
>>
>> 73, Jerry, K0CQ, Technical Adviser to the Collins Radio Association.
>>
>> On 12/19/2010 6:19 PM, ROLYNN PRECHTL K7DFW wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> A friend asked who the supplier was for these two hand mics.
>>>
>>> I had no answer other than a WAG of Shure.
>>>
>>> Anyone have real info?
>>>
>>>
>>> K7DFW
>>>
>>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Collins mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/collins
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Collins at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>