[Milsurplus] Curiousity... (AN/SRR-11/12/13)

[Mike]

Robert W. Downs wrote:

> I joined the Naval Reserve in 1964.  The only places that I ever saw
> them ... were in Reserve Centers ... which tended to lag 5 to 8 years
> behind what was in the fleet.

I was on the aircraft carrier Intrepid in 1971, and IIRC there were
R-390 and R-1051 sets on board.  I spent 1975 to 1979 on a ballistic
missile submarine, during which time the HF receivers were all R-1051s. 
We also had T-827s and AM-3007s, but no RT-618s.  We also had some
special purpose HF gear.  Submarine use of HF was extraordinarily rare. 
Submarines also didn't monitor 500 kHz routinely, even when surfaced.

I was issued an AN/SRR-13A through Navy MARS in 1969 that was 100
percent functional and that had all the latest official mods.  It had
been built in 1961, so the USN was releasing a relatively new radio to
the MARS system as that series of receivers were being flushed out of
active service.  The (old) 8th Naval District MARS organization had a
lot of SRR-13, -13A, and FRR-23 sets for issue in the late 1960s, plus a
bunch of parts-cannibalization units which were really helpful.

The Navy MARS system had a policy of retaining ownership of most of the
equipment issued to members back then.  If a member left USN MARS,
issued  equipment turn-in was usually required.  I didn't receive a
notice of dropped accountability on my SRR-13A until the mid-1970s. 
Until then, since my receiver was still government property, I had
arranged a re-supply of tubes from a nearby USAF base as needed.

My SRR-13A was the best HF general coverage receiver that I owned until
I bought a TS-430 20 years ago.  It took the place of an R-105/ARR-15
that MARS had issued me earlier.  I carried the SRR-13A from duty
station to duty station for more than five years.  It's in storage now.

Mike / KK5F