[Milsurplus] ? on BC-342 data plate

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Barry,

I'd say "No".  The -M was built by RCA and the -N by Farnsworth.  The only 
significant difference between the two is that when during production (and no 
idea why they didn't ramp up the model letters as was usually done), the 250 ohm 
tap was added to the audio output transformer (and some of the wiring to the 
front panel jacks was changed), Farnsworth added a jack (phenolic terminal) 
board with a banana pin on a flying lead but RCA continued to solder the wire to 
the transformer.  So in a later Farnsworth -N you can switch between Lo-Z and 
Hi-Z output by swinging out the RA-20 and moving the banana pin lead but with 
RCA units you have to unsolder the wire and move it.  I've seen lots of -N's 
but onoy one -M so presume most must have gone and remained overseas or few 
were made.

My guess is that someone had an -M without a nameplate, acquired the more 
common -N nameplate, and tried to modify it.  But you can ID a late BC-342-N (and 
a BC-312-N) by the presence of the jack board.  If it has it, it's an -N.  

In a message dated 6/15/2005 11:12:23 PM Central Daylight Time, 
btuttleman at worldnet.att.net writes: 
> i pulled the data plate on the BC-342 i am parting out; if you view the
> picture of the plate:
> http://home.att.net/~btuttleman1/bc342data3.jpg
> 
> you'll see a stamped "M" after the "N"; was this common or typical?
> barry

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