[Milsurplus] Where was RAL & RAK used?

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Actually, I think whether a ship had RAK/RAL or RBA/RBB/RBC was akin to 
whether a ship had AN/SRT-14/15 or AN/WRT-2, or AN/SRR-11/12/13 or R-390A, etc.  
Depended upon when she was commissioned and when she went through major overhaul 
versus when each set was the current front line unit.  USS Bushnell 
(commissioned 1944?) and USS Valley Forge (commissioned 1946) had RBA/RBB/RBC and never 
had RAK/RAL.  Ships commissioned in say 1942 or early '43 would have been 
laid down in '40 or early '41 and would most likely still have gotten RAK/RAL.  
When they went through their first major overhaul in the 50's, they would have 
gotten AN/SRR-11/12/13 but some of the RAK/RAL's would probably have stayed on 
board.  Slightly later ships (like Valley Forge) got R-390A/URR but one 
RBB/RBC pair (and an RCH) was still aboard when decommissioned in '69.  This might 
not apply to DD's and smaller, as they have far fewer radio spaces.  So all of 
the two generations earlier sets would probably have been removed.

The RAK/RAL came out in 1935 and the final contract was in 1943.  The 
RBA/RBB/RBC came out in 1940.  I don't have contract dates on the final models (-6 or 
-7) but the final manuals are dated 1951 or 1952.

In a message dated 1/2/2006 12:33:31 AM Central Standard Time, 
ezeran at ezeran.cnc.net writes: 
> Most ships had a RAK/RAL somewhere, as they were often put into the role
> of extreme backup. I am not sure how often the old sets were used,
> 
> Billie Don-Z!  From  conversations with unrepentant retired RMC guys I think
> the RAK/RAL hung in as long as manual CW broadcast was copied.
> 

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