[Milsurplus] Radio id tags

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

The serial number block should always be left blank as you certain don't 
want all of them with the same serial number.  In this case, I would 
definitely leave the Order Number block blank for stamping as well.  

As an aside, although the Signal Corps had Contracts with vendors, they 
were relatively broad long-lived things that were not equipment model or 
quantity specific.  The alphanumeric strings printed or sometimes stamped on the 
equipment name plates are Order Numbers.

On the production changes referenced by Order Number in the changes to the 
TM, I don't recall ever seeing reference to any MWO's for doing the same 
thing to earlier production.  So you are probably safe, unless something about 
the workmanship makes it likely it was an after the fact modification, in 
assuming that if your receiver has all the mods mentioned as having been done 
on a specific Order that your receiver is that Order or later.  In fact, I 
would be inclined to assume it was made on that specific Order absent any 
clues to the contrary as I have seen cases (none that I know of with the R-388) 
where earlier and later models were the same and one in the middle was 
different.

In a message dated 5/5/2009 5:00:17 PM Central Daylight Time, 
telegrapher at att.net writes: 
> If you could have a tag made for your 388 or 51J-() receiver, would you 
> want a serial number stamped on it or just have that space left blank?
> 
> What about a contract number?  Any one in particular or?  It may or may 
> not happen but some census numbers would help.  I need one for my 388 but 
> what would be appropriate.  How could one tell exactly which contract number a 
> radio is built under?  Mine has several of the mods mentioned in the book 
> so does it make it a latest contractor model or one of the earlier ones 
> that have been upgraded, or did they do that?  And what contract numbers or 
> model numbers would have had the mods applied to?
> 
> Larry
> W0OGH

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480