[Milsurplus] Service life (was Collins Book

[Nick England]

Single individual piece of equipment -
Several AN/FRT-39 (TMC GPT-10K) and AN/FRT-40 (TMC GPT-40K)
transmitters installed at WWV in the mid-60's and still on the air or
running as hot backups.
Gummint service rather than military, so maybe that doesn't count.

R-390A receivers - 1951 to at least 1986 (they were being installed in
newly-commissioned frigates then) and probably in use later than that.


On Sun, Nov 27, 2011 at 2:07 AM,  <WA5CAB at cs.com> wrote:
> That brings to mind a worthy thread subject.  What early set (for the sake
> of argument I'll define early as introduced 1970 or earlier) enjoyed the
> longest actually installed and lit off service life in US service (third world
> service not counted)?  Based on TM dates (date of introduction probably
> earlier) and personal experience (I actually did performance tests on a pair in
> November, 1968) the TDQ/RCK made at least 25.5 years.  But I have a feeling
> that the winner might be the much maligned BC-640 as two were surplussed out
> of Barksdale AFB between 1969 and 1971 (I bought them but can't for sure
> recall what year).  Note that the TDQ/RCK pair were the Navy counterparts to
> the BC-639/640.  And that the Navy and Blue Suiters had a mandate to be able
> to talk to civilian aircraft.  Which in my experience neither were ever very
> serious about.  Hence the old equipment on old ships or bases.
>
>