[R-390] Preproduction R-390

Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:48:08 -0800

Preproduction instruments are not placed in service.
They received it, ran it through lots of tests, and put it away.

73,
Dave Wise

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ray, W2EC [mailto:[email protected]]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 4:28 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Preproduction R-390
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> But when the R-390's went thru the depot, didn't they just=20
> pull the tag=20
> off the panel? Then when a radio rebuild was finished they=20
> pulled a tag=20
> out of the bin and slapped it on the panel? So except for finding the=20
> specifications of the original order (as to whether it called=20
> for silk=20
> screened or engraved panel) there is no way of knowing what=20
> panel came=20
> with what order. My old Imperial tagged R-390A was engraved=20
> and had all=20
> kinds of modules in it, not one of which I could identify as being an=20
> Imperial module. Played fine.
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> Unless someone took possession of an R-390/390A direct from=20
> the factory=20
> and it has never been out of their sight, I don't think=20
> anyone can truly=20
> say they have an "original" radio with all "original" modules and the=20
> tag that matches.
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> Richard Loken wrote:
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> > On Tue, 29 Oct 2002, Danny Lunstrum wrote:
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> >>This is my first message to the group.  I have been a=20
> subscriber and have
> >>been reading messages for some time.  I went to a hamfest=20
> last Sunday and
> >>bought what I thought was an ordinary R-390 (non-A)=20
> receiver.  The only thing
> >>that was out of the ordinary was the serial number- "PP-2".=20
>  When I got home
> >>with the unit I noticed a poorly stenciled notice on the=20
> side.  I cannot make
> >>out every word in it, but it sounds like this is a=20
> "Preproduction" R-390".=20
> >>Here is the what is stenciled on the side except for the=20
> few words that are
> >>illegible.  "This equipment was tested as a preproduction=20
> sample by the
> >>Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories.  It is ??  ????=20
> intact without
> >>alteration or improvement of any kind for use by the Signal=20
> Corps ???? by
> >>???."  The question marks indicate words I cannot make out.=20
>  The order number
> >>is 14214-PH-51-93 and was manufactured by Collins Radio=20
> Company.  The ballast
> >>tube, V-512, is marked 2HTF11B and is missing.  The front=20
> panel lettering is
> >>punched, not silkscreened.  The power supply has a=20
> nomenclature tag with the
> >>serial number PP-7 stamped on it.=20
> >>
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> > Sure looks the l@@k rare preproduction approval sample alright.
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> > I have an R390 Serial Number 2459 from Order Number=20
> 14214-PH-51-93 which has
> > an engraved panel so the engraved part is not unusual.  I=20
> think this was the
> > first order and they made a heck of a lot of them.  Did all=20
> orders require
> > pre-production samples do you suppose?  Or only the first one?
> > ---
> >    Richard Loken VE6BSV, Systems Programmer - VMS =20
> >    Athabasca University
> >    Athabasca, Alberta Canada
> >    ** [email protected] **
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> > _______________________________________________
> > R-390 mailing list
> > [email protected]
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390
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> >=20
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