[R-390] OT - LOL snort sputter

[Barry Hauser]

Spin, nah -- has it all wrong.

Those flip down lids were to prevent oscillator leakage through the Veeder 
Root window when R-390's were used on ships and submarines.  The U-boats had 
very sensitive direction finders which could zero in on such stray tiny 
singals from 200 miles away.  The PTO's in these "one-off" receivers were 
all Collins, simpy because no one else made them in WWII.  Also used on 
B-17's and B-29's -- racks of 'em.  (No bombs on those special aircraft).

Yeah, I know ... you're going to tell me that can't be because  R-390's were 
developed after WWII.  That's what they'd have you believe.  Most of the 
pre-50's units came with false fronts in black wrinkle which made thos 
R-390's look like SX-28's, AR88's, RAK/RAL's or somewhat too tall BC-342's. 
Gray ones were disguised to look like SP-200's, etc.

After the war, many were destroyed or dumped overboard.  Some went back to 
special, secure depots and subjected to extreme makeover with thorough 
module-mixing and removal of the false fronts.  The contract dates were also 
falsified by 10 years forward.  (e.g. "53 was really '43) A few of those 
survived -- you can identify them with a good microscope.  A special symbol 
was micro-engraved somewhere on the tag -- it looks like this:  ;-)

Barry


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Les Locklear" <leslocklear at cableone.net>
To: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>; "Tom Norris" <r390a at bellsouth.net>
Sent: Monday, December 05, 2005 8:24 AM
Subject: Re: [R-390] OT - LOL snort sputter


> Martyn puts a spin on even the most mundane/common items.
>
> Les
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tom Norris" <r390a at bellsouth.net>
> To: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, December 05, 2005 2:21 AM
> Subject: [R-390] OT - LOL snort sputter
>
>
>> I'm not telling the group where I saw the description that included  the 
>> following. You can guess the place and the seller.
>>
>> "...What makes it unusual is the dial cover to stop any light  escaping 
>> from the dial so as to not be seen by the enemy and another  unusual 
>> point is that the receiver has the exceptional Collins PTO  which is very 
>> rare to find as they were only usually put in to  special one off 
>> receivers built to a higher spec receiver for a  special purpose."
>>
>> Uh huh.
>>
>> Figured if my on-topic EAC post doesn't get discussion this week,  maybe 
>> this one will.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Tom NU4G