[R-390] NOS R-390A on the E-Place

[eldim at att.net]

Hello 390 Friends,
How are we sure that a 390 ever had to, or even went to a Depot?  How much abuse did these receivers receive?  In the fixed, in-place situations  or duty assignments that I served in we were highly aware of taking care of our assigned equipment.  That included pride in appearance as well as meeting all technical specs. In my last assignment we had our R-390A for nearly 7 years (73-80), and I don't recall ever even having to do a Module change.  In fact, I don't recall having to do anything other than replace aging vacuum tubes.  Of course we were an AIR FORCE Tactical Unit, and this mighty fine receiver was an authorized piece of test equipment that we used as a 'SELECTIVE VOLTMETER' for nulling out traps, searching for birdies, and listening to AFN and the ballgames.  Of course our equipment consisted of mostly Airborne Transceivers configured for Tactical Ground Mobile use.  We also had an FM VHF (30-79MHz) Transceiver for commnuication with our Army counterparts.  Plus we had portable man-pack FM, HF, and UHF Transceivers for use if we needed to hoof it with the Army.  Our Maintenance rear area had a Collins KWM-2A to maintain commo with our forward deployed units.  We also had one in SAC (63-66) as part of our HF set-up (T-368 Transmitter) which in my 3-1/2 years don't recall any maintenance problems.  
I wonder if there are any security service personnel (radio maintenance types) who wouod care to elaborate.  They had racks of these receivers.  I also can't imagine that every R-390 that went to a Depot for overhaul, required the front panel to be removed and redone.  Sounds like a forest to me.  Of couse I can't speak for Depot Level maintenance, sine I never had occassion to be assigned to one.  I would tyhink that they were mostly civilians, at least that is what the Air Force had at their depots.
Back to work.  You noticed I  didn't say, "REWORK".

73,
Glen Galati, KA7BOJ
Tacoma, WA
eldim at att.net

-------------- Original message from Dan Arney <hankarn at pacbell.net>: -------------- 


> Probably not. 
> My understanding is the Military Tag was installed after the radio was 
> an accepted item. For the purpose of inventory control for the Gov. 
> contract. And down the line when it came back as a DEPOT DAWG the tag 
> was removed so the panel could be refinished and then when it got 
> accepted again the QC man reached into the box of tags and lo and behold 
> the DAWG had a new number as it went out the door. 
> 
> And that is a possible reason that the Helena Rubenstien tags were taken 
> by the QC guys as a novelty for the girlfriend or the XYL's. 
> 
> Hank 
> KN6DI 
> 
> Back to my S&W with my EK-07 HiHi. 
> 
> 
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