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

Tue Jul 26 11:43:31 EDT 2005

   I  have  a  '55 Collins that I sent to Rick Mish & he said that it was
   all  Collins...they  used a very recognisable typeface on their stuff.
   He  thought it might have come out of Wright-Pat because I got it from
   Fair-I  swiped  it  from  Phil  Sellati-  & They'd picked it up at the
   Dayton hamfest. Man, if these rigs could talk....-Sandy G.
   C.H.(Sandy)Geiger III
   >From: "Cecil Acuff" <chacuff at cableone.net>
   >To: "R390list" <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
   >Subject: Re: [R-390] NOS R-390A on the E-Place
   >Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 10:23:00 -0500
   >
   >Anybody ever seen one of the EAC Rocketship radio's.  One that was
   >sold to the public directly from EAC in the late production years.
   >I've never heard of one being seen, but I remember seeing the ads...
   >It would be very interesting to see just what a radio that has never
   >seen the Mil. Maintenance/Depot system looks like on the inside.
   >Matching numbers?  Built to the same Mil. Spec's?
   >
   >I would think it would be the standard for what one would expect a
   >non-depot puppy to look like.
   >
   >I have a couple R-390A's with all the same manufacturers modules
   >inside...and a tag that matches but the numbers don't match...I'm
   >not sure it's reasonable to expect they would.
   >
   >I envision several assembly areas....one for each module type and
   >would expect them to be numbered as they were built uniquely from
   >each other.  I would think final assembly of the radio would be from
   >a stock of available, tested modules with a resulting mix of
   >numbers.....but as has been mentioned I would expect them to be
   >close....within a few hundred of each other.
   >
   >The bottom line is...due to the excellent design of the radio it
   >doesn't make any real difference....except that the 67 EAC with all
   >EAC modules is the youngest of the pack.  I have one of those that
   >is close.....the audio deck is Collins if I remember correctly.
   >It's a true DOG.  It was in the pile at SJC and it did not stand up
   >to the elements as well as the earlier radio's.  The plating on the
   >chassis and modules is thin and didn't protect the radio.  What a
   >shame!
   >
   >Works pretty good but will never be pretty again!  Good platform for
   >mods testing I guess.
   >
   >Cecil...
   >----- Original Message ----- From: <eldim at att.net>
   >To: "Dan Arney" <hankarn at pacbell.net>; "Craig Westerman"
   ><westerman at cableone.net>
   >Cc: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>; <ToddRoberts2001 at aol.com>
   >Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 10:40 PM
   >Subject: Re: [R-390] NOS R-390A on the E-Place
   >
   >
   >>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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   >
   >
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