[R-390] John's R 390A article MORE??

[Don Cunningham]

I was on USS Edson (DD-946) in the early 1970's, out in late 1971, and we 
still had one or two R-390A's onboard.  The "workhorse" receiver was the 
R-1051 by then, running multichannel MUX, but the R-390A's were "band 
cruisers" to find and keep adequate signals for the Fleet Broadcast each 
shift.

It now seems odd to call an R-390A a "band cruiser", but try finding new 
frequencies on an R-1051!!!!!!!!  You'll go back to the R-390A, I assure 
you.  We also still had an antique or two, like the AN-FRR12, with a 
gazillion tubes????  That sound right??  Our main RTTY transmitter was the 
AN-WRT-2, and the fabulous URC-32 for SSB voice ops.  Lots of VHF and UHF 
stuff for short range and "plane guard" duty while steaming in the Tonkin 
Gulf Yacht Club!!!!  We still had conventional 5" guns, so some of the 
shorter range gear was for talking to shore spotters for the guns.

I got to see Edson in NYC at the Intrepid Museum in 2003, then they traded 
her for a French Concorde.  BAD trade!!!!!!  Now a group has moved her to 
Bay City, Michigan and I hope to go see her again after they get the 
facility started.
73,
Don, WB5HAK 



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