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Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Date:         Thu, 21 Jan 1993 07:15:38 GMT
Reply-To:     User <dennis@IRISSUN2.FP.TRW.COM>
Comments:     Warning -- original Sender: tag was SWL$L@CUVMB
From:         User <dennis@IRISSUN2.FP.TRW.COM>
Subject:      The "Mysterious" Collins R-388 receiver

<>

Back  in September  of 1991 I purchased  a Collins R-388 receiver  from an
individual at the annual Gaithersburg, Maryland hamfest.  This radio later
turned out to be quite an unusual version of the R-388, for reasons I will
detail below.  The main reason the radio seemed so unusual is  that it was
extremely  clean, and appeared  to be manufactured in 1963, 6  years after
they supposedly stopped making this model.  The contract date was 1962.  I
never was able to find an explanation for the unusual date  of manufacture
of this version of the R-388.

Well recently  I received the January 1993 issue of Electric Radio, and in
the  classified ads  section, a  gentleman  by the  name  of  Dave  had an
ad  requesting  information on a  specific contract  number version  of an
R-388 he had that was made in 1963.  I checked  the contract number in his
ad, and it matched the contract number on my radio!

Apparently Dave is a  knowledgeable radio amateur and bought the radio for
$190 from some individual in California.  At the time he bought the radio,
he did not notice the unusual 1962 contract date.  He took the radio home,
and  began giving it a thorough examination.  The more he examined it, the
more puzzled he  became.  One of the reasons he was puzzled was that there
was  a transistor  in  the  back  on  the  underside  of  the  radio.  The
transistor did not appear in the schematic diagrams in  his manual for the
R-388.  It also appeared to be a factory modification, not a mod made by a
hobbyist.  He was also amazed at how clean the receiver was.  In  addition
to the contract date, the date codes on many of the parts  showed that the
set  had been  manufactured in  early  1963, long  after  they  supposedly
stopped making this model, and even  a  year after they stopped making the
succeeding model, the R388A/51J4!  After showing it to a friend of his, he
decided  that he  had purchased  a very  unusual version of the R-388, and
thus has decided never to sell it.

The interesting  aspect of  Dave's story  is that  it is  EXACTLY the same
experience I  had!  We compared serial  numbers.  My serial  number is 91,
and his is  263.  So the  serial numbers seem to confirm my suspicion that
this was a limited production  run of  the R-388 for some special purpose.
I think normal production runs  of these numbered in the thousands.  Thus,
if there are no specimens  with high  serial numbers  it would support the
theory that it was a limited production run.

A friend of mine  has speculated  that this  R-388 may have been a special
production  run for the purpose of Direction Finding type work.  The other
two  predominant  receivers  in  1962,  the  R390A,  and   the  R388A  had
mechanical  filters which  make the  radios unsuitable for  DF work.  This
sounds like a plausible explanation, but it would be nice to have concrete
information instead of speculation!

Dave indicated that he has not received any other responses to his request
for information  on this contract run.  I am becoming increasingly curious
as to why this receiver was  made, and for what  purpose.  There must be a
way to find, given a contract number, who was  the contracting  agency and
who was  the customer.  That would  help piece  together the  puzzle!  But
I don't know where to begin looking for such information...Do you have any
ideas?

Also, I  would be very  interested in hearing  from anyone owning an R-388
with the following contract number: 37003-PC-62.

Any other information, such  as where  you purchased  it, and how long you
have owned it would be helpful as well.

The Contract  number can  be found on  the metal plate on the front panel,
centered at the top.

Any other guesses or speculation as to the reason this special run of R388
receivers was made is welcome and encouraged.  If sufficient responses are
obtained, I will post a summary/conclusion.

Oh, Well, another Radio equipment mystery to ponder :-)

Dennis