On (21 Feb 97) Wayne Sarosi wrote to Ray Wade...
 WS> Ray,
 WS> Got your letter. TNX.
Thank you! BTW, have you ever "modeled" your LPDA using one of those
software programs for that purpose? I am curious to know what would
happen to the gain and SWR curves if the beam was "fed" from the
opposite end *or* at one of the middle elements? I don't have such a
program myself.
 WS> BTW, what year was the radio made?
 WS> For a short time, I too worked for Rockewell, then we were sold
 WS> to Boeing / United Space Alliance.
1980. I bought it new and am still using it. When Collins first brought
out the 380 they offered their employees the opportunity to buy one at
dealer cost ("list" less 30%). I wanted one and was able to find an
"employee" in Dallas (thru a friend of mine here in Tulsa that sold
stuff to Collins) that was not going to exercise his right to buy one
for himself. So...he bought one for me! Mine has *every* option
available.
Fortunately, for me, Collins decided to service their initial Dealer
orders first, before making them for their "employee" customers. So it
was right at a year later (1981) that I actually got it. Mine is serial
693. The reason I am "fortunate" is that about the first 400 made had a
*lot* of problems. As a matter of fact, the buyers of the first 400 that
were sold thru dealers were so unhappy with them that the radio got a
terrible reputation in the first year of deliveries. Of course Collins
corrected all the problems with a series of modifications and also
"updated" all the ones that were out there (free) thru their warranty
program. But the "rep" sure suffered at first.
When Art Collins owned Collins he would "issue" new products to the hams
that worked there before offering them for sale to dealers. In this
manner all of the radios that were made in Cedar Rapids when he owned it
were throughly "debugged" by employee/engineer/hams by actual on
the air *usage* before they ever were offered for sale. Thus the name
"Collins" came to be very highly regarded. Unfortunately when Rockwell
bought Collins they did not follow this historical trend.
As far as I am concerned my 380 is at least as good as *any* radio made
since then. I love it! FYI, the "rep" of 380's now is very high. I was
recently offered $3500 for mine. But I can't find a single radio out
there (regardless of price) now that I like as well. So I will continue
to use my 17 year old Collins. It is *still* state-of-the-art!
... WORK HARDER!... Millions on welfare depend on YOU!!!
--- PPoint 2.00
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