5963 computer grade dual triode production dates 3498

I was USAF, but not for telcom.

Lenkurt actually built some good, although quirky, stuff back in the day before GTE gutted them. Lenkert 75A and 775A MW radios were as reliable as WECO counterparts, although their protection switching arrangement was a little hosed up. Most of the quality of those radio was, basically, due to the Varian TWTs, I'm sure. Lenkurt could also give you 12 channels of P-T-P MW for about half of what WECO could, and without all that unneeded WLEL gear that HAD to be sold with each WECO radio installation. I worked on almost all WECO radios from the TA (2 GHz) to the AR6A (6 GHz, single side band AM...an unmitigated disaster), and I wouldn't sell Lenkurt stuff completely short. Some of their stuff, though, was just plain...weird.

Worst MW radio I ever saw: Collins.

Most interesting piece of Lenkurt gear I worked with: 51A remote telemetry system...same system that, as of 1990, was controlling everything inside Grand Coulee Dam for the DoI.

Once word came down that GTE was axing Lenkurt and Automatic Electric and the layoffs started, you couldn't get too much good out of Lenkurt up there in Sunnyvale. Another American company bit the dust.

Two other small indies that built good stuff back in "the day"...Farinon and Lynch.

dB