UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 5
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
( ) Form 3 Holdings Reported
( ) Form 4 Transactions Reported
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   Wilkins, Ronald J.
   c/o Porta Systems Corp.
   575 Underhill Boulevard
   Syosset, NY  11791
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   Porta Systems Corp.
   PSI
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
   
4. Statement for Month/Year
   December 1998
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
   
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   ( ) Director  ( ) 10% Owner  (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
   (specify below)
   Senior Vice President and Managing Director-OSS Division
7. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person


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 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
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1. Title of Security         |2.    |3.  |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                             |Transaction|  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                             |Date  |Code|                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                             |      |    |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                             |      |    |    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Year      |ect(I)|                           |
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 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
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1.Title of Derivative   |2.Con   |3.   |4.  |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security              |version |Transaction rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                        |or Exer |Date |Code| rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                        |cise Pr |     |    | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                        |ice  of |     |    | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                        |Deriva  |     |    |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                        |tive    |     |    |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                        |Secu    |     |    |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                        |rity    |     |    |  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Year        |(I)|            |
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Stock Option            |$1.25   |12/23|A   |30,000     |A  |09/01|08/04|Common Stock|30,000 |(2)    |30,000      |D  |            |
                        |        |/98  |    |           |   |/99  |(1)  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Explanation of Responses:
(1)  This option vests as follows: (i) 10,000 shares on September 1, 1999; (ii) 
10,000 shares on September 1, 2000; 
and (iii) 10,000 shares on September 1, 
2001.
(2)  Issued in connection with the reporting persons employment agreement with 
the Issuer, pursuant to the 
approval by the Board of Directors of the 
Issuer.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/s/ Ronald J. Wilkins
DATE
March 12, 1999