MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, MAR.4/98 INDEX: MEMBERS WRITE; ON THE COMMERCIAL FRONT; HUMOR; *********************************************** MEMBERS WRITE; Tonights episode in the :Warrior Series" on the History Channel is about the Green Berets and MACSOG in Vietnam. Has some good shots of the radio being used with hand crank generator. think it is the wrong generator for the radio but it looked good on film. Bill Howard ed) would depend on the radio, GRC-9, and GRC-109 could use either the GN-58, or G-43 generators, they are completely different, both internally and externally. I don't get cable out here in the sticks, and am too cheep to get a satellite system. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The PRC-124 is the Collins frequency hopping radio that lost the Sincgars competition. Transworld took it over after Collins and I think they still market it. Do American PRC numbers really go up to 183 now? Tom ed) would like more info on the PRC-124 so it can get properly documented. It is for several reasons very difficult to discern just how high exclusive U.S. PRC numbers go. First, the U.S. commonly skips numbers that might someday be confused with a foreign type, this was the case with the PRC-35 which should have been the PRC-26, but was changed to avoid confusion with the Canadian CPRC-26. In the hundreds of items of equipment I've been able to document, from every corner of the world, there are only about three numbers re-used. So it would appear that there is some considerable cooperation of some type between our allied countries. This same practice is true when avoiding confusion with commercial model numbers, especially if that commercial radio was indeed used by the military, some typical examples are the Sunair PRC-20/6 (which in the military is a PRC-108), or the Transworld PRC-1077, 1088, & 1099, all of which are in U.S. inventory, but these are commercial model numbers, and not joint service AN designations. Second, there are numerous examples of foreign equipment in U.S. inventory that cause model number gaps and would push the U.S. number count up, examples are the Israeli PRC-174(their version of a highly updated PRC-74), or the PRC-601, and 602 which were jointly developed by the U.S., Israel, and Sylvania. Not to mention numerous examples of updated PRC-77's produced in Germany, and Israel. The PRC-6608 is a version of our PRC-113 built in the Netherlands, and in use by the U.S. Navy, or the PRC-515 built by Collins of Canada, also in U.S. service. There are many other examples, and as can be seen, these show support for the logic in reason #1. Third, and the hardest to document, are the experimentals. As can be seen with your example of the Collins PRC-124. Unlike RT, R, or T designations, PRC, URC, VRC etc are assigned to a particular item of equipment before it's experimental stage begins. If for some reason that item is dropped from further consideration, that number is not re-assigned, but instead dies with that project. Thus we have more gaps in the genealogy, and higher soaring joint designation model numbers. It took me close to 20 years to document all the PRC numbers, but the bulk of them were finished in the first 5. It was all these experimentals, and off the shelf PRC's that held everything up for so long. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Repco model series 10-8. This one two was adopted in it's >VHF/highband version as the PRC-91, and later as the PRC-97. This reminded me that years ago I had some Repco 10-4 radios that had military nameplates on the front. Unfortunately I didn't keep any. Any idea which PRC these were? In case you don't remember, or have never seen one, the 10-4 has the blue plastic modules with the contact on the side. Tom ed) I have never seen a Repco 10-4, and would much like to know what it's PRC number was. My PRC-58 however, dose use the blue plastic modules you describe. For more info on this radio see, MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, FEB.13/98, OFF THE SHELF PRICK's; PART II, PRC-39>61 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dennis, Here's a summary of the King Land Mobile products that I got from one of the principal engineers: (view with "fixed pitch" font for best table appearance) Here's a quick overview from what I can remember: model type freq # chan power misc LPH handheld vhf 148-174 2 or 14 5 W original unit EPH handheld vhf 148-174 2,14, or 210 2 or 5 W updated LPH LPU " uhf 450-512 2,14, or 210 5 W original uhf LPV " uhf 403-457 2,14, or 210 4-5(?) W downband uhf EPU " uhf 450-512 2,14, or 210 5 W updated LPU LPI " vhf 136-157 ?? 2 W army unit EPI " vhf 136-157 ?? 2 W updated army LMH mobile vhf 148-174 2 or 14 ?? original mobile EMH mobile vhf 136-174 210 + alpha 50 W updated mobile EMU mobile uhf 403-470 210 + alpha 50 W updated mobile I think this is fairly accurate, but I could be off on some of the parameters. I would steer clear of the LMH mobiles, lots of problems with the on/off switches, etc. Unfortunately, I believe this info to be from the "top of his head", and therefore subject to possible errors. I will continue to seek more substantiated information. I also asked him the following questions about the military units: - Were there any other military nomenclatures assigned? - Which model corresponds to the PRC-127? LPI/EPI? He couldn't answer, as he had little knowledge of the military nomenclature units. I know others that might, and will inquire. I believe the engineering department had very little to do with the PRC-127. I think that marketing sold it, essentially "off the shelf", however I don't know that an LPI/EPI unit was actually available in civilian clothes (i.e. no PRC-127 markings). Your "off-the-shelf" pricks series has been great. Thanks for your efforts. Sheldon ed) Of those modelsyou list above, the LPI, EPI, EMH, EMU, & LPV are known to have seen military service. *********************************************** ON THE COMMERCIAL FRONT; Haney Electronic Company: J-45, leg iron CW keys, Correct for BC-1306, GRC-9, GRC-109, and PRC-47. These are new old stock units most still in original packaging, several contract dates from 1968 to 1980's. They include cord CD-201A with PJ-055B connector. The member price is $20.00ea, plus shipping. ed) except for the cord, the J-45 is identical to the KY-? used with the latter model equipment like the GRC-106. AS-2975, PRC-70 dipole antenna kit. Unused Similar to that use with the PRC-74 differing mainly in the balun it uses. The member price is $25.00ea, plus shipping ed) as the freq range of the PRC-70 is 2-79mc, and it's output 50ohms, these antennas should be good for just about any portable radio application. Quoted prices are good to group members only. To place an order contact Steve Haney at , If you have trouble with this address, try , or call 817-496-3346. ed) I've known Steve for several years, and have conducted numerous transactions, including trades, with him. You can deal with him in total confidence. The prices he has quoted us are well under that you'd expect to pay elsewhere, even at a hamfest, especially that of the J-45's. *********************************************** HUMOR; SERVICE SPECIFIC OATHS OF ENLISTMENT U.S. Air Force Oath of Enlistment I, Zoomie, swear to sign away 4 years of my useless life to the United States Air Force because I'm too smart for the Army and because the Marines frighten me. I swear to sit behind a desk and take credit for the work done by others more dedicated than me who take their job seriously. I also swear not to do any form of real exercise, but promise to defend our bike riding test as a valid form of exercise. I swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, even though I believe myself to be above that. I promise to walk around calling everyone by their first name because I know I'm not really in the military and I find it amusing to annoy the other services. I will have a better quality of life than all those around me and will at all times be sure to make them aware of that fact. After completion of my