From: military-radio-guy Full-Name: Dennis R Starks To: kc5ijd@sprintmail.com Fcc: Sent Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 07:05:55 Subject: Military Collector Group Post, Nov.25/97 Message-ID: <19971127.070320.3335.15.military-radio-guy@juno.com> X-Status: Sent X-Mailer: Juno 1.38 Military Collector Group Post, Nov.25/97 Index: The SSTR-1; From the Horses Mouth Part II, Reflections Concerning The TR-1, By Dean Cortright Mike Needs Radar Tubes; WHATSIT; LIGHT MARKER DISTRESS MEMBER PROFILE; Don Reaves HUMOR; Is there no humor left in the world? Or is it all bad? ****************************************************** The SSTR-1; From the Horses Mouth Forward, Over the years, I have heard many of the statements made in these accounts. However, for the most part these were then just rumors, & as there was no documentation at the time to back them up, had to be taken with a grain of salt. As I'm always very hesitant to pass along information that can't be authenticated, I had to keep these stories to myself. I'm delighted to see some of those rumors substantiated in these accounts, and therefore able to share them with all. We have a very rare opportunity to know the real story, without any undo glorification, or added bullshit to enhance sales. Each time I read these stories, I'm saddened that there was only one topic of discussion, and am left wanting for more, much more! All these accounts are *duplicated* to the best of my typing skills, along with any errors they may contain. Absolutely no editing has been done. Any such errors that may be present & obvious will be discussed at the end of the story. Again, it must be remembered that these accounts were being written long after the fact, and mainly from memory. Dennis Starks; MILITARY RADIO COLLECTOR/HISTORIAN military-radio-guy@juno.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part II, Reflections Concerning The TR-1, By Dean Cortright Shortly after I became a part of the Commo Division. I recall that a shipment of equipment arrived from the U.K. It was one of the radio sets that fitted into a suitcase. It was in several parts, and housed in a "suitcase". There was a receiver, a transmitter and power supply. This unit helped us determine what we would need if we were to come up with something for use on the various electric power sources on the European continent: power levels, types of plugs and the like. To this were added specifications generated by us- other requirements such as the need for operation from 6 VDC (the common vehicle voltage of the day) and possible use from Signal Corps type hand crank generators. The next consideration was a variety of crystal types. both U.S. and foreign, for transmitter control. Then, the equipment must be operated by U.S. operators (different hand keyer), and to be operated without meters if possible, since meters were in short supply, were fragile, and occupied considerable space. You will remember we used bulbs to indicate plate and antenna current in the transmitter. Finally of course, it like it's British counterpart, had to fit in a suitcase. Somewhere along the way. we got the idea each part should fit into a loaf of continental bread. Also our development boys wanted a super-easy antenna tuner that would match everything from a hairpin (they used them during WW-II) to a bed spring, to a long thin wire.So be it- from this came the rotating coil- which could be built in the U.S. The receiver had to be of standard parts such as tuning caps that were available in quantity, etc. The SSTR-1 was what came out of that, with alternate power supply interconnectors to match those of other government supplies, as well as DC vibrator supply, well filtered, etc. Engineers from two manufacturers helped in the development: RDR Inc. New York City, and Pioneer Electric and Research in Forest Park, Illinois, later on. These were the days when finding people to help you often was done on a personal basis, since priorities of all kinds were in vogue. Some of our folks in Washington knew Irving Weiss at RDR, and someone else knew the PERCO people. In each case, the proprietors and engineers were very helpful and responsive. Many of you know the operating details where works out at Area C. Things like color coding crystals for DAY and NIGHT use- and to avoid reference to things like operating frequencies- since many of the operators were not technical at all. We also came up with the calibrating oscillator for netting the receiver on the base station frequency somewhere along the line. The transmitting tank circuit with roving tap did load just about anything you hooked to the terminal. The crystal circuit drew a lot of current element- I don't know if our modern plated crystals will stand it. In those days, we were using pressure mounted crystals which will stand much more current. Also they were easier to frequency adjust. A little rubbing with an eraser got to a frequency a bit higher. And a dab of India ink brought the frequency down a tad. Incidentally, one of the early sample units from Britain was later (after the war) loaned to Thor Heyerdahl, and taken on the Kon-Tiki expedition. He had used one of these sets in his work for his native country's intelligence service during WW-II and wanted the same equipment. RDR and Irving Weiss continued to serve as one of our contractors, and helped develop late equipments. He then got into making transistors, and had some success early germanium units. He was, however, not careful enough with the X-ray equipment used to orient the g-crystals, and ended up with cancer from which he died. I have in my possession (along with other strange development units) a sample of one of his early germanium transistors- a reject, I bet. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ed) The TR-1 in the title line of this account should have read SSTR-1 & is a simple type O. The crystal calibrator mensioned was an accessory item included with later models of the SSTR-1, & most likely the SSTR-5. It's designation was SST-102, messuring just 4 x 2 x 2 inches including batteries . Thor Heyerdahl, now isn't that an interesting bit of trivia! Was an OSS, & SOE operative in his country of origin, Norway, beginning early in WW-II. RDR is the abbreviated trademark of Radio Development & Research(or something very close to that), they are credited with building several other items of OSS radio equipment including the SST-101, which was a 100 watt set.. That radio was unknown until last year when schematics of it surfaced & started circulating. We still don't know anything about it, or what it was used for. ****************************************************** Mike Needs Radar Tubes; Hi Dennis, As you may recall, my interests are in radar and related equipment. I am looking for magnetrons that were used in radar and as c.w. sources in jammers. Yes, I have the glass split anode ones, and maybe a dozen others, but not a "good" collection. Do you know anyone who can help? Regards, Mike mblom@mail04.mitre.org ******************************************************** WHATSIT; LIGHT MARKER DISTRESS I went to my first ever military collector show last weekend. Boy this stuff could get to be a regular habit! Anyway I have a aviation distress signal that I would like to get more info on: It is orange (naturally) and has a semi circular shape with a bubble type lens under which is a small incandescent bulb. Batteries are housed on each side of the bulb and a paper inside the box says the batteries (2ea) are NSN 6135-274-4035 Info on the light is: DLA-400-82-F-4579 LIGHT MARKER DISTRESS NSN 6230-00-892-5192 Maker is Federation of the Handicapped, New York Date stamp is 1/83 and 4/83 is handwritten on the box Any info would be appreciated. Ken Sakamoto kenscom@juno.com ******************************************************** MEMBER PROFILE; Don Reaves My interest in military radio gear surely was fueled by my Dad, who left the military after the war in 1946 as a radio instructor to start his own business repairing radios and those new fangled TVs. And my 'Elmer' was a ham with an ART-13 and a HQ-100C. I helped build the power supply for the ART-13 and it was a three rack monster that did indeed glow in the dark. Those autotune motors whirling away hooked me on military rigs. My first contact as a new novice ham was using that ART-13. There was also a Navy regen set in his shack that I'll find one of these days. Probably a RAK-something. I'll know it when I see it. Two of my high school teachers were hams, and so was my principal so I had plenty of encouragement. I grew up around surplus military radios of the BC-348, ART-13, ARC-5 variety, and confess to cannibalizing a few. I'll turn 51 next month, and finding a fine old radio that perhaps Dad knew something about is great fun. I'm for keeping the rigs unmodified (penance?) as much as possible and yet get them working. And I want to know and preserve the history of them too. Lately, I've come to appreciate the 'newer' Collins gear: R-388, 51J4, R-390 series, URC-32. Don Reaves WA5BBS Little Rock Email; dr@cei.net *************************************************** HUMOR; Is there no humor left in the world? Engineer in Hell. So, this engineer dies, and, quite accidentally, goes to hell. In fact, this is the very first time ANY engineer ever went to hell. So, the devil is stunned. "What good is an engineer?", he says. "Let me show you," says the engineer ----- and before you know it, hell has sewage systems that work, cool, potable water, smooth roads -- why hell even gets air conditioned!!! The devil is in ecstacy --- "Why, if I had known about engineers, I would have left poets, politicians and pedagogues alone eons ago." Of course, nothing that good lasts forever, and eventually God hears about the mistake. So, he calls up the devil -- "Mephistopholes, old man," he says, "there was this small error, and I'm afraid you must return my engineer. After all, hell is supposed to be disfunctional -- engineers just don't fit in!" " 'Pures", says the devil. "I stole him fair and square, and I'm gonna keep him!" "No way!!" "Way!!!" "Noooo wayyy !!!!!!!" "Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!" "That's it", says the Lord -- "I'm gonna sue your butt off!" At this, the devil says, "With all due respect, Lord, where are YOU gonna find a lawyer?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Engineers and scientists will never make as much money as business executives. Now a rigorous Mathematical Proof that explains why this is true: Postulate 1: Knowledge is Power. Postulate 2: Time is Money. As every engineer knows, Work ---------- = Power Time Since Knowledge = Power, and Time = Money, we have Work ----------- = Knowledge Money Solving for Money, we get: Work ------------------- = Money Knowledge Thus, as Knowledge approaches zero, Money approaches infinity regardless of the Work done. Conclusion: The Less you Know, the more you Make. Note: It has been speculated that the reason Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard's math program was because he stumbled upon this proof as an undergraduate. --------- End forwarded message ---------- When finished reading use browser back button or go to http://www.prc68.com/MCGP/MCGP.html