From: military-radio-guy Full-Name: Dennis R Starks To: military radio collectors#1 Fcc: Sent Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 05:11:56 Subject: MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, May 4/98 Message-ID: <19980504.051039.11463.0.military-radio-guy@juno.com> X-Status: Forwarded X-Mailer: Juno 1.38 MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, May 4/98 INDEX: PRC-126 HINTS; by Jay Coote MEMBERS WRITE; HUMOR; *********************************************** PRC-126 HINTS; For those of you who own PRC-126 radios and don't know it, The PRC-126 can be programmed for "half-duplex" or repeater operation on any pair of frequencies on any 25-Khz increment between 30.000 and 87.975 MHz. You program channels 1 through 10 as you normally would. These will be your receive channels. To program a separate transmit frequency in a channel, program the receive frequency in that channel. Without changing the channel program the transmit frequency. When ready to load it, this time hold the PTT on the handset or on the radio and press the SET button. A little more power may be carefully coaxed out of the PRC-126. There is a PA current limit pot on the RF module in the radio which limits power out at 12.5 v to about 1 watt. This may be turned up. The radio will produce 1 to 2.5 watts depending on channel and frequency. If you have to make your own battery packs as I used to for my PRC-126s (AA cells soldered and duct-taped) a 16 to 18 v pack will produce a little more RF power also, 2 to 2.5 watts if you left the PA current limiter alone at the 12.5V 1 watt setting. I haven't tried the higher battery voltage with the limiting pot opened up. Don't fry your radio. If you have been pulling your hair out trying to find why the radio will not operate with whip, RC-292, groundplane or dipole antennas, listen up: The 50-ohm setting of the "tuner" in the PRC-126 needs to see a 2000 ohm or lower resistance in the antenna or coax. This means the antenna will have to be a DC shorted type, or you will have to add an RF choke across the antenna feedpoint. The choke or toroid should be transparent to 30-88 MHz but should be a DC and low frequency short. Jay Coote W6CJ PI-TSCM-COMSEC jcoote@aol.com ed) thanks Jay for the info, as I'm a new owner of the a PRC-126 and only partially familiar with what it'll do, I could use it all. Regard the higher power supply voltage, I don't think anything above 15 volts would net any significant improvement, and would be risky at best. Ike still has a large quantity of new 1.2ahr AA nicad packs available(CHEEP) that are VERY well suited to the opertion this and many other radios. For more info contact him at or see MCGP for Jan.29,31/98 *********************************************** MEMBERS WRITE; Hello, I just picked up a soviet p-105m backpack radio from a gun show. It appears to be a copy of the prc-8/10 type radio sets but has a dc-dc converter for plate voltages. I was told that this paticular set was picked up during Desert Storm and brought home by an American, Who knows the real story behind it but the controls are all labeled in Russian. I dont have any accessories with it but it is neat to look at. Built in 1987 it sure looks crude compared to my prc-25. Glen DKWkid@aol.com ed) Your R-105M is really nothing like a PRC-8 or 10, it's lineage can be traced back to WW-II German designs. A complete description of it, and all it's kin can be found in the Desert Storm Trophies originally published here in a 9 part series, and still available from our backmail or more specifically Backmail #36. One thing is for sure, it is very primitive, but still neat to look at! Murphy imported a large quantity of it's East German built versions in complete, new, or near new condition. Though a bit pricy for my taste, he may have some extra accessories , you'll need at least the handset, and beaded short antenna. Bill Howard can supply you with a copy of the CMEC english translation of the manual . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Dennis, Been a member of the group for about a year now and enjoy reading all the postings. I have a question... I am a Navy MARS operator and was wondering if you could suggest a good all around transceiver that I can use for MARS. I have a PRC 74 but, unfortunately, it isn't working. I normally use a Kenwood TS 440S AT but would like to get a military rig to use. Doin that would free up the Kenwood and possibly give me a rig that could be transported if necessary. The freqs that I use for MARS are: Dial Mhz Assigned Mhz 4.0410 4.0425 3.2690 3.2705 4.5116 4.5131 2.0250 2.0265 3.1883 3.1898 14.3835 14.3850 7.3810 7.3825 4.4705 4.4720 7.6830 7.6845 I use USB voice, and some Pactor digital. What I am looking for would be something that is relatively inexpensive (I don't have alot of bucks to throw at this), easy to find parts/equipment for, and reliable. A power output of around 100W would be good. Also, do you know of power amplifiers that are available for use on military eqpt? Thanks in advance for any suggestions/help you may be able to offer on this... Gary J. Angove gjang@mail.portup.com AMATEUR RADIO, WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS MORSE CODE FOREVER ed) Most of the things your require in a radio do not exist in a military radio, or at least not in a civilian environment. Best thing to do is get the PRC-74 going. Second choice would be a PRC-47, portability would suffer though, along with power supply options, but you would have the 100watts output, and a reasonable supply of replacement parts. Numerous items have been posted here about it, to the point that one Backmail file is devoted to the PRC-47. Other possible radios would be cost prohibitive, or at least they would be on my budget, sets like the PRC-70, & 104, LHF-4, Transworld or Sunair stuff, and none of these would provide 100 watts out either. There was no generic military amp either, the very few that existed were specific to a particular radio, or system. You probably don't wanna mess with xtal control so the affordable Southcoms and Motorola Micoms would be out. . I passed up a really neat SGC at the Little Rock hamfest. The asking price was $700, and I couldn't justify it. Rumor has it that SGC will be marketing a really small civilian QRP set, but along with this rumor is about a $600 price tag. Ya need ta start badgering your MARS people for possible radios that will fill the bill & cost ya nothin. I know that MARS pickins have gottin real slim in the last 10 years, but things do still show up, and the biggist reason for the fall off is not the system. Rather it's your area scroungers are lazy, and don't give a shit. This can also be an avenue for you to find the needed parts to fix yer PRC-74. The trick is the constant badgering, or take over the job yourself. So your just about stuck with the PRC-74, or 47, in the mean time, keep yer eyes out for the other stuff that shows up from time to time. Within the last two years I've gottin a Harris RF-230S for $250, and a Racal Syncal 30 for about the same. Decent PRC-47's will run $100-$150. Ugly, or none working ones, far less. Good luck. *********************************************** HUMOR; Analysis Element: Woman Symbol: WO Atomic Weight: Accepted as 118, but known to vary from 93 to 220. Discoverer: Adam Occurance: Copius quantities in all Urban areas, with slightly lower concentrations in suburban and rural areas. Known to occur in small, highly Concentrated deposits in Urban areas (see Shopping Mall). Physical Properties: 1. Surface usually covered with painted film. 2. Boils at nothing, freezes without reason. 3. Melts if given special treatment. 4. Bitter if used incorrectly. Can cause headaches, handle with care. 5. Found in various states ranging from virgin metal to common ore. 6. Yields to pressure applied at correct points. Chemical Properties: 1. Has great affinity with Gold, Silver, Platinum, and many of the precious stones. 2. May explode spontaneously if left alone. 3. Absorbs great quantities of expensive substances. 4. Insoluble in liquids, but displays a certain amount of increased activity when saturated with alcohol. 5. Repels cheap material, neutral to common sense. 6. Most powerful money-reducing agent known to man. Uses: 1. Highly ornamental, esp. in sports cars. 2. Can greatly improve relaxation levels. 3. Can warm and comfort under certain circumstances. 4. Can cool things down when it's too hot. Tests: 1. Pure specimen turns rosy pink when discovered in a natural state. 2. Turns green when placed beside a better specimen. Caution: 1. Highly dangerous except in experienced hands. Use extreme care when handling. 2. Illegal to posses more than one. (Dangerous also.) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boy Scout Training Thanks to the office of Rep. Edward Royce, California Republican, for sending us the following excerpt from a local radio interview. The female newscaster is interviewing the leader of a youth club: Interviewer: "So, Mr. Jones, what are you going to do with these children on this adventure holiday?" Mr. Jones: "We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery, shooting." Interviewer: "Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?" Mr. Jones: "I don't see why. They'll be properly supervised on the range." Interviewer: "Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?" Mr. Jones: "I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper range discipline before they even touch a firearm." Interviewer: "But you're equipping them to become violent killers." Mr. Jones: "Well, you're equipped to be a prostitute but you're not one, are you?" End of the interview ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Never work before breakfast; if you have to work before breakfast, eat your breakfast first. -- Josh Billings --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clinton, distraught and contemplating his latest scandal was walking through Washington looking for any kind of guidance. He walks up to the Washington Monument, looks up and says, "George, you were always wise, what should I do?" Low and behold, a voice comes down from above and says, "ABOLISH THE I.R.S. AND START OVER." Clinton, amazed that he is talking to the past President thinks he'll try it again. He walks over to the Jefferson Memorial and utters the same request. "Thomas, you never had these kind of problems, what can I do to rally people behind me?" Again a voice from above answers, "WELFARE, ITS NOT WORKING, ABOLISH IT, START OVER." After hearing this Clinton is so excited he is planning to go to all the historic sites for guidance. Next he goes to the Lincoln Memorial. "Abe, I need your help, people are losing confidence in me and they no longer trust me what should I do?" After a substantial pause Abe responds, "TAKE THE DAY OFF,GO TO THE THEATER." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One day, Pete complained to his friend, "My elbow really hurts. I guess I should see a doctor." His friend said, "Don't do that. There's a computer at the drug store that can diagnose anything quicker& cheaper than a doctor. Simply put in a sample of your urine and the computer will diagnose your problem and tell you what you can do about it and it only costs $10.00." Pete figured he had nothing to lose, so he filled a jar with a urine sample and went to the drug store. Finding the computer, he poured in the sample and deposited the $10.00. The computer started making some noise and the various lights started flashing. After a brief pause out popped a small slip of paper which read: You have tennis elbow. Soak your arm in warm water. Avoid heavy labor. It will be better in two weeks. That evening while thinking how amazing this new technology was and how it would change medical science forever, he began to wonder if this computer could be fooled. He decided to give it a try. He mixed together some tap water, a stool sample from his dog, and urine samples from his wife and daughter. To top it off, he masturbated into the concoction. He went back to the drug store, located the computer, poured in the sample and deposited the $10.00. The machine again made the usual noises and printed out the following analysis: Your tap water is too hard. Get a water softener. Your dog has ringworm. Bathe him with anti-fungal shampoo. Your daughter is using cocaine. Put her in a rehabilitation clinic. Your wife is pregnant-twin girls. They aren't yours. Get a lawyer. And if you don't stop jerking off, your tennis elbow will never get better. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A priest went into the country to pay a visit to a 92 year old church member whom he had not seen for some years.She welcomed him into the parlor.While she made tea, he looked around and saw a beautiful oak pump organ with a cut glass bowl sitting on top of it.The bowl was half filled with water and a condom was floating on top of it. Astonished and shocked, he quickly turned away. But after tea, curiosity got the best of him and he asked her about it. "Oh, yes," she said enthusiastically. "While in town last year I found a package on the sidewalk.The directions on the back said 'keep wet and put on your organ to prevent disease.'And you know, I think it works. I haven't had a cold all winter." *********************************************** (The preceding was a product of the"Military Collector Group Post", an international email magazine dedicated to the preservation of history and the equipment that made it. Unlimited circulation of this material is authorized so long as the proper credits to the original authors, and publisher are included. For more information conserning this group contact Dennis Starks at, military-radio-guy@juno.com) ***********************************************