From: Dennis R Starks To: mojoed@cherco.net,CEMILTON@aol.com,rhogan@hiwaay.net, fackovec@nycpd.com,atasker@ix.netcom.com, jhaynes@alumni.uark.edu,buzz@softcom.net, robinson@srsuna.shlrc.mq.edu.au,Udz@aol.com, jimshideler@juno.com,PLT1032@aol.com,scottj@fwj.com, kraven@alinet.it,wwitkop@cable.A2000.nl,drhouse@abac.com, wa2hwj@worldnet.att.net,RAFANTINI@ssu.edu, wesleydavidson@fuse.net,Jeepstuf@aol.com,glennfin@mjet.com, w8au@sssnet.com,jrpitts@swbell.net,hauptmann@email.msn.com, k4san@ipass.net,cal.j.eustaquio@lmco.com,Jeffhyrail@aol.com, nutmeg@w-link.net,hill762@ix.netcom.com,murphy@cts.com, cosmoline@aa4rm.ba-watch.org,cloudhop@ix.netcom.com, waynen@enaila.nidlink.com,chuckwrl@hiline.net,mc@sover.net, laidler@teleport.com,mike@rioux.org,JLiner@harris.com, cliff_wallace@att.net,roy.morgan@nist.gov,dbugnpi@juno.com, MRGTO101@aol.com,faulkner@viclink.com, mtyler@access.mountain.net,doldenburg@primecare.org, claypots@lynchburg.net,n1jzv@midmaine.com,ws4s@InfoAve.Net, tbigelow@pop.state.vt.us,paul.vandenhende@ping.be, ccclifton@telis.org Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 02:34:20 -0600 Subject: MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, Dec.30/99 Message-ID: <19991230.023421.-178451.4.military-radio-guy@juno.com> X-Mailer: Juno 4.0.5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Full-Name: Dennis R Starks X-Status: Sent X-Juno-Line-Breaks: 0-15,20-25,36,44,57,61-63,68,76-78,92-94,101,107-109,115-116,121-122,132,136-138,141-143,151-155,158-159,162-164,166,168,170,172,174-179,182-189,191,193-194,196-198,200,202-203,205-209,211-218,229-234,236-240,242,244,246-249,251-253,255-292,296-297,307-321,323,329-371,373-381,383,385-390,392-394,396-442 X-Juno-Att: 0 X-Juno-Fcc: Sent Items X-Juno-Size: 20960 X-Juno-RefParts: 0 MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, Dec.30/99 Index: ANNOUNCEMENTS; MORE ODDBALL MOTOROLA PARA-MILITARY RADIOS; This Time SSB Types. Part III, by Dennis Starks ON THE COMMERCIAL FRONT; MEMBERS WRITE; VFW Display? MICOM Consolette, Motorola/PRC-25 Single Frequency Repeater? Joao's New Web Site, ON THE COMMERCIAL FRONT; New Collins Book. HUMOR; *********************************************** ANNOUNCEMENTS; It's time again to purge the weekend Group Post. Only those items received sense last weekend will be include in the next Paper Trail, and Group Wants/Trades. So get you material in to me no later than Friday night. Please write your material as you wish for it to appear, and INCLUDE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS! *********************************************** MORE ODDBALL MOTOROLA PARA-MILITARY RADIOS; This Time SSB Types. Part III, by Dennis Starks Forward, Para-Military radios have always intrigued me because they were all obviously built to serve, and most probably did, in some military application, but we seldom know how, or by whom. This fascination began with communications equipment that was built during WW-II. We knew that all electronic equipment built during those years was for the military(or other government agency) either domestic, or foreign, but often absent was any hint of this governmental connection/use. To my mind, a part of our history was missing. Indeed the more we learn of these sets, the more we find that a great deal of our history had been neglected by a community content to focus on the much easier main stream equipment like the BC-611, BC-1000, or countless other examples.. A simple case in point,, and fuel for another article, is the series of portable radios which entered production in the mid 1930 for the U.S. Forest Service. Over the years several of these radios have surfaced that were built during WW-II. No one would ever speculate as to the use of these radios other than to address them with a catchall phrase often used by those who couldn't come up with anything better. I/E "they were used for training". In fact, I can't think of a single piece of military communications equipment that was ever use expressly for training. After years if investigation, immensely aided by our unprecedented international forum of collectors and historians, we have learned what the most common of these Forest Service sets was truly used for. The Forest Service model SPF, which was originally design in their spare time by Ham Radio operators that were also forest fire fighters. Then put into production by a tiny company in Spokane Washington. This little radio saw service in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. It was supplied to Australia in great quantities early in the war, who in turn cloned their own sets as the Astor ATR-4. In their hands it saw extensive service with RAAF Air Liaison, and later by the legendary Coast Watchers. So we learn that a previously insignificant radio set that had spawned little more than curiosity, was in fact a physical reminder of an extremely significant part of our history. The Forest Service SPF is a perfect example, and a direct ancestor to the radios I often write about in these Para-Military Radio articles. Now off my soap box, and back to the radio that prompted this particular series of articles. The Motorola SA-100 Series. I call these the SA-100 series even though the actual model number of those radios recently acquired is SA-104. This is because I suspect that in the same tradition of those in the SA-200 series, the actual model numbers were probably subdivided by the various options they might have included. This series appears to possibly be of the same, or earlier generation as the SA-200's already outlined, but intended for use at a higher echelon,(these being higher power types of desk top design/size). As with those in the SA-200 line, my first priority was to try and speculate on their date of manufacture. Here again, were have little more than physical, and electronic design, combined with it's manufacturing techniques and traditional Motorola characteristics to aid in this dating process. Design, The internal design of the SA-100 series is very similar to the SA-200, and if the two were not setting side by side it might be thought that the two were basically the same. But they are not. The SA-100 uses the same point-to-point under chassis wiring technique, and large canned coils in the IF/RF stages(separate RF stages for each channel). The entire receiver, and transmitter AF/IF stages are solid state, with it's transistors being plugged into sockets like little tiny tubes(socketing transistor is another practice that was abandoned shortly after the solid state era began). All the transmitter RF stages are tube type, with the following line up: 12BY7, 12BY7(driver), and a pair of 6146A's in the output. The cabinet color, and styling of this radio is the same as that used on Motorola equipment in the late 50's and early 60's. If I had to guess a date of initial manufacture for these sets, it would be from 1959-1962(or there abouts). Features, The front panel has controls for Mode(LSB/AM/USB), Channel Selector(1-4), Volume, Power(Off/Receive/Operate), Transmit Gain, and a push button for Tone. Front panel connections include jacks for CW key, headphones(both 1/4" phone jacks), and a. Mic connector(old style large 4 pin Amphenol). Also present are 2ea panel lights(power on, transmit conditions?), loud speaker, and a modulation meter(6FG5 "magic eye" tube). The only printed reference that I've been able to find on these radios was found in "Ham Equipment Buyer's Guide" which was compiled some years ago by Alton Brand for publication by the "Ham Trader Yellow Sheets". There is no model number or date listed, but there is a picture of the set apparently under-dash mounted in a vehicle, with the following caption: MOTOROLA HF-SSB RADIO-----SSB-AM TRANSCEIVER. Fully transistorized except for Transmitter Driver and Power Amplifier stages which are tubes. Covers 2-12Mhz with up to 6 channels in that range. selectable side-band and fully compatible AM; precise system netting circuitry built in; ceramic IF transfilters; automatic control of accessories; extended local or remote control. For 12, or 24vdc and 115/230 vac input. I should note that the version pictured with the above dose not have 6 channel capacity, nor do I think that any version of this radio set was so capable. It also lacks the Tone button, headphones, and CW Key jacks, and the metal Motorola logo is located across the lower right hand corner of the face, vice across the loud speaker as on my versions. Obviously these radio systems used an external power supply of the voltage type needed for the particular application. Be that mobile, or fixed station use(I didn't get a power supply with mine, anybody out there got one?). The rear panel has two multi pin Jones connectors for connection of the power supply, and control of external accessories. Also there are two terminal strips that if typical Motorola practice holds true, are for remote operation of the radio. The radio also has a built in antenna switch that is ganged to the channel selector, and connects the appropriate antenna per band/channel(one of four antennas, SO-239 connections). Well we know that the SA-104 was used by the Missouri Stare Army National Guard, most likely as a base station radio, and that it was connected to a Barker & Williamson 1.6-30mc folded dipole antenna, and that's about it! The Current State of the Motorola MICOM, In about 1988, Jane's began including data on the MICOM series in their books on military communications equipment*. The follwing is what they have to say: 1988 Jane's Ground Based Radio/USA, MICOM XR, This is a trunk mount radio that uses an extremely elaborate digital LCD control head. Ruggedized version of the MICOM X. Meets full mil specs for shock & vibration without special shock absorbers. Uses standard military audio connectors. Ops 2-30mc(100cps steps). 120 channel preset channel capacity, front-panel programmable. Up to 10 channel scan capacity. Back lit keypad and LCD display(displays channel/frequency, RF power forward & reflected). 125 watts RF output, LSB, USB, AM, CW, Pilot, Data. Can be operated from 12vdc or 110/240vac. 1996-97 Jane's Ground Based Radio/USA, MICOM XR, repeats that information in the 1988 edition. MICOM-1 Base Station. Adaptive HF/SSB transceiver, frequency range 1.6-30mc. RF output 125 watts continuous duty, for voice, CW and Data/Fax operation. 126 field programmable channels. In production 1995. MICOM-1 Rapid Deployment Package(RDP), Same specs as the MICOM-1. System is mounted in a heavy gauge aluminum suite case and includes accessories for portable/semi-fixed station operation. Other Motorola SSB Radios. While doing the research for this article, I also turned up via searches in Fedlog several more models to keep us guessing: T80JMA7X99A, a commercial Motorola.model that would be a trunk mount HF radio of over 100 watts. Available in the Netherlands as the KLVRC4000. D80SCG1800AM, in use by the Army. This would be an HF radio of over 100watts that could be under-dash mounted in a vehicle. D80FEA7X00K, again, an under-dash, over 100 watt radio. Available in the Netherlands as the KLGRC4000. A look through my available Jane's manuals, turned up nothing on any of the above radios. Dennis Starks; Collector/Historian Midwest Military Communications Museum email: military-radio-guy@juno.com *) The issues of Jane's manuals tha I have in my library, are 1979/80, 1981, 1988, & 1996/97. It is possibel that other issue lists additional data on the MICOM. *********************************************** MEMBERS WRITE; VFW Display? Hi Dennis, I'd appreciate your opinion on something.... My Dad is a WWII veteran, and has always been active in the VFW. In fact, he's from Dunnegan, MO - just down the road from you. A few years ago, he and some other VFW members headed up the effort to build a brand new post/club building in Columbus, NE. Turned out to cost damn near a million dollars, and is quite a legacy. In the front lobby, they have a display case which includes a few military items (rifles, mess kit, some photos, etc). I'd like to donate a suitable military radio of some sort. The vintage could be WWII to Vietnam, but should be recognizable to casual observers rather than some thing obscure. The BC-611 comes to mind, but I don't want to give mine up! Or maybe a manpack, or an entertainment radio, or ?? I thought you'd know what would say "military radio" better than anyone! Of course, it should be something readily available, and would have to fit into a square foot or two of space... Thanks for any ideas you may have, 73, Bob W9RAN Ed) My advice is to AT ALL COST include one item of equipment that will be recognized by each generation of veteran that might see the display, lest any one be left out & feel neglected. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, if each generation can not be represented, it's better to have nothing at all. The hands down winners are the BC-1000, PRC-10, and a PRC-25. All are relatively common, and If this will be a static display, all you'd really need is empty hulls. Realizing that space might be limited, these radios could be hung on the wall if needed(as many are here). Servicemen die every day in the defence of this country, and have for over 230 years. Their duty & sacrifice is no less significant relative to the date they served. ------------------------------------------------------------------ MICOM Consolette, Hi Dennis, I really am enjoying your article on the Motorola Micom. I picked up a Consolette with the Mocom 70 type chassis in October at a hamfest. I was a former Army Corps of Engineers unit. It is a 2-18 mhz 125 watt unit. The manual is still available from Motorola parts for $25. The PN# is 6881026E05. It covers the L70SCG, L70SBG, L50SCG, and L50SBG series. I discovered after receiving my manual that there are several variants. It could be purchased as a 2-9 mhz 60 watt, 2-18 mhz 60 watt, 2-18 125 watt or 2-9 mhz 125 watt. Also freqs +/- 600khz of the IF are not usable. Three IF freqs are available 10.8, 11.4, and 12 mhz. There are many accessories listed in the manual such as dipoles, whips, tuners, amps, RTTY/FSK convertors etc. Since the unit normally uses a common xtal for RX/TX the extra sockets you mentioned are for Duplex use. I may try to find a dedicated use for it such as packet, RTTY or something. Thanks, Billy Albany, Ga ------------------------------------------------------------------ Motorola/PRC-25 Single Frequency Repeater? I'm looking for background on 2 types of military radio: a frequency-hopping portable reported to have been briefly used by paratroopers in WWII and a single-frequency repeater built by Motorola and derived from either a PRC-25 or -77 for use in Vietnam. A. Frequency-hopping WWII set - I had been told some years ago by a knowledgeable individual that portable frequency-hopping sets were used by Allied paratroopers in WWII but were not successful due to the time base's inability to keep the units in sync. B. I have also collected some fragmentary information on a single-frequency repeater that Motorola built up in limited numbers from standard FM tactical packset transceivers during Vietnam. Located at a high central point, it allowed all field units to communicate on the same channel, rather than on different channels as in the typical retrans configuration between 2 radios. The modification consisted of an audio delay line between the audio output and microphone input and an automatic PTT circuit that keyed the transmitter at around 3000 Hz. Whatever was received during the receive part of the cycle was stored in the delay line until the next transmit cycle, when it was automatically retransmitted. I'd be very interested in obtaining first-hand information on this unit, including a schematic of the conversion kit or its Motorola part number. Jack Sullivan Ed) Question 'A', It is fact that the actress Heady Lamar did file for a patent in the early 40's, on a system that embodied todays frequency hopping techniques(as well as Cell phones). It is not known whether any such system was tried during WW-II. Question 'B', It is true that Motorola built an experimental single frequency repeater system based on a heavily modified PRC-25, and it did work(I once owned one). The set was a basic PRC-25 control panel/chassis mounted in a cabinet which extended the width of the radio about 4" on either side. The system used time domain switching, that swapped between transmit & receive at a rate the couldn't be detected by the humon ear(in fact you could hear a slight motor-boating). I remember reading a construction article in a ham radio magazine some years ago that used the same system, and even allowed connection to telephone lines. I'm not familiar with any system that used an audio delay line. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Joao's New Web Site, Hi Dennis I made my personal HomePage (about Military Radios). One can find it in : http://welcome.to/freitas_radio You can post this in the MCGP mail post if you want. yours truly, Joao Freitas rdd02754@mail.telepac.pt *********************************************** ON THE COMMERCIAL FRONT; New Collins Book. This 176 pages, 11 by 8 1/2 inches and lays with the 11 in being the top and bottom. lots of large black and white pictures, probably a picture or pictures on every page, statements of personnel who designed eqpt, pictures of Art throughout to history of the company, Air Force planes and eqpt in installed for the SSB demo to Gen La may , a few colored pictures, well done history of the amateur eqpt made by Collins, special group price $39.00 delivered in US I will sell at hamfests for $37.00 Paul Washa <0tok@email.msn.com> *********************************************** HUMOR; A man walks by an empty swimming pool and sees an injured University of Texas student lying at the bottom of it. "Are you okay?" the passerby asks. "No!" the injured UT student shouts back. "I broke my arm after diving into the pool." "Why did you dive into an empty pool?" the passerby asks. "Because," the UT student replies, "I can't swim." ------------------------------------------------------------------ Once upon a time there was a blonde with long hair, blue eyes, and she was sick of all the blonde jokes. One day, she decided to get a make over, so she cut and dyed her hair. She also went out and bought a new convertible. She went driving down a country road and came across a herd of sheep. She stopped and called the sheepherder over. "That's a nice flock of sheep.", she said. "Well thank you.", said the herder. "Tell you what. I have a proposition for you.", said the woman. "Okay.", replied the herder. "If I can guess the exact number of sheep in your flock, can I take one home?", asked the woman. "Sure.", said the sheepherder. So, the girl sat up and looked at the herd for a second and then replied, "382". "Wow.", said the herder. "That is exactly right. Go ahead and pick out the sheep you want to take home." So the woman went and picked one out and put it in her car. Upon watching this, the herder approached the woman and offered, "Okay, now I have a proposition for you". "What is it?", queried the woman. "If I can guess the real color of your hair... can I have my dog back?" ------------------------------------------------------------------ What is it when a blonde blows into another blondes ear? Data transfer ------------------------------------------------------------------ A woman wants the inside of her house painted and she calls a contractor in to help her. They wander around the house, and she points out the colors she wants. She says, "Now, in the living room, I'd like to have a neutral beige, very soft and warm." The contractor nods, pulls out his pad of paper and writes on it. Then he goes to the window, leans out and yells, "Green side up!" The woman is most perplexed but she lets it slide. They wander into the next room. She says, "In the dining room I'd like a light white, not stark, but very bright and airy." The contractor nods, pulls out his pad of paper and writes on it. Then he goes to the window, leans out, and yells "Green side up"! The woman is even more perplexed but still lets it slide. They wander further into the next room. She says, "In the bedroom, I'd like blue. Restful, peaceful, cool blue." The contractor nods, pulls out his pad of paper and writes on it. Then once more he goes to the window, leans out and yells "Green side up"! This is too much. The woman has to ask. So she says, "Every time I tell you a color, you write it down, but then you yell out the window 'Green side up.' What on earth does that mean?" The contractor shakes his head and says, "I have four blondes laying sod across the street." ------------------------------------------------------------------ Well, there was this blonde who just got sick and tired of all the blonde jokes. So one evening she went home and memorized all the state capitals. Back in the office the next day, some guy started telling a dumb blonde joke. She interrupted him with a shrill announcement, "I've had it up to here with these blonde jokes. I want you to know that this blonde went home last night and did something probably none of you could do ...I memorized all the state capitals. One of the guys, of course, said "I don't believe you. What is the capital of Nevada?" "N", she answered. (contributed by Kathy Omohundro) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Blondes Strike back What's a brunette's mating call? "Has the blonde left yet?" ------------------------------------------------------------------ Blondes Strike back What do brunettes miss most about a great party? The invitation Blondes Strike back ------------------------------------------------------------------ What's the real reason a brunette keeps her figure? No one else wants it. *********************************************** 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 or this group are included. For more information concerning this group or membership contact Dennis Starks at, . A list of selected articles of interest to members can be seen at: http://www.softcom.net/users/buzz/backmail.html ***********************************************