From: military-radio-guy Full-Name: Dennis R Starks To: military radio collectors#1 Fcc: Sent Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 03:37:12 Subject: MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, Mar.25/99 Message-ID: <19990325.033621.4807.8.military-radio-guy@juno.com> X-Status: Sent X-Mailer: Juno 1.49 MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, Mar.25/99 Index: ANNOUNCEMENTS; PARA-MILITARY RADIOS; Part VII, by Dave Stinson RCA AVT and AVR Series Light Aircraft Radios. MEMBERS WRITE; GRC-9 in North Vietnam, Becker Radio MR-506? HUMOR; *********************************************** ANNOUNCEMENTS; A number of members have been able to get up their web sites in the last few months. If you'd like, send us your web site address along with what we might find there, and I'll most this info all at once for the group. *********************************************** PARA-MILITARY RADIOS; Part VII, by Dave Stinson RCA AVT and AVR Series Light Aircraft Radios. The RCA AVT/AVR series of radios were introduced in the mid-30s for use in light civilian aircraft. Many models of the line were pressed into service early in the war and officially adopted later. Most served in either light spotter aircraft, such as the Stinson L-5, Tailorcraft L-2, and Piper Cup, or as "ferry" radios. They were all very small, light weight, extremely simple in design, easily produced, and very effective. "Ferry Radios" Military aircraft built in the U.S. would be "ferried" to their units before final outfitting. Ferry pilots needed to use the "radio range" system while crossing the U.S. or most allied countries, and needed a means of plane-to-plane, and plane-to-tower communications. The Radio Range system used navigation beacons in the 200-400 KC range and a "standard" tower-to-aircraft frequency of 278 KC. Aircraft-to-tower transmissions were usually on 3105 or 6210 KC. Also, the ferry pilots needed a "standard" radio channel for plane-to-plane work, which was usually also on 3105 KC. U.S. Army Air Corps units in different locations tended to use different types of equipment and/or frequencies. A P-47 for instance, delivered with an SCR-522 in it would have to sit on the ground for refit if that squadron was using the SCR-274. Better to deliver the aircraft sans any standard radios, and let the ground crews install the proper set in-theater. To solve these problems, light easily-removeable, radios were tacked into the aircraft before it's delivery flight. Once the aircraft was delivered, the "ferry" radios were removed for the trip back to the factory and re-used on the next flight. The "tack in" method was often very primitive, and could be as simple as bolting the radios to a plywood board which in turn was just laid on the floor of the aircraft, or strapped down. The practice of "re-use" over and over again might attest to the often shoddy condition most surviving examples exhibit. Light Aircraft, Light-weight, low power radios were also required in unarmed spotter and light transport aircraft. These aircraft could overfly a section of the battlefield and direct or correct artillery fire, air strikes, or give "early warning" of advancing enemy units.They were usually fabric covered and capable of low passes and high maneuverability at slow speeds. General Patton's personal light transport aircraft was outfitted with a set of these radios. These extremely light aircraft almost always lacked an electrical system of their own. So providing power to any ancillary equipment like radios could have become a problem. This problem was solved with these little radios by the use of a wind powered generator that was mounted on the underbelly of the aircraft. It could provide power directly to the radios, or charge a battery that in turn would feed a vibrator power supply. I don't have a complete list of RCA AVT/AVR sets that existed, or were used, but I can discuss those in my collection, and those I have documentation on at this time. The list below might serve as a starting point from which we might build a more thorough accounting. Receivers: AVR-7 (uncommon). A real 1930s multi-band "Rube Goldberg" radio. A flat panel about 5" x 7" inches with the controls and tuning scales mounted in the cockpit. It was connected via spline shafts and cables to a black box bolted somewhere on the firewall. The band-change control is a "push-pull" cable gadget from the panel to the electronics package, just like an old automobile "choke" control. Appears in a 1936 book on aircraft radio. Military use (pre-war?) documented by a yellow Signal Corps inspection stamp on the example in my collection. AVR-15 (uncommon). This radio looks just like the more commonly seen HF version AVR-20, except that it's a "radio range" receiver tuning 200-400 KC. It had a fixed-tune position for 278 KC, which was the most common "tower to aircraft" frequency in the 30s-40s. Documented military use TO 08-45-17 Dated July 1944.(example in my collection) AVR-20 (common). Most commonly seen AVR receiver. Mounted under the panel or on the ceiling. 2700-6700 KC in a single band. 1930s-40s civilian aircraft usually talked to the "tower" on either 3105 or 6210 KC and the tower responded on 278 KC. These receivers allowed aircraft-to-aircraft communications. A surprisingly good-sounding receiver once recapped. Military use documented in spotter aircraft in North Africa 1943 (photographic), D-Day (photographic), in military manual TO 16-45-15 July 1944, and in the Stinson L-5 Spotter maintenance manual.(example in my collection) AVR-100 (uncommon). A "mount in the panel" radio similar to the BC-1206, but even smaller then that radio. This receiver had two bands, BCB and BEACON (radio range), plus a fixed-tuned position for 278 KC. Military use documented by Signal Corps inspection stamps and inclusion of spare parts in Sig Corps SIG-5 parts catalog 1945.(example in my collection) AVR-101 (uncommon). Also a very small "mount in the panel" radio, this set tuned the beacon band 200-400 KC. Military use documented by Signal Corps inspection stamps and inclusion of spare parts in Sig Corps SIG-5 parts catalog 1945.(example in my collection) AVR-103 (uncommon). Single band "radio range" receiver, 200-400 KC. Mounted "under the dash" with an odd, tilted front to the chassis that displayed the slide rule tuning dial to the pilot. Much larger then the 100/101. I have found no evidence of military use.(example in my collection) AVR-104 (scarcity unknown). A post-war set (1957). Two parts with a control head/RF amplifier unit that mounted in the panel and a cylindrical IF/AF electronics package mounting elsewhere using shock mounts. Interconnecting cable. 200-415 KC with a fixed-tuned position for 278 KC. Navy use documented by NAVAER 16-45-622.(example in my collection) Transmitters: AVT-15 (uncommon). "Big Brother" to the better known AVT-112, but only physically. The AVT-112 is a much better design, but this one "looks" better. Internal vibrator power supply. 2500-6700 KC two channel crystal control. Crystals can be changed by unsnapping the lid on the top of the transmitter. 6L6 oscillator modulated by a single 6L6 provided about 7 watts out. Tunable from the front panel with a built-in RF meter. Most often used with the AVR-20 receiver. Military used documented by Signal Corps inspection stamp and in the Stinson L-5 manual. (example in my collection) AVT-111 (very uncommon). Same size as the AVT-112 but stripped-down. Permanently installed crystal at 3105 KC which could be doubled to 6210 KC. No tuning controls available to the pilot as all tuning was done through capped access holes through the front panel. Only controls on the front are for on/off and switching between a trailing antenna for 3105 KC, fixed antenna for 3105 KC and a trailing antenna for 6210 KC. This lack of tuning flexibility doubtless caused very limited range and may be the reason this cheaper radio wasn't produced in the numbers of the tunable transmitters. I haven't found any documented military use.(example in my collection) AVT-112 (common) Very well designed and compact transmitter. Crystal control with crystal socket on the front panel. 2500-6500 KC at 6 watts out. Fully tunable from the front panel. 6V6 oscillator, 6V6 power amp modulated by push-pull 6V6s. Dual scale tuning eye tube displays both power out and plate current. Despite it's excellent service, they did have a problem with breaking off the bakelite "tabs" used to slide the antenna tuning core. Excellent audio out of this rig, even with a carbon mike. It and the AVR-20 are both a bear to recap! Note that most RX/TX switching in this set takes place in the AVA-126 vibrator power supply pack. Military used documented in North Africa 1943 (photographic), D-Day (photographic), in a military manual TO 16-45-15 July 1944 and in the Stinson L-5 maint. manual. (example in my collection) Typical Accessories: AVR-15: AVA-51 storage battery box. AVT-15: MI-5883A remote control panel (Unobtainium). (On/off, mike input, channel select) In installations using AVT-15/-112 and AVR-15/-20: AVA-126 power supply (uncommon). AVA-120 Trailing antenna reel (VERY scarce). Crystal rack holding 12 crystals and with a canvas cover. Rumor of one surviving. There have been some reports of the AVT-112/AVR-20 set using storage batteries without the AVA-126, but this is unlikely since most of the PTT switching for this set is located in the AVA-126. It is much more likely that these reports concern the AVT-15/AVR-20 sets, since the transmitter's vibrator supply was internal and the receiver could be powered from the transmitter. This set could operate from a single 6 or 12 volt storage battery. 73 DE Dave Stinson AB5S ed) Dave's classification of "common" is in comparison with other radios of this same series and may not necessarily reflect your ability to find one of these radios. Two ground versions of these radios are known to have been produced. Both were the result of the re-packaging of the basic AVR-20 receiver, combined with AVT-112 into a common single cabinet. The transmitter was modified for Master Oscillator frequency control rather than the typical crystal control, and provisions for CW were added to both the transmitter and receiver. The resultant radio was the SCR-288(BC-474). The second version is believed to be a very early BC-474 which included the transmitter and receiver in separate cabinets vice a single/common one. Only one example has ever been reported and the details are very sketchy. A very similar line of radios, that were even smaller, and slightly more versitile than the RCA series, was also produced by Lear Radio in the AMR and AMT series. These were used in exactly the same applications as the RCA radios, but are far more rare today. As with most of the radios in this series of articles, though they saw extensive military/combat use, none were ever affixed or assigned official military nomenclature. Their general rarity today can attest to this extensive military use, and those found are always in a used, if not well-used condition. You didn't/don't find these things as new in the box war surplus as with many other radio sets of the type and period. Dennis *********************************************** MEMBERS WRITE; GRC-9 in North Vietnam, Dennis, There is a photo of what looks like a GRC-9 on page 93 of this book: Secret Army, Secret War, by Sedgwick Tourison. It was published by the Naval Institute Press in 1995. It's mostly about Vietnamese agents who were sent into North Viet Nam in the early 1960s. There isn't much technical information in the book, unfortunately. However, it does support the notion that the GRC-9 was used as a clandestine set. Regards, Bill Strangfeld ed) The GRC-9, and BC-1306(along with BC-611's, & BC-1000's) were among the very first radios to be supplied to the South Vietnamese government, and the French before them. The GRC-9 was still in their use at the end of the war. In the below book, the GRC-9 is described as the mainstay radio in use by the Vietnamese contingent of that camp, while the Special Forces radio in use was the GRC-109. I think that had I been in their place, I'd have rather had the GRC-9. [Tan Phu, Special Forces Team A-23 In Combat, By Leigh Wade] While I have no doubt the radio was used in the capacity you've described, as it was in North Korea, I think to call it a "clandestine set" would be stretching the envelope a little. Maybe a more accurate term would be "Insurgent's radio". In any case, and while the GRC-9 was, and is, much beloved by all who have ever come into contact with it, I think that until now, it's historic contributions, and the men who used them, had been for the most part ignored. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Becker Radio MR-506? Does anybody know some facts about: Becker Radio MR-506 from Becker Flugfunkwerk , Rastadt a military radio used in the Tornado during the 70's Thanky You very much chris *********************************************** ON THE COMMERCIAL FRONT; Motorola PX-300 available. We have a chance to purchase at a very reasonable price, the following equipment. There is only about 30 sets available so don't put it off. We had first planned to make this into a group project, but as the vendor has agreed to handle the sales and shipping, there's no need. He offers this package in such an unusual arrangement because he has a very limited supply of audio accessories, and battery boxes, combined with a large supply of the radios. All the accessories are interchangeable so you will in effect be getting an extra crystal control radio(some modules also interchange) for nothing. Note, these are the luchbox type portable radios of the same family as the MX-'S' & 'R' featured in a currently running series. You get 1ea Motorola VHF PX-300 crystal control(less channel elements) radio , battery box('D' cell type), and handset. Along with 1ea VHF PX-300S 12 channel (48 if you add a zone switch) programmable, multi tone squelch, 10 watt, radio, with prom intact, but less accessories. (this is exactly the same radio that Jim Hopper is now conducting all his set with) All for $40.00 These radios where surplused from the US Secret Service/White House Communications Agency and many are marked to that effect(WHCA). Contact: Ron Baublitz, U.S. Surplus Phone: 410-685-7700 Fax: 410-685-7701 email: ussurplu@clark.net Tom Bryan has agreed to make copies of the PX-300-S manuals for us. Contact him at: *********************************************** HUMOR; You May be a Redneck Pilot if... ... your warning system plays "Dixie." ... your cross-country flight plan uses flea markets as check points. ... you think sectionals charts should show trailer parks. ... you've ever used moonshine as avgas. ... you have mud flaps on your wheel pants. ... you think GPS stands for going perfectly straight. ... your toothpick keeps poking your mike. ... you constantly confuse Beechcraft with Beechnut. ... just before impact, you are heard saying, "Hey y'all, watch this! ... you have a black airplane with a big #3 on the side. ... you've ever just taxied around the airport drinking beer. ... you use a Purina feed bag for a windsock. ... you fuel your wizzbang 140 from a Mason jar. ... you wouldn't be caught dead flyin' a Grumman "Yankee." ... you refer to flying in formation as "We got ourselves a convoy!" ... there is a sign on the side of your aircraft advertising your septic tank service. ... the set of "matching luggage" you take on your long cross-country flights is three grocery sacks from the same Piggly Wiggly! ... when you are the owner of Red Neck Airlines and pilot of Redneck One. ... you subscribe to The Southern Aviator because of the soft paper! ----------------------------------------------------------------- SHORT FINAL... From our "out of the mouths of babes" file: The young student pilot was flying with an examiner for the first time. The examiner said, "why don't we start with something simple like straight and level?" The student pilot replied, "okay, which do you want first?" ----------------------------------------------------------------- TO THE VERY LAST LINE*, Despite repeatoes 'n I mean it! An Anagram, as you know, is a word or phrase made by transposing or rearranging the letters of another word or phrase. The following are exceptionally clever. Some out there can be deadly at Scrabble and should probably work for the government(or already do)! : Dormitory Dirty Room : Evangelist Evil's Agent : Desperation A Rope Ends It : The Morse Code Here Come Dots : Slot Machines Cash Lost in 'em : Animosity Is No Amity : Mother-in-law Woman Hitler : Snooze Alarms Alas! No More Z's : Alec Guinness Genuine Class : Semolina Is No Meal : The Public Art Galleries Large Picture Halls, I : Bet A Decimal Point I'm a Dot in Place : The Earthquakes That Queer Shake : Eleven plus two Twelve plus one : Contradiction Accord not in it : Princess Diana Ascend in Paris This one's truly amazing: : "To be or not to be: that is the question, whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." And the Anagram: : "In one of the Bard's best-thought-of tragedies, our insistent hero, Hamlet, queries on two fronts about how life turns rotten." "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." *Neil Armstrong The Anagram: : "Thin man ran; makes a large stride, left planet, pins flag on moon! On to Mars!" Finally... The following phrase: PRESIDENT CLINTON OF THE USA can be rearranged (with no letters left over, and using each letter only once) into : TO COPULATE HE FINDS INTERNS *So wasn't the last line worth it!?!?!!!! ----------------------------------------------------------------- A teacher noticed that a little boy at the back of the class was squirming around, scratching his crotch and not paying attention. She went back to find out what was going on. He was quite embarrassed and whispered that he had just recently been circumcised and he was quite itchy. The teacher told him go down to the principal's office, he was to phone his mother, and ask her what he should do about it. He did it and he returned to the classroom, where he sat down in his seat. Suddenly, there was a commotion at the back of the room. She went back to investigate only to find him sitting at his desk with his penis hanging out. I thought I told you to call your mom. she screamed. I did, he said, And she told me that if I could stick it out till noon, she'd come and pick me up from school. ----------------------------------------------------------------- A woman recently lost her husband. She had him cremated and brought his ashes home. Picking up the urn that he was in, she poured him out on the counter(near the window). Then she started talking to him, and tracing her fingers in the ashes, she said, "You know that fur coat you promised me Irving?" She answered by saying, "I bought it with the insurance money!" She then said, "Irving, remember that new car you promised me?" She answered again saying, "Well, I bought it with the insurance money!" Still tracing her finger in the ashes, she said, "Irving remember that blow job I promised you? Here it comes..." *********************************************** (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 conserning this group contact Dennis Starks at, military-radio-guy@juno.com) ***********************************************