From: military-radio-guy Full-Name: Dennis R Starks To: military radio collectors#3 Fcc: Sent Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 05:53:20 Subject: MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, June 3/99 Message-ID: <19990603.055220.5143.10.military-radio-guy@juno.com> X-Status: Sent X-Mailer: Juno 1.49 MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, June 3/99 Index: ANNOUNCEMENTS; MEMBERSHIP PROCEDURE CHANGES? MEMORIAL DAY AT DALLAS/RESTLAND; From Lenox Carruth MEMBERS WRITE; RT-618/URC-35 Parts Available, Scanners, & 150cps Tones, MCGP Backmail Files On Line, NEW MEMBER; Chuck Loffler HUMOR; *********************************************** ANNOUNCEMENTS; This weekend is the monthly purge of all the material currently running on Saturday's "Paper Trail", and Sunday's "Group Want's & Trade's". So get all your data in to me no later than Saturday night. As I'll be at the Houston Mo. hamfest this weekend, both these post will go out Sunday. *********************************************** MEMBERSHIP PROCEDURE CHANGES? Well guys the vote is in on our membership entrance procedure question, 8 for no change, and 7 for change. A pretty close call, and I thank you all for responding. I think that what we will do, is to allow instant membership to all those who respond to the invitation in the prescribed manner as outlined in our official invitation letter. This personal data will then as usual be posted in the "Group Post" as an introduction. At that time, anybody who has reservations about admitting the new member is encouraged to respond. Should two or more valid objections be made, the new member will simply be deleted from our mailing list without ceremony. Should less than two objections be made, then the new person's membership will be guarded pending collaborating evidence as to why they should not be one of our members. If I should personally object to admitting any person as a new member, he will still be granted instant membership with a "Guarded" status pending a second objection(my objection counting as 1 vote against). This is the easiest procedure I can think of that will still allow for some degree of fairness and impartiality. Again, I thank you all for your input. Dennis ----------------------------------------------------- Hi Dennis, I have no reason whatsoever to see the procedure change. I trust your judgement, and have been very pleased with the way the group has grown. I am an advocate of continuous improvement, but in this case the process is quick, simple, known up front, and works for me. Let's not change it. Many Regards, Mike Blom ----------------------------------------------------- Dennis, The way you have been doing it seems to work about as well as anything. I don't know that group pre-approval would be any better. Somebody may have had perfectly satisfactory experiences with a prospective member who might really be a lemon. It's hard to tell. I would hate to deny a guy membership on the word of one person who might have a personality conflict with a prospective member. Remember, no matter who we are - there is somebody out there who thinks we're wierd! Put another way - everybody out there is crazy except you and me and I am beginnning to wonder about you! ;>} Lenox Carruth ----------------------------------------------------- Dennis, I dont have a problem with the current scheme of membership. If you want to change it, I'd send out the guys intro info, wait a week for negative replies, sort all that out for true validity and then you decide on the final approval. Getting everyone to vote wont happen. Ralph Hogan ----------------------------------------------------- I think your proposal has merit....maybe a 3 day "administrative" holding period??? Alan Tasker ----------------------------------------------------- dennis, i agree with your proposed changes. hue miller ----------------------------------------------------- Dennis, I don't know the extent of the problems you/we may have had with some of the membership, but it must be of concern to all, if you want to modify the induction procedures. Posting resumes, BEFORE accepting a member, sounds like a good idea. Thanks for keeping the integrity of the Group intact, and WELL DONE! -- Randall L. Long ----------------------------------------------------- >From my view I think you control the group, (as it should be). You know what is going on while I have little insight into any problems within the group, unless you make it generally known in a post or if we correspond one on one about a particular subject. If for some reason an individual should no longer be a "member" I probably would not know unless you made mention of it. That does place you in a position requireing you to make those judgement calls. I do not know how many members are presently in the group nor do I maintain a list of names and addresses. I wonder how many keep such a list? If I had a REAL problem with any individual, (a member or not), I would bring it to your attention! Of course that is a door that swings two ways, if I say that John Doe is a big ass hole, that could create a problem for me if that asshole was a good friend of yours! Unless I was really swindled I don't think I would advertise it! I say leave it as is pending your receiving any negative comments allowing you to then drop the individual from the ranks with or without comment, unless you felt a warning to the group was necessary, which I would appreciate hearing about. Ed Guzick ----------------------------------------------------- Hi Dennis, Your first proposal of posting the Bio info and then letting the group give their comments sounds the best to me. There are many clubs or groups that require a nomination by a group member and approval by members before an new member is admitted. Mike Brown ----------------------------------------------------- > What I propose now is to simply change the order of this process > so that this new member's biographical material is posted prior to > membership. This giving established members a chance to voice any > objections as to why a new prospect might not be admitted. Thus > eliminating any personal bias I might have towards the admittance of a > new member. DENNIS THE ABOVE SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA Bill Howard ----------------------------------------------------- Dennis, Some members might not read the MCGP postings immediately, so I would favor the instant membership policy. After all, you hold the hammer and can terminate membership at any time. Buzz ----------------------------------------------------- Hi Dennis I am a member of several groups, flying clubs etc. and the new member procedure is always the same: the prospect is introduced at a club meeting, gives a little bio of himself, and then he is voted in. I have never witnessed in 40 years of belonging to different clubs the rejection of a prospective new member. My suggestion is that you post the bio of a prospect for anyone in the club to reject (say, by exception only) and then accept the new member. My prediction is that everyone will be accepted which I believe, fits the Constitution. Regards, Peter Berg ----------------------------------------------------- Hey Dennis, I think posting a prospective member's bio first for group review is a good idea. I would post the bio one week and wait for a week to pass before granting membership to see if anyone had any comments. I doubt if I would blackball someone on account of a single report, but if two or more members can show proof (where have I heard that phrase before?) of misdealing then I would not let the person in the group. Conard Murry ----------------------------------------------------- Dennis I have recieved nothing but help from all the members, so something must be working right. My two cents worth. Steve Waters ----------------------------------------------------- Hi Dennis, and Happy Memorial Day... I'll suggest that you not change anything. I'm quite happy with the way things are going, and I think you're doing a good job. Perhaps if you have a question in your mind, you might try the following: On the BA list, the listmeister keeps a group of trusted folks, culled from long time subscribers, who he uses as a sounding board. When there's an issue of any sort, he just fires off a question to his group of advisers. I think this helps a lot, and he gets second opinions without any public embarassment. Just my .02 worth. I thank you for asking... Rgds /John ----------------------------------------------------- Either way would be fine with me. -- Mark J. Blair *********************************************** MEMORIAL DAY AT DALLAS/RESTLAND; From Lenox Carruth As usual, a group of us was invited to Restland Memorial Cemetery in Dallas for their Memorial Day ceremonies. They typically consist of displays of military equipment, speeches by our senators and representatives, a salute fired by pack howitzers and a missing man formation flyby by F-16s. We provided most of the military displays with the "help" of a military Blackhawk helicopter and three Vietnam era helicopters that are privately owned and have been restored to their original configuration sans rotors and engines. The cemetery provided an excellent fried chicken and catfish lunch. We had an operating TCS, BD-72 switchboard, several EE-8 field phones, a BC-211, Several BC-611s, an EE-65, a CE-11, four BC-620s, one BC-1000, a 60 mm mortar, five Jeeps, two .50 cal. M2 HBs, two .30 cal. mgs, four M1 Garands, 1 M1 carbine, one Thompson smg, one Model 1911A1 and a two-man pup tent. We set up under a military tarp which was a great help since it rained for about fifteen minutes then the sun came out and it got warm and humid. The kids loved to talk on the field phones. You would think that they had never talked on a telephone before! The old timers enjoyed the entire setup. Many remembered the BC-1000 and the BC-611s. When we first arrived and were starting to set up, a lady from the cemetery staff arrived and asked if we could get enough guys together in uniform to do a flag folding and presentation at a Vietnam veteran's funeral that was to take place at 10 am. She told us that they had sent a request to the Air Force and that they had not replied. She was still hoping that the Air Force would come through but wanted us as a backup. Having no choice but to help a damsel in distress, we told her that we would help her. fortunately, there had been a movie on TV in the last day or so that had included a military funeral and a flag folding ceremony. Several of us had seen it so we proceeded to describe it to the others. The Air Force did not show so we were driven to the site of the funeral in a hearse. Fortunately, the ceremony went extremely well. The widow was presented the flag. It was quite a moving experience for the person that presented it to her as she had tears in her eyes as she looked at him obviously expecting him to say something. He had been one who has seen the movie and remembered the lines to he said something to the effect of "presented to you from a grateful nation." He then stepped back and saluted her. Both of them were quite moved. All in all, it was a great day for showing the old radios and other equipment to the public. Many WW-II veterans were there although many of them were looking pretty frail. We won't have them with us much longer. I read yesterday that American WW-II veterans are dying at the rate of 3,200 a day! If you know one, talk to him or her and tape record their story and their recollections. We won't have many more opportunities. Lenox Carruth Dallas, TX carruth@geo-thermal.com Collector of WW-II Communications Equipment and Memorabilia Wanted: TBX accessories, GY-11, WW-II era Sextant ed) I have been a paw bearer at three funerals in the last year were the veteran's next of kin was presented with a flag "from a grateful nation", Your friends word's were indeed correct, and I am deeply struck each time I hear them. It is to our extreme shame that our military no longer feels the need to honor our veterans in death, or life. None of those three funerals I've attended were supplied with an honor guard, the flag had been folded, and presented by the funeral director hired for the task. The Veterans Administration feels their responsibilities have been meet by supplying the flag. Today, if military honors are granted at all, it will be supplied by the local VFW hall. It's a damn shame, that veterans must honor themselves! *********************************************** MEMBERS WRITE; RT-618/URC-35 Parts Available, Dennis - I am going to scrap several (6) rough looking RT-618/URC-35 Transceiver units. All are in ugly condition on the outside, but the modules are clean on the inside. Anyone in the group seeking parts for their RT, such as turrets, frequency synthesizers and other modules, meters, switches plugs and other things, I can help them out. All the best, Jim Karlow KA8TUR ----------------------------------------------------------------- Scanners, & 150cps Tones, Dennis was talking the other day about IF filters and CTCSS tone decoders= for use in radios to monitor/communicate with surplus MilCom equipment. I recently modified a programmable scanner for strictly monitoring 30-88MHz milcom traffic. Like Dennis said, changing the IF filters helps alot . Regarding decoding the (non EIA/TIA-603 standard) 150.0 Hz tone, using a 151.4 Hz (commercial) tone decoder will work, sometimes. Most tone board manufacturers are getting tighter with their tolerances. Hence, most of the tone boards on the market now will not decode 150.0 Hz tone. The solution I found is to purchase a TUNABLE tone decoder board. A couple of manufactures still make them. Just adjust the trimmer pot for 150. 0 Hz, and "life is good". Between the new wider IF's and the 150.0 Hz tone board, I have not noticed a single failure to decode in four months. Mark, KB4CVN ed) the use of "tunable" encoder/decoders is outlined in MCGP Backmail #63. ----------------------------------------------------------------- MCGP Backmail Files On Line, Dennis, "OFF THE SHELF PRICK's" backmail #46 is now online at: http://www.softcom.net/users/buzz/bm46.html There is also a link to it from the backmail list page at: http://www.softcom.net/users/buzz/backmail.html Regards, Buzz MCGP Backmail #36: Desert Storm Trophies,& JCMEC can be seen at: http://www.armyradio.co.uk/ All the Below is no on line at Steve Hill's web site at: http://www.users.bigpond.com/SHILL The AT5/AR8; From Australia, By Steve Hill MCGP Backmail #52: POSTWAR BRITISH NUMBERING SYSTEM; From Ray Robinson TOTALLY AUSTRALIAN, The A510; Praise From an Outlander, by Dennis Starks MORE ON THE AUSTRALIAN A-510; From Steve Hill, & Dennis Starks CURRENT AUSSIE RADIO EQUIPMENT; Circa 1966, from Dave Prince *********************************************** NEW MEMBER; Chuck Loffler Dennis -- Okay, got and read your introductory letter about what's going on, many thanks. Here's a try at what you asked for from me: Chuck, ham radio operator, call KB2E, operate primarily CW. As a kid (age now 59) had a Hallicrafters SX100 but never got a ticket (license), had the radio for YEARS and sold it, been sorry ever since. Ran ads back in Penna. looking for it, no dice. So when, in 1994, I became interested in getting on the air the new solid state rigs looked "funny" to me, and I fell in love with the old Halli SX28A (WWII era), found one and matched it with a slightly newer Halli HT-37 TX and I was off and walking, if not running. Made a homebrew 6V6 TX, crystal controlled and named it Herman, felt like Marconi after it worked. Love ragchewing on the air in CW best, but also keeping track of states (got 'em all but Hawaii) and countries (82 and counting.) I "eschew" pile-ups and just bang around the bands, prefering to try to hold honest to goodness QSO's. Just sent for a book by Sam Hevener on military gear; I saw the book advertised in Electric Radio. I see all the model nomenclature for the military gear and usually don't know what it is. A recent ER cover had a BC-348 on the cover, I was able to read up on that one a little, looks like they made a lot of 'em, I guess they don't go as high as fifteen and ten meters but still ... I think I want one. Looks as neat as a new puppy, altho the SX28A will probably always be my idea of the perfect-looking radio. De gustibis non est disputatum, which might mean each to his own. Was president of the local ham club up until just recently. Old name was Black Fly ARC but we changed it to Tri-Lakes ARC. Print my own QSL cards on an old letterpress, set the type by hand, amateur radio, amateur printing. One of my impressions -- right?wrong? -- is that military gear guys are REALLY into it, not sure I will be able to get THAT far into it, but who knows? ALWAYS LOVE enthusiasm in any endeavor that is not pernicious. There's probably reams more...you still awake? hey, thanks, 73, Chuck *********************************************** HUMOR; << According to a report on CNN, they have finally released the ingredients in Viagra. 2% aspirin, 2% ibuprophen, 1% filler and 95% "Fix a Flat". >> ----------------------------------------------------------------- An explorer in the deepest Amazon suddenly finds himself surrounded by a blood thirsty group of cannibals. Upon surveying the situation, he says quietly to himself, "Oh God, I'm screwed." There is a ray of light from the sky above and a voice booms out: "No, you are NOT screwed. Pick up that stone at your feet and bash in the head of the chief standing in front of you." So the explorer picks up the stone and proceeds to bash the life out of the chief. He stands above the lifeless body, breathing heavily and surrounded by 100 cannibals with a look of shock on their faces. The voice booms out again: "Okay . . . . NOW you're screwed." ----------------------------------------------------------------- An old cowboy dressed to kill with a cowboy shirt, hat, jeans, spurs, and chaps went to a bar and ordered a drink. As he sat sipping his whiskey, a young lady sat down next to him. After she ordered her drink, she turned to the cowboy and asked him, "Are you a real cowboy?" To which he replied, "Well, I have spent my whole life on the ranch, herding cows, breaking horses, mending fences. I guess I am." After a short while, he asked her what she was. She replied, "I am a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. As soon as I get up in the morning I think of women, when I eat, shower, watch TV, everything seems to make me think of women." A short while later she left and the cowboy ordered another drink. A couple sat down next to him and asked, "Are you a real cowboy?" To which he replied, "I always thought I was, but I just found out that I'm a lesbian." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Rooster....named Randy This farmer has about 200 hens, but no rooster, and he wants chicks. So, he goes down the road to the next farmer and asks if he has a rooster that he would sell. The other farmer says, "Yeah, I've got this great rooster, named Randy. He'll service every chicken you got, no problem." Well, Randy the rooster costs a lot of money, but the farmer decides he'd be worth it. So, he buys Randy. The farmer takes Randy home and sets him down in the barnyard, first, giving the rooster a pep talk. "Randy, I want you to pace yourself now. You've got a lot of chickens to service here, and you cost me a lot of money. Consequently, I'll need you to do a good job. So, take your time and have some fun," the farmer said, with a chuckle. Randy seemed to understand, so the farmer pointed toward the hen house and Randy took off like a shot. - WHAM! - Randy nails every hen in the hen house - three or four times, and the farmer is really shocked. After that the farmer hears a commotion in the duck pen, sure enough, Randy is in there. Later, the farmer sees Randy after a flock of geese, down by the lake. Once again - WHAM! He gets all the geese. By sunset he sees Randy out in the fields chasing quail and pheasants. The farmer is distraught and worried that his expensive rooster won't even last 24 hours. Sure enough, the farmer goes to bed and wakes up the next day, to find Randy dead as a doorknob stone cold in the middle of the yard. Buzzards are circling overhead. The farmer, saddened by the loss of such a colorful - and expensive animal, shakes his head and says, "Oh, Randy, I told you to pace yourself. I tried to get you to slow down, now look what you've done to yourself." Randy opens one eye, nods toward the buzzards circling in the sky and says, "Go away, they're getting closer .." >> ----------------------------------------------------------------- A mother was working in the kitchen listening to her son playing with his new electric train in the living room. She heard the train stop and her son said, "All of you sons of bitches who want to get off, get the hell off now, cause this is the last stop! And all you sons of bitches who are returning and want to get on, get your asses on the train now, cause we're going down the tracks!" The mother went into the living room and told her son, "We don't use that kind of language in this house. Now go to your room and stay there for TWO HOURS. When you come out, you may go back and play with your train, but only if you use nice language." Two hours later, the boy came out of the bedroom and resumed playing with his train. Soon the train stopped and the mother heard her son say "All passengers who are disembarking the train, please remember to take all of your belongings with you. We thank you for riding with us today and hope your trip was a pleasant one. We hope you will ride with us again soon." She hears the little boy continue, "For those of you just boarding, we ask you to stow all of your hand luggage under your seat. Remember, there is no smoking on the train. We hope you will have a pleasant and relaxing journey with us today." Then, the child added, "And for those of you who are pissed off about the TWO HOUR delay, see the bitch in the kitchen. >> >> *********************************************** 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 ***********************************************