MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, Aug. 7/98 Index: ANNOUNCEMENTS; MEMBERS WRITE; Frank Buck of Pocono Peterbuilt? BC-611, First Collection Radio? The Last On BC-611-CB Cloning! NEW MEMBER; Richard Arland HUMOR; *********************************************** ANNOUNCEMENTS; Bill S. is checking now to see just how many of the prospective GRC-9's are still available, seems the old guy that has them is out of town for an undetermined amount of time. Soon as it is known just what all is available I'll let you know. A couple of reports have been received in regard to member misgivings about providing a service to, or dealing with another group member. As always, if you have any trouble, of any kind when dealing with another member of this group, I want to know about it! I will most likely do nothing about it for some time, if at all, but a file will be opened on the subject, and tabs kept. Reminder, your additions for Saturday's "Paper Trail", should be in by tonight, and for the "Group Want's & Trades" by Saturday night. *********************************************** MEMBERS WRITE; Does anyone know a man by the name of Frank Buck of Pocono Peterbuilt? He is a military vehicle collector in NE PA who owns at least 5 pieces of WWII vintage armor. I was at the Tobyhanna Army Depot last Saturday and saw four of his pieces that are going to be displayed this weekend at the Military Vehicle Show at the Depot. I was wondering if anyone knew him and if they could tell me whether or not his armor restorations included authentic radio gear? I would be most interested in contacting him to offer my services in helping equip his collection with the proper radio gear. 73 Rich K7SZ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's good about the GRC-9 project. Since I got mine I've been thinking that every amatuer Novice and above should be issued one with their ticket. I hear a lot of CW on 7110 and 7118 out here, and on 10 Mhz, sometimes 3710 but maybe more after the radio comes back from the shop (digital problem, they "re-tensioned" the power switch on the first attempt: I coulda bent it right at home, that's about my speed. It's taking forever this time, but boy did the last guy ever align it well!). I'll let you go. It's probably close to time to change my wet pack. Regards, Sean Sean T. Kelly email is sean_k@hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Dennis: Dave Stinson, AB5S, sent me your direction. I am interested in starting to collect and restore MIL-BA gear, specifically US Army infantry gear. He suggested that a BC-611 would be a good rig to cut my teeth on. I am brand new to military electronics collecting, but I spent 20 years in USAF Comm Command as a tech controller, so I know what an R390 and CV-89 look like and can use them both effectively. Dave said you were a gruff old fart....so be gentle, please! I really do need some help and direction from some of the old heads in this business...Dave said you were one of the best and did a lot for the hobby. That's why I am coming to you. Any help you could give me would be appreciated. I do not have any MIL-BA gear to trade....don't even have that much ham stuff any more, for that matter. 73 rich K7SZ <> ed) I have a lot of respect for Dave and his knowledge of aircraft equipment, and especially his willingness to spend countless hours restoring a radio that the rest of us would have considered un-salvageable. But he needs to stick to the black radios, and leave the green ones the hell alone cuz he don't know shit about um. And as for being a "gruff old fart", Dave is several months older than me! As for his suggestion you begin your collection with a BC-611, again, he needs to stick to the black radios. You don't want to look for a BC-611 to begin your collection with, if you do, you might never get started especially as we have dumb ass's in this country that are converting them to CB's. A good starting point for your collection would be ANY GREEN RADIO YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON! Don't single any one out, grab all of um ya can get, they'll all get used one way or another. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Last On BC-611-CB Cloning! Denis, You are right about the nit picking of military vehicle collectors, etc reference vehicles unifors and small arms. My experience over the last few years has been that while they are experts on unifors, vehicles and weapons, ask them about a radio and how it works, and you get a blank stare. Any idiot can get a CB license with almost no knowledge and get on the air. Any idiot can solder a few wires and cut a wooden block. Not everybody can build, test, tune, etc a BC 611. My point was not that it was a good idea to convert the BC 611 but that I think that was what the web site was designed for. As to civil War re-enactors, they do use modern guns made by Navy Arms when ever possible since they do not want to risk damage to the original which is locked away in a cabinet back home. Although they do not like to admit it, many of the civil war cannons were made last week, year and have chrome steel barrel inserts. A concession to reality and practicallity. Bill Howard ed) There's no such thing as a CB license, there is also several VHF, and UHF alternatives that require little or no licensing that would have at least provided some practicality. The fact remains, these people are too damn stupid. It's no big deal for anybody to get a BC-611 operational that's complete to begin with. Even so, if their not willing to try, they have no business dabbling in history! Your original point was taken in it's proper context in your first message on the subject. True, Civil War re-enactors use modern day reproductions of period equipment and with my blessing. But these repo's are authentic to the most minute detail and are not modified for ease of operation or convenience. You yelled: > ed) Bull shit!! [...] Gutted BC-611's are cheating!! [...] it's BULL > SHIT! [...] Again, BULL SHIT!!! [...] It's just plain stupidity no > mater what angle you see it from! I couldn't have said it better myself, Dennis! On a related note, it always bugs me when I crawl through an otherwise-complete B-17 or similar aircraft that's on display, and find that the radios are missing, in very poor shape, or just wrong. I can forgive them for not using all of the old gear, I can forgive them for adding new equipment as necessary to make it safe to fly in modern skies, and I can even forgive them for not keeping the old radios operational, but they ought to at least be there and look cosmetically complete in an aircraft that's on display under the pretense of being historical. Many of the owners/pilots care about flying first (understandable), being mechanically complete and accurate second (also understandable), and preserving original electronic gear not at all. Grumble. Even if the radios don't interest them at all, there are probably quite a few folks who would gladly donate some free labor restoring radios cosmetically and/or operationally, and maybe even donate some equipment, in return for a ride or two in the plane when there's an empty seat. They're not all like that, though... my boss has a T-28B [I've known him and been his friend for years, and I'm STILL jealous! :-) ], and he has most of the original avionics in it, and even uses them. The ARC-27 came out to make room for a storage box (he couldn't use it anyway, and needed to remove the control head to make room for a civilian-band radio control head), but he still uses the ARN-6 compass, APX-72 transponder, original intercom, etc. He made some reasonable concessions for safety and practicality, but didn't throw originality out the window entirely. P.S.: Helping him wash his plane is usually good for a free ride... It's amazing how much surface area there is on a little two-seater plane, and how much oil and soot it pisses on itself! P.P.S: I bought my first M1 Garand this evening. And just to set your mind at ease, I do NOT plan to hollow it out and hide a Ruger 10/22 inside. :-) -- Mark J. Blair, KE6MYK ed) The detail of those persons or groups that are in the practice of restoring vintage aircraft varies widely. Many strive to have the proper equipment, in the proper place, some operational, some not. Many will take gutted command sets and replace their entrails with modern avionics. I've seen some nice restorations and some horrid ones. One in particular, a B-17 had a couple command sets mounted on a plywood board bolted to the wall. But some points in their defense besides those obvious ones you mention. First, 30 plus years of printed modification articles in various publications have produced untold thousands of pre-gutted radios for these people to use. Second, and most disturbing, very few people, if anybody knows just what radios were used, in what time frame, in what aircraft, in what theater, how or where it was mounted etc. The variables are astounding and subject for much debate. Very few items survive like manuals, photos, personal accounts etc to give these poor souls some idea on how to proceed. I have received numerous questions on the subject over the years, and seen many adds in publications by persons desperately seeking someone with the needed knowledge, and or materials. My hats off to all those who try! On the other hand, the Enola Gay at the Smithsonian has avionics in it that did not exist at the time, or that did exist but were not used in that aircraft. This aircraft was stripped of all non-essential equipment, including it's armor and guns so as to enable it to out run the atomic blast. It's only radio was provided to allow communications with it's fighter escort. Besides being incorrect, the display itself is terrible. To conclude, I want me an M-1 too, but us poor folks just gotta sit and want. *********************************************** NEW MEMBER; Richard Arland Hi dennis: Many thanks for your "Invitation" message. I would like to participate and will fully abide by the terms and conditions of the MIL-BA group. BIO: Name: Richard Arland Callsing: K7SZ (ex: K7YHA, CT2BH, KA2AA, G5CSU, DA2NE) QTH: Wilkes-Barre, PA (nr. Scranton) Retired USAF MSgt: 20 years in AFCC as a Tech Controller. Vocation: Electronics Instructor - State Correctional Institution - Dallas (PA) Licensed ham for 35 years (extra class) and GROL (old 1st phone Com'l license) Hobbies: Ham radio (although interest has waned the last several years), BA restoration (specializing in Halli and Hammarlunds), photography, MIL-vehicles (no I don't own any, but sure would like to have a M3 Stuart!), camping and fishing. MIL-BA interests: Just starting out. Want to collect WW-II army comm gear, selected Viet Nam era comm gear and SF radio gear. WANT List: BC-611 for now. Also need lots and lots of info on what all the funny numbers and letters mean (HI!). I'm the FNG, so be gentle. vy 73 Rich K7SZ *********************************************** HUMOR; A police officer (who shall remain nameless) pulled over a red Porsche after it had run a stop sign. "May I see your driver's license and registration please?" "What's the problem, officer?" "Your just ran the stop sign back there at the last intersection." "Oh, come on pal, there wasn't a car within miles of me". "Nevertheless sir, you are required to come to a complete stop, look both ways, and proceed with caution." "you gotta be kidding me!" "It's no joke, sir". "Look, I slowed down almost to a complete stop, saw no one within twenty miles, and proceeded with caution." "That's beside the point, sir. You are supposed to come to a complete stop, and you didn't. Now if I may see your license and. . ." "You've got a lot of time on your hands, PAL! What's the matter, all the doughnut shops closed?" "Sir, I'll overlook that last comment. Let me see your license and registration immediately!" "I will, if you can tell me the difference between slowing down, and coming to a complete stop." The police officer had enough. "Sir, I can do better than that." He opened the car door, dragged the obnoxious motorist out, and proceeded to methodically beat him over the head with his nightstick. "Now sir, would you like me to slow down or come to a complete stop?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <