[ARC5] Serial number questions(SCR-274-N)

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Mike,

Add the BC-223-(*) to the list of Signal Corps sets that were shipped with 
matching serial numbers on the transmitter, tuning units and tuning cards.  But 
I think it and the BC-191 and 375 were the last in the Signal Corps so 
treated.  The rationale for these sets as well as the SCR-183/283 and GF/RU was that 
the tuning units had tuning charts, and like the BC-221's and LM's, they had 
to be matched to the actual physical units.  I assume that the same is true of 
the BC-189 but have never seen one.

However, the BC-1306, RT-77/GRC-9 and RT-77A/GRC-9 all left the contractor 
with matching serial numbers on the receiver, transmitter and case.  But this 
was apparently because the nameplates were stamped in sets of three and attached 
to the radios near the output end of the assembly line.  Certainly no effort 
was made in the depots to keep them together.  If the radio has been through 
Depot, you can amost guarantee that the serial numbers won't match.  I have one 
matched serial number BC-1306, the only one that I've ever seen.  I've had 
three matched serial number RT-77A's, but I sold two of them and then the third 
was stolen in '99.  This is very much a collector thing, though.  There's no 
practical reason why the serial numbers on these sets need to be matched.

One other set, the TCS, appears to have originally been delivered with 
matching serial numbers on the receiver, transmitter, remote and loading coil.  But 
not the power source.  Probably because they were delivered with so many 
different ones, and most were subcontracted.  I once had a matched serial number 
TCS-14 but accidentally shipped the wrong remote to someone whom I never could 
locate again.  So it's 3/4 matched.  But again it's a collector, not a 
practical thing.  When I win the Lottery, I'll have a matching nameplate made for the 
remote.  :-)

In a message dated 10/31/2004 8:44:01 PM Central Standard Time, 
kk5f at earthlink.net writes: 
> I'm not sure the US Army Signal Corps valued the matching serial number 
> concept in the same way that the US Navy seemed to.  While we've all seen RU/GF, 
> ATD, GP-7 and other USN sets where all components bore the same serial 
> number, the Signal Corps units I've seen that do that seem rarer, like the BC-186, 
> 7, 8 components of the SCR-178 and 179, all the major components of the 
> BC-375, and some BC-1306 and GRC-9 sets.  But I don't think that even the USN 
> tried to issue ARA/ATA sets whose components had matching serial numbers.  I'd 
> be happy to learn otherwise it that's a false impression.
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
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