[ARC5] Re: [Milsurplus] Re: History of ham mods; opinions?

[W7QHO at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/16/08 10:45:12 AM, kk5f at earthlink.net writes:


> The *only* reason anyone would be interested in the history of ham use of 
> military gear is because they themselves are hams.  Non-hams, and even most 
> hams, will not be interested in any degree.
> 
> 
I would judge that the number of people who would be interested in a purely 
Military history of radio gear would be very small indeed, limited primarily to 
those engineers, technicians and surviving ex-Signal Corps types who were 
directly involved.   Far more hams are still around who got started using and 
yes, on occasion, mutilating the stuff. 

> Were ham usage in any way noteworthy, one wonders why that famous 
> three-volume postwar history of Signal Corps communications failed to contain some 
> details about how all that gear was used postwar by hams. :-)
> 
Because the "Green" books were specifically a WW2 history.   Note that the 
books do talk about field mods made in equipment, especially post Normandy, in 
response to combat needs and most probably made by on the spot by ex-hams.

> An exact analog would be the history of the US Model 1903 Springfield 
> rifle, whose development and military use have been well documented in several 
> lengthy books.  Only its military use is ever discussed in these books, because 
> no one cares or wants to think about about what Joe the Hunter/Hobby Gunsmith 
> did to them with his hacksaw, reamer, and drill post-War.
> 
> 
As I recall (having grown up in Montana) the Springfield has a very long and 
rich history of sportrerizing and wildcatting, much of which I remember being 
thoroughly covered in numerous books and also in   NRA publications (note that 
you are a proud member).   Very high interest in this as I recall and my dad 
and I sporterized (mutilated?) an 03 and an Enfield and put meat on the table 
with both of them.   Just as I couldn't afford an SX-42 in the late 40's/early 
50's, a Winchester Model 70 was only a dream too but that DCM Springfield was 
a great prize.....

Dennis D. W7QHO
Glendale, CA



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