[ARC5] Locomotives, and radio prices

Fri Dec 21 07:29:47 EST 2012

Back in the 1960s, ARC-5 transmitters were $8 each at the area surplus store (Kinston, NC) where the guy had a solid wall of T-19s (only), at least 5 feet tall and 12-15 feet long.

Fair Radio Sales had brand new Command Sets in the original boxes for $10 and up depending upon which ones they were.  They even had brand new T-17s, 1.3-2.1 mc, for around $15 to $17.  I still have a stash of catalogs to confirm the prices.

At hamfests they went for between $3 and $10 depending upon what they were and the condition.  The BC-459 and T-22 always seemed to be more expensive.  The 4-5.3s and 5.3-7s (and the 2.1-3s) were very cheap, even in very good to excellent shape.

At the Shelby NC hamfest last summer I could count the number of ARC-5s etc on the fingers of one hand and maybe have change left.  These were all well hacked, and had prices ranging from $5 and up.  Hmm, I bought TWO National SW-3s for a total of $65... actually this was to become an E Pluribus Unum radio, one out of two, but I still think it was a better deal than even one trashed Command Set receiver.

One thing I never heard of was a Command Set used on a train.  I seriously doubt they would be rugged enough.  Railroad radio gear takes a lot of slamming around and is built like a heavy battle tank -- with good reason!

As for Gabreski's P-47, I would imagine that by the time he was active in the ETO, the 522 was the norm.  The USAAF did not have any ARC-3s (to the best of my knowledge) in Europe until MAYBE the spring of 1945, if even then.  Gabreski was downed (during a strafing run on a German airfield) in 1944, if my history is correct.

73

Mike
W4DSE

--- On Thu, 12/20/12, Leslie Smith <vk2bcu at operamail.com> wrote:

> From: Leslie Smith <vk2bcu at operamail.com>
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Locomotives
> To: "Michael A. Bittner" <mmab at cox.net>
> Cc: "ARC-5 List" <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
> Date: Thursday, December 20, 2012, 9:55 PM
> Hello Mike,
> In that time what would a bus driver or school-teacher earn
> per week or
> month.
> To put the $12.oo per set in financial context.
> 
> 
> -- 
>   Leslie Smith
>   vk2bcu at operamail.com
> 
> 
> On Fri, Dec 21, 2012, at 3:06, Michael A. Bittner wrote:
> > I've never been on a diesel-electric passenger train,
> but as a teenager,
> > I used to regularly ride the steam trains on the Erie
> RR between my
> > former home of Ridgewood, NJ and Hoboken, NJ.  At
> Hoboken, I showed my
> > train ticket to the the ferry boat ticket taker and got
> the free ferry
> > boat ride across the Hudson river to the Chambers
> Street terminal in NYC
> > and from there a short walk to Radio Row with G & G
> Surplus on Vesey St.
> > (Brand new ARC-5 receivers and transmitters for around
> $12, control boxes
> > for 95 cents, etc.) and all the rest of it.  Those
> were the days.  Mike,
> > W6MAB
> >   ----- Original Message ----- 
> >   From: Geoff 
> >   To: Michael A. Bittner ; ARC-5 Mail
> List 
> >   Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 5:54
> AM
> >   Subject: Re: [ARC5] Locomotives
> > 
> > 
> >   Ive spent many, many hours watching
> videos and reading various blogs on
> >   the 
> >   restoration efforts and the returning
> to service of various steam
> >   equipment 
> >   over the past few years.
> > 
> >   The majority of the passenger cars
> have self contained electrical
> >   generators 
> >   driven off the wheels. These are
> either restored late steam era or
> >   later 
> >   ones that have been fitted.
> > 
> >    The diesel electrics are often hitching a
> dead head ride or used for a 
> >   particularly rough stretch when more
> power is needed at a minimal fuel
> >   cost.
> > 
> >   As more equipment is being restored
> and maintenance facilities provided
> >   Im 
> >   sure there will be other locomotives
> traveling the rails. Many were not 
> >   scrapped and are sitting idle in
> restorable condition.
> > 
> >   I grew up when the steam era was
> ending and fondly remember the rides I
> >   took 
> >   with my parents and then the
> dissapointment as they faded away. In the 
> >   Northeast it was the electrics that
> took over in several runs such as 
> >   NYC-Philly-DC and the eastern end of
> the LIRR.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >   >
> >   > Totally off topic:  I see
> that in many of the steam locomotive videos, 
> >   > they lug along one or two
> diesel-electric locomotives with them.  As 
> >   > stated in one of the videos, this
> is to provide electric power to 
> >   > passenger cars and provide
> dynamic braking on down-hill runs.  Not stated 
> >   > is the obvious fact that the
> diesel-electrics can keep things moving if 
> >   > these ancient, restored steam
> locos have problems.
> >   > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xszdK0OMgnM
> >   >
> >
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