[ARC5] Can yoiu say...

[Mike Morrow]

Bob wrote:

> In 1958 BC-348s were still in use by the military.

The AN/ARC-8 with its BC-348 was still flying for the USAF in 1970 on SAC's Blytheville AFB base commander's C-131. I flew on it to Wright-Patterson and back in August 1970.  I was amazed to see the BC-348-* and the AN/ART-13A still in active service.

> Some were available through MARS.

Even NAVMARCOR MARS had some BC-348's for issue in 1969.  I selected a R-105/ARR-15 instead.

I first became interested in military communications gear that my dad W5WRR/SK got from USAF MARS as AF5WRR in the late 1950s.  I was always more more interested in the military history that the gear represented, rather than its ham use potential.  Fifty years ago I "converted" a R-26 and T-18/ARC-5 (both missing the outer covers), plus I used a BC-453-A to copy MF Maritime Morse. Everything else that I've used has no conversion...I have never disturbed the wiring or mechanical integrity of any item that came to me complete in *original* military condition.  I had my dad's Drake 2-A receiver and Heathkit HX-20 ssb/cw transmitter to get on the NMC MARS frequencies of 4010 and 7375 kHz as NOLTD.

Forty-nine years ago I got WN5WGJ as my first ham call, but ham band operation was never a great interest except from Ozark and Appalachian campsites.  Even today, I value ex-military gear only for its historical military significance.  A cheap used solid state rig is always a much better choice, if actually radiating and receiving a signal is a priority.  :-)

Mike / KK5F