[ARC5] W5SUM Discovers SCR-274N Mystery

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

I've often wondered whether or not anyone had ever tried to substitute an 
FT-243 for a DC-8.  But if that's what this was originally, I agree that it 
doesn't make much sense that it is marked for all four of the HF transmitters 
that the AAF bought.

In a message dated 06/23/2017 10:48:07 AM Central Daylight Time, 
arc5 at ix.netcom.com writes: 
> After all these years, I thought I had seen
> everything one could see concerning SCR-274N,
> but Ronnie, W5SUM, has discovered something
> intriguing.  
> 
> Ronnie acquired a ham-modded BC-696.
> https://goo.gl/photos/2ScqwpTXrHxNT6ZY7
> Rattling-around the inside was an interesting
> artifact:  an FT-243 crystal holder with its face
> and internals removed, a "button" capacitor 
> installed inside and a WWII-era plastic "handle"
> attached:
> https://goo.gl/photos/fSKufUSFbpwogPD86
> 
> Things get interesting when you turn the crystal 
> holder over:
> https://goo.gl/photos/4cZDarBPGCT3Pjsp9
> Engraved on the back:
> FOR USE IN RADIO TRANS.
> BC-457
> BC-458
> BC-459
> BC-696
> 
> Were this some kind of  "calibration crystal"
> for the eye tube which a ham gutted,
> one would expect the Signal Corps to order 
> them with markings for the corresponding 
> transmitter to avoid confusion,
> not for all of them.  The polymer used for
> the "handle" seems much older than something
> used by a 1950s ham and its decay matches
> period materials.
> 
> Ronnie is kindly sending me the transmitter and
> the artifact, hoping that he and I may be able to 
> tell ham mods from any possible Signal Corps mods.
> 
> Any ideas or discussion on the possible use
> of this surprising bit?
> 
> TNX OM DE Dave AB5S

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480
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