[ARC5] ARC5 Digest, Vol 195, Issue 67

[Scott Johnson]

I think upgrades to comms were a matter of priority, in the fifties, SAC had
priority, they also had little use for VHF, so they got what they needed.
SEA changed the situation, and there were many upgrades that seemingly
didn't make sense, i.e. APX-72/ ARC-51BX/ ARC-131/ Wilcox 807 VHF in an O-2A
(the avionics was worth more than the airframe!), but given its role, it
made sense.  I never understood why SAC assets had one HF, when C-130s had
two!  (i.e., Long range, with positive control requirements, versus a medium
range aircraft hauling trash).  C-130Bs started with no VHF, some got the
ARC-73.  When the ANG started receiving them in the 1970 time frame, the VHF
requirement was forced due to operating environment.  ANG KC-135s got the
Wilcox 807.  I worked both on aircraft and bench on C-130Bs, KC-135A/E/R and
B-52 G/H, as well as a C-130 FE and KC-135 BO.  I never quite understood,
and still don't today, why the equipment sets were what they were.  I chalk
it up to bureaucracy and politics mostly.  The mission has changed a great
deal over the years, but we still rely on those three airframes I mentioned,
and seems like we will continue to until the old girls are octogenarians.
The KC-135 is the oldest airframe flying in front line service ever.  There
are still 1957 tails out there, albeit with 100% new wiring, new lower wing
skins, and a Integrated avionics system the continues to be upgraded (Pacer
CRAG) (late nineties).  The engines have gone from the J-57 to the JT3D
(TF33), to the current CFM-56 high bypass turbofan.  There is rumor that
they will get LAIRM and other ECM gear to counter threats as they move
closer and closer to the FEBA (or whatever they call it now).  I worked on a
external NVIS friendly lighting system for the KC-135 and B-52, no idea if
it will be fielded.  OK, EOR.  (end of ramble0.

Scott V. Johnson P.E. W7SVJ
Sunburst Engineering
5111 E. Sharon Dr.
Scottsdale, AZ 85254-3636
H (602) 953-5779
C (480) 550-2358
scottjohnson1 at cox.net
scott.johnson at ieee.org

-----Original Message-----
From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf
Of Jim Haynes
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2020 5:56 PM
To: D C _Mac_ Macdonald <k2gkk at hotmail.com>
Cc: arc5 at mailman.qth.net; jbrannig <jbrannig at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [ARC5] ARC5 Digest, Vol 195, Issue 67

On Mon, 27 Apr 2020, D C _Mac_ Macdonald wrote:

> I don't know what bombers they might have been.  All our B-52s had
"modern"
> UHF radios.  I was EWO on F models in 1965.
> 
I was at Edwards AFB 1960-63.  I was told at the time that there was a
regulation or law or something that prohibited the military from buying any
new VHF equipment, as a way to force the transition to the military UHF
band.  We had a lot of need for VHF communication, which was met by using a
bunch of ARC-3 sets as ground stations, running from AC power supplies made
by a contractor.

There also was some mission run from time to time that required one of our
aircraft to fly around Europe.  I assume they used ARC-3 equipment in that
plane.  What I know is that we had a big suitcase full of crystals in the
frequency manager's office, to be checked out by the flying crew when they
had to run that mission.  The crystals were the kind used in the ARC-3.

I might as well go ahead and retell my favorite old war story.  There was
some mission that required an aircraft to communicate on HF with a mobile
unit on the ground.  The mobile unit was equipped with an old TCS set.
As often as not communication would fail and parts of the mission had to be
repeated at great expense.

About this time Collins brought out the KWM-2 in a suitcase set.  My boss
saw the ads for that and figured it would be just what was needed to replace
the aged TCS.  But selling that to the colonels upstairs was another matter.
They sneered at the proposal to use _amateur_ equipment for a serious
military activity.

One morning I went over to the BX for a hair cut.  On the way back I picked
up the latest issue of CQ magazine from the magazine stand and brought it
back to my desk.  On the front cover was a picture of Gen. 
Curtis LeMay, in full uniform, and some kid, and some kind of radio.  My
boss saw that and asked to borrow the magazine.  He took it upstairs and
showed it to the colonels and said, "This is the radio I propose we get to
replace the old one that is giving so much trouble."  (The fact that the
radio in the picture was not a KWM-2 was lost on the colonels.)  He came
back in 15 minutes with his proposal approved, and we ordered the radio. 
So far as I know its performance was entirely satisfactory.