[ARC5] Talking to Airplanes From the Ground

Mon Aug 2 11:15:47 EDT 2021

Interesting thread.  Was surprised to see in the PDF of the evolution of the manpack sets that the BC-1306 would put out 25 watts on CW and 12 watts on voice.  I always thought that the transmitter performance of the 1306 was, other than the frequency range, would have been the same as the (slightly later) RT-77/GRC-9 - 15 watts CW and about 7 watts voice.  When used with a GN-58 hand cranked generator, I recall reading in the GRC-9 tech manual that the output was significantly lower than when using the DY-88 vehicle dynamotor/vibrator power unit.

WRT to air ground comma application, remember reading in IIRC a book tilted 90 South, about the establishment of the South Pole Station in Antarctica, that either a 1306 or a GRC-9 was used initially for all HF radio comms from Seabees at the site.  It was specifically mentioned in the book that eventually a TBW transmitter was sent in to augment the small portable set that had been used since the start of the effort.  I thought when reading that that using a TBW in the 1950s for such an application was a bit obsolete. Perhaps at the time it was selected because it had a better power to weight ratio than other higher  power sets that were available.

Chris AJ1G
Stonington CT

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 2, 2021, at 08:09, taigh at twinbeech.com wrote:
> 
> 
> I haven’t been able to find any of the photos discussed in the previous threads so I apologize if these photos have been shared before.
>  
> They are improvised 274N’s in jeeps doing airfield control work. Note the 24 volt batteries in one and the aircraft Homelite 28 volt generator strapped on to the front bumper of the other. I would wager that these were two of the main options used on airfields so modifying the radio sets were not necessary and spare equipment would be readily available.
>  
> They used 274N’a and 522’s in air traffic control towers as well presumably with 28 VDC power supplies.
>  
> The Homelite generators were issued with every B-17 and B-24 from the factory but were often pulled from the aircraft before they flew on missions to save weight. I think this would have lead to a surplus of these generator sets for such use on airfields.
>  
> Thanks,
>  
> Taigh
>  
> Taigh Ramey
> Vintage Aircraft Inc.
> 7432 C.E.Dixon Street
> Stockton, California 95206
> (209) 982-0273
> (209) 982-4832 Fax
> www.twinbeech.com
> KEEP 'EM FLYING...FOR HISTORY!
>  
> From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Al Klase
> Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 5:00 AM
> To: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Talking to Airplanes From the Ground
>  
> Gang,
> 
> I'm with Hue on the SCR-694.   In addition to being waterproof it was a lot lighter than the SCR-284 (a horse designed by a committee.)  The design lived on for some time after the war as the AN/GRC-9.  The latter set was humped around by the original cold-war long-range recon units.  Both radios load an end fed have-wave wire really well, so you can leave a bunch of antenna parts behind.
> 
> Here's the poster from the WWII Tactical Communications display in our museum:
> 
> <image001.png>
> 
> 
> Cone see us when you get a chance: http://www.rtm.ar88.net/
> 
> 73,
> Al
> 
> On 8/1/2021 7:17 PM, Hubert Miller wrote:
> I think I am partial to the SCR-694 and like. I recalled now that the TRC-2 transceiver was actually
> the first 'surplus' radio I ever had, and that was around 60 years ago. It unfortunately was lost,
> which makes this uncommon radio all the more uncommon. I still have some BC-1306s and 
> another TRC-2. At one time I thought of trying to go for the whole TRC-2 setup, but now that's 
> looking very impractical and unrealistic. 
>  
> Chuck Waite about 25 - 30 years ago told me about a "1306 net" he and some others had going
> in PA area a few years before that. That sounded like real fun and only whetted my appreciation
> of these little gems. I also recall seeing at a Goodwill store a book on Christian missionaries in, I
> believe, the Amazonian Peru', and it had a photo of a missionary with a full BC-1306 setup with
> handcrank gen. I kick myself now for not buying that book. The price was certainly nothing. 
> -Hue Miller 
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> 
> -- 
> Al Klase - N3FRQ
> Jersey City, NJ
> http://www.skywaves.ar88.net
> 
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> <SCR-274-N Jeep Page_1_96_England.jpg>
> <Iran_83_2.jpg>
> <Page_3_England_20360247-S.jpg>
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