[Boatanchors] ARC 5 stuff - LIST

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

In this case, since I grew up during the era you are referring to, I am quite 
qualified to agree with John and disagree with you.  After the end of WW-II, 
when the radios began appearing in Surplus, the documentation, as well as the 
racks, connectors and control boxes that would have allowed hooking the 
equipment up as it was originally designed to be was as readily available as were 
the radios themselves.  My Elmer in the 50's had a shack full of the stuff (he 
taught electronics for the Signal Corps during the War).  The problem was that 
certain people with an axe to grind (equivalent to today's liberal Democrats) 
wanted to put the Army and Navy down and did so profusely in print.  The myth 
that military radios generated TVI was also helped along by some civilian 
companies wanting to sell radios (run by non-vets for the most part).  And by the 
60's it was an accepted fact among poorly educated hams.  But it was a myth 
nonetheless.

If you exclude the prewar SCR-178, 179, 194 and 195, none of the radios that 
the US used during WW-II are TVI producers.  If the person tuning them was 
even marginally competent.  Which the postwar conversion handbook writers were 
not by any stretch of the imagination.  And this includes even the much maligned 
BC-640.  Which one handbook writer claimed produced TVI even when turned off. 
 That statement was mere rabble rousing bullshit.  I once had two of them on 
the air.  And they worked just fine.  None of my neighbors ever complained.  
And we were for those days in a fringe area, well over 30 miles from the 
nearest TV station.  It was all self-serving BS.  Only simple minded nincompoops 
fell for it.

With regard to classification, the WW-II Restricted became Confidential, 
Confidential became Secret, etc.  Virtually all Restricted TM's were declassified 
in late 1945 shortly after VJ Day or in early 1946, before the classification 
name change.  Consequently, after the classification name change, none of the 
publications on the radios that this thread has discussed were classified.  

In a message dated 9/23/2007 9:38:22 PM Central Daylight Time, jfor at quik.com 
writes: 
> jeremy-ca wrote:
> 
> >What you are looking at in 2007 has absolutely no bearing on what was
> >available to the ham in 1947. These days it is all available as reprints,
> >CD's or downloads.
> 
> You claimed classified. I disproved your point
> 
> [snip]
> 
> >>resonate a series LC.
> >
> >You make my point very well. In those days hams had to actually know
> >circuitry to get a General and a lot more for the Advanced. These days you
> >get the license at Wal Mart.
> 
> Your point was the data was not available to use the units as designed. I
> pointed out that the required data is minimal.
> 
> >
> >If the design spec is 500V and the tube is rated at 750V and a ham uses 
> that
> >voltage along with other correct parameters then what is your problem?
> >Components in the amplifier stage of an ARC-5 TX can easily handle the
> >voltage and operating that way doesnt generate any more clicks than in 
> stock
> >form. Hams have had to improve the circuitry of many old military rigs in
> >order to make their poor signals acceptable on the ham bands. Ive listened
> >to several unmodified ones that sound like a CBer designed them.
> >
> >1941 high end ham equipment was designed in 1940-41. However 1941 military
> >equipment was usually of a mid 30's or earlier design, no high level
> >engineering skills required to be the lowest bidder.
> 
> Funny...  I don't remember many metal tubes in 1930's radios.
> 
> >[snip]
> >
> >Im even less impressed with the hams of today and since you dont use a call
> >sign I have to assume that your comments are more from some personal bias
> >than actual experience.
> 
> I collect WW II radios and other things, because of their design elegance. 
> On
> air chatter totally bores me. I really don't give a damn about which band is
> open or what new antenna someone has. If I want to talk to someone, I pick 
> up
> the 'phone or email them.
> 
> >OH? I can think of many military items that are probably way too much for
> >the SWL and many hams. There is a BIG difference between mission specific
> >items for combat aircraft vs capital ships of the Navy, shore 
> installations,
> >NSA, and many other goverment organizations.
> 
> I collect both airborn and ELINT gear.
> 
> >With all the secrecy involved plus the complexity of todays military
> >electronics almost nothing is reaching the public. The best items Ive found
> >are high power VHF &UHF amps that can be put on ham frequencies with a bit
> >of work. It helps to have a VNA on my work bench.
> >
> >Carl
> >KM1H
> 
> I routinely use SAs with Tracking Generators and  a VNAs to characterize
> components and test things like TWTAs and microwave synthesizers.
> 
> However, the thread was about chopping up WW II radios.
> 
> -John
> 

Robert Downs - Houston
<http://www.wa5cab.com> (Web Store)
MVPA 9480
<wa5cab at cs.com> (Primary email)
<wa5cab at comcast.net> (Backup email)