[Elecraft] Wha'ts Wrong With Our Radios (WAS:NewProducts, Building Demo, ...

[N2EY at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/29/06 5:05:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
alexandracarter at sbcglobal.net writes:


> I think the influence may have been military. Pre-WWII radios are the  
> long shallow model, some early 1930s mil rigs were, but as WWII got  
> more serious, the rigs seemed to settle on the small panel-deep  
> chassis form factor.  It makes sense when you're cramming a lot of  
> 
> gear into an airplane, making a radio to fit in a backpack or Jeep,  
> in a tank, etc. Since a lot of ham gear was actually ex-military gear  
> following WWII, and since the US's warlike nature has supplied hams  
> with a constant supply of military surplus stuff since, (this has  
> only recently dried up, due to the classified/controlled nature of  
> the modern mil gear) we seem to have radios these days that are about  
> the same shape as military ones.
> 

I disagree!

For one thing, the small-panel deep-chassis form factor was common in 
military radios long before WW2 *if* the radio was remote controlled or was not meant 
to be routinely operated manually. Look at the ARC-5 series and similar sets.

But WW2 radios that were meant to sit in front of an operator had wide, high 
front panels and were relatively shallow. BC-348, BC-342, BC-191/375, ART-13, 
SCR-306 and many others. Even sets like the APX-6 transponder were wide and 
high but relatively shallow. Except for the ARC-5 series, most of the military 
sets that wound up in amateur hands had that form factor. 

> Frankly, if you're putting a radio in your car or RV or boat, taking  
> one along in a backpack, etc. the military type of shape makes sense.  

To a certain extent. The KX-1 form makes the most sense for backpacking and 
similar use.

> I notice these days there are radios with the old prewar form factor,  
> such as the FT-1000 series and the new $5000-$100000 rigs the makers  
> have just come out with. Those are not meant to go into anyone's car  
> or boat... or tank. And they are relatively wide and shallow. 

Perhaps the KWM-2 influence is finally wearing off. They're catching up to 
what Southgate Radio was doing 32 years ago.....;-}

The  
> 
> megabuck rigs even allow for a computer screen to be added, making  
> the total thing even wider and shallower overall. 

But how shallow are they?

73 de Jim, N2EY