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

[N2EY at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/29/06 10:02:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
k2asp at kanafi.org writes:


> 
>   The real reason is that the DoD has a side business of
>   supplying out-of-service military hardware - including
>   communications gear - to our less well endowed allies.
> 

I agree with Phil's take on military surplus, and would add one more factor: 
the way WW2 ended.

THe Manhattan Project was so secret that even VP Harry Truman did not know of 
its existence until FDR died. Even then, there was no guarantee of success.

Allied military planning had long assumed that complete invasion and collapse 
of the Axis countries would be needed for victory. So enormous quantities of 
war materiel were produced. That turned out to be true in Europe, but with the 
sudden end of the war in September 1945, and the rapid demobilization that 
followed, there was a tremendous amount of equipment in the supply pipeline that 
suddenly became surplus. Due to its relatively high value and relatively 
small size, radio and electronic surplus was very popular. The pile was so big it 
took decades to use up.

IMHO.

A bit OT, but appropriate for (traditional) Memorial Day, I think.

73 de Jim, N2EY