[Milsurplus] Aussie WW2 Sets was BC 191 info -

[Hue Miller]

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Prince" <davprin@optusnet.com.au>

> Just to expand a little on Mike's email.
> The ATR-4 was built in Australia by Radio Corporation of Australia and was
a
> copy of their RC-16 set.

Nevertheless, this radio was a copy of the US Forest
Service's 1938-designed type SPF, later built in
numbers for the US Army when it was thought the
Army might be needed to put out forest fires in the
West. SPF for Smokechaser Portable Fone ( i
believe....at least the Portable Fone part is sure....
i don't think the S represents  "semi" as the thing was
intended to be portable.)

 It was used in the SWPA by the U.S Forces as well
> as Australian and New Guinea Coastwatchers. >

While some Forest Service reports have the thing
working out to 100 miles or more, the 2 watt radio,
i would think, and AM only, would be too low powered
for meaningful role in this use. This kind of power level
is more in the "artillery spotter" class radio.

> AMR 100 (cabinet mounted) and AMR-101 (Rack mounted) were a copy of the
HRO
> made by AWA

The AMR-101 was supplied in a trunk with rack
mount built in. You just open the trunk ( 2 men and
a H.A. boy to move it) stand it on end, and there
you have the receiving installation, PS, speaker and
all. Kind of like the HRO / RAS table rack installation
in a movable trunk.
QST in recent years had a reminisce by a fellow who
had used one in the South Pacific WW2,  for broadcast
listening.
Hue Miller