[Milsurplus] TO/TM filing system needed

[Christian Fandt]

I've been ruminating on this occasionally for awhile. I've got spreadsheet 
software on my machine so the conclusion I came to is to simply use it. As 
a matter of fact, several days ago I threw something together in M$ Excel. 
Got three entries on it so far and it looks like I'll be happy with it. 
Time to take the laptop up to the library and start banging in data over 
the next week(s) when time is actually available.

I made columns for the following, left to right:  TM/TO/NAVSHIPS # 
(example: TM 11-800), Description (ex: Technical Manual), Equipment type 
(ex: RADIO TRANSMITTERS), Designation (ex: BC-191-A . . ., and BC-AA-191). 
Also have columns for: Manual Date, Size, #pgs, Paper or .pdf (i.e. whether 
Real Thing or on disk), Condition, and Comments. I configured the printout 
so that it is in landscape orientation and should use legal-size paper.

With Excel and perhaps other good spreadsheets found on the windoze, Linux 
and Mac platforms, one can simply sort by column and scan that column for 
the cell listing of interest. The "find" function under the Edit menu will 
work even better for this, of course, if you know the exact bit of info 
you're hunting for.

I've got at least 12 shelf-feet of MIL manuals and really needed to get a 
handle on what I had. I've bought dupes when at Hamfests etc. because I had 
no inventory list in my pocket - I've got a lousy memory. This system will 
also work for the many other boatanchor, general radio/TV and test 
equipment manuals I've got except there may be a few less columns. I've got 
a *ton* of those manuals to organize and index.

If you want to try out the spreadsheet I've started let me know and I'll 
email it as an attachment. Its in Excel 97.

Hope this helps somewhat.

-Chris F.

NNNN

Upon the date 08:42 PM 2/14/04 -0600, antqradio@juno.com said something like:
>Greetings
>Looking for the collective wisdom of the group.
>
>What is the best method for filing TOs?  TMs for you ex-army types.  I
>had tried filing under the assigned manual numbers but that requires a
>cross reference from manual number to equipment ID.  Being lazy, I never
>made more then a token effort to compile and update a cross reference
>list.  So when I need a manual, it is a never ending game of hide and
>seek in the vertical files.  Although it does seem true that half of the
>fun is in the hunt!
>
>Now that the number of manuals is getting out of hand, I am leaning
>toward filing under equipment nomenclature, i.e. BC-342, R-390, GRC-26,
>etc.  This will make it a bit easier since Air Force and Army manual
>numbers, and later revisions of either, do not necessarily have the same
>assigned manual number.  It also seems that over the years all of the
>services have been through several numbering systems.  So looking under
>equipment ID should contain all the manuals in the files that cover the
>equipment in question.  That still leaves generic instruction/information
>manuals with no system except by subject.  In the long run, which system
>will work best?  All opinions welcome!
>
>Now, what about that Navy manual numbering system?
>
>Regards from a snowy Arkansas,
>Jim
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Christian Fandt,    Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY  USA      cfandt@netsync.net
         Member of Antique Wireless Association
         URL: http://www.antiquewireless.org/