[Milsurplus] Re ongoing bc342

Sat, 1 May 2004 15:32:35 EDT

Correction, taken will properly mesquite grilled crow.  Base model of the 
BC-224-(*) was BC-224-A.  I had apparently mentally mixed it up with the 
BC-312/314/342/344 were all the base models were unlettered.  I couldn't turn up the 
original reference that I remember reading but the TM interchangability list in 
the Airborne Radio Equipment Handbook omits the unlettered BC-224 and BC-348 
and specifically says that there was no BC-348-A (and some other letters).

As for what the official name of the letter following the model number was, 
unlike the definition of SCR, BC and RC, I don't ever recall seeing that in 
writing.  It may have been written down so long ago that no one in the 30's or 
40's saw any need to do so again.  Most of time it means a revision or 
modification of some sort, either major or minor.  But sometimes it means or also means 
just another order or an order by a different contractor, as was done more 
consistently by the Navy (who used letters for set models and numbers for the 
suffix).  So I usually just call it the suffix letter or sometimes model letter 
(or number for Navy) if that seems more appropriate in the context.

If you look at the progression of BC-348 models for example, you will see 
that from BC-348-H on (when 200-500 KC coverage was added in 1942), the sets fall 
into three distinct groups, EMOPS (I included the E because it is covered in 
the same manual as the MOPS), HKLR and JNQ.  Each group was built by a 
different contractor.  The JNQ group has many differences from the other two (it was 
a low cost re-design), while most if not all components in the other two 
groups are interchangable.

The same sorts of comments apply to the BC-312 families, although as far as I 
know, only two contractors (RCA and Farnsworth) built them originally.  
However, in the case of the BC-312 family, all models are covered by the final TM 
11-850, and it includes a table that is an aid to ID'ing a receiver that has 
lost its nameplate.

In a message dated 5/1/2004 12:59:20 PM Central Daylight Time, 
[email protected] writes: 
This is in reply to Robert Downs posting.

Very interesting. I have seen the BC-224A. The BC-224B is basicly the same
as most the the double ended
tube (6K7) sets. The BC-224A uses the 6 pin tubes and
is mechanicly different.
Have you ever seen the unlettered BC-224 ? I wonder
how close it is to the BC-224A

As an aside, is there a name for the letter coming after
the number ie A,B etc

73
Robert Downs - Houston
<http://www.wa5cab.com> (Web Store)
<[email protected]> (Primary email)
<[email protected]> (Backup email)

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