[Milsurplus] Re: What did they talk to ??

[Hue Miller]

Dave, i talked to a fellow who was a radio-gunner on a SBD and later TBM,
flew off Gambier Bay (carrier ) just before it was sunk by Japanese guns. 
He told me while he could expect 400 miles range from the ATC-ARB, on 
patrol missions, on bombing missions with the group, HF was practically
not used. ( I dunno about the group leader. )  On the patrol missions, it
was "radio silence" until a "contact report" (enemy sighting ) was called
for. These messages were too important to wait.
( I probably will regret it someday if i don't get organized, track him down
if possible, and re-interview him. )
What i don't exactly have clear, is, was the transmitter tuned up to freq
beforehand by the hangar deck techs, then the radio op would tune
the final and antenna when the transmitter was required? Because 
trying to tune the antenna while in the hangar deck, would that work?
Maybe close enuff, then touch up if needing to key up?  You probably
wouldn't want to full tune up on flight deck - we could and did pick
up Japan A/C formations tuning up on the airstrip. -Hue Miller