[Milsurplus] Praise for Australia's WWII Engineers

Hue Miller kargo_cult at msn.com
Sat Apr 15 19:22:37 EDT 2006


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Stinson" <arc5 at ix.netcom.com>

> I am having a good time working on some "new to me" equipment
>..... AWA AT-5 transmitter / AR-8 receiver "general purpose wireless set,"
> which saw service in many ways but mostly in aircraft.
> 
> You can see photos/background on this very cool set at:
> http://www.qsl.net/vk4czt/at5ar8.htm
> 
> 73 Dave S.

The set certainly is satisfactory in the knobs and levers - count department.
The link above states it was used in "Catalina" also.
I assume Catalina only refers to PBY craft. 
Why would the PBY be supplied to other countries without standard US
radio gear installed? Supply & maintenance, i suppose?
In the Aussie Catalina, was this AT-5/AR-8 the voice radio, i mean, was there
a higher powered liaison set also?
The Canadian Catalina, called "Canso", used AR-6 / AT-12 as liaison
( 814 final, i think ), but i don't know what (if anything ) it used as voice
or command radio. 

I have the AWA-built HRO receiver and i can testify, it is very nicely
built also.
-Hue Miller


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