[Milsurplus] Command Sets, the conversion thereof

[Michael Tauson]

Okay, finally weighing in here ... 

I tortured a few Command Sets back in the very early 60s then, quite by
accident, figured  out I didn't have to.  On the other hand, I did ruin a few
three transmitter racks setting them up so I had a transmitter, a receiver
(which used the remains of a receiver rack sliced and diced to fit) and a power
supply built in an old "rode hard and put away wet" transmitter chassis.  Some
shiny new unused sets pretty much stayed that way - they were too "pretty" to
convert.

Regrets now?  Yeah, some.  As a Novice, I had to make one change anyway, and
that was to crystal control.  But I also learned a lot digging around in those
rigs, one heck of a lot more than reading the ARRL Handbook etc because it was
hands on.  I had already built a lot of crystal sets and regens but here was a
real honest to goodness superhet I could dig into and get to know intimately. 
And the transmitters offered a whole new range of learning.  They were cheap
and I learned quite a bit.

Today?  Convert all you want but ONLY on a pre-hacked box.  Elsewise, expect a 
visit from Mango the Messy who will be more than pleased to show the error of
your ways.  Got a new piece?  LEave it alone or move it on to someone like me
who'd appreciate it as is.  Don't like my attitude?  Deal with it 'cuz it's not
going away.

Oh, and Jim?

> TO ME (emphasis added), modifying a NOS rig is like taking white-out to a 
> Picasso because you don't like both eyes on the same side of the face. 

Oh, dear.  Um, what takes white-out off? <G>

BEst regards,

Michael, K3MXO

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com