[Milsurplus] Command Sets, the conversion thereof

[J. Forster]

Mike Morrow wrote:

> My outlook is that the gear doesn't have to be anywhere near NOS to merit preservation in original state (including capacitors, resistors, tubes, etc. where possible).  The key characteristic is that it be in the condition that it was in while still in *military* service, even if it left the service dirty, beat-up, well-used, and possessing many later military mods, MWOs, ECNs, or depot overhauls.  Dirt removal, cleanup, and metal straightening are the only "mods" I perform to gear of this type.

Fair point. I made the original response on this thread and by NOS I really meant unhacked up and free of unofficial mods, like SO-259s. Personally, I don't really like many 'depot restores' but that's just me. There lots of WS 19s that saw service into the 60s that have been officially reworked several times, including repaints, but they don't really tickle my fancy.

> A piece of gear that was actually used in military service has much more historical ambience about it than a unit that never left its shipping crate until Joe Ham got it.  Don't you wonder what ship or aircraft or tank that the well-used radio veteran on your table served in?

That's quite hard unless it has a unit ID painted on it or is noted on a tag. Some of my APN-1s do have an aircraft number on them, since they required a cal after installation, but that the exception.-John