[Milsurplus] One Way to Keep Our Hobby Alive

[POWERMWT at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/29/2006 8:04:49 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
kk5f at earthlink.net writes:
I met one of those types at a military collector's meet in Tennessee a couple 
of years ago.  He was proud of his BC-1000, which he'd gutted in order to put 
a 40-channel CB set inside.
Ah, where to start ... some of you are aware I restored a 1944 MB-NAVY-MZ-1 
radio jeep with a Willy-Overland factory installed TCS radio system. Because of 
the unique features of my jeep I decided to get into Military radios instead 
of doing what most restorers do, which is to restore another vehicle.

I'm new to this hobby and want to learn about radios ... most of these guys 
are more interested in making their military vehicle more historically 
accurate, want more do-dads, or just have a vehicle to reenact or drive around with. 
So, you get a few that are interested in radio, like me, but way more that just 
want that extra piece that will make their vehicle stand out in the sea of 
other vehicles. Now, these guys may start out asking what antenna they can put 
on their jeep. They want historical accuracy. They can be persuaded to do 
things right and install the funny antenna that goes with say an SCR-284 and then 
sometime in the future install a radio that is operational. I know lots of guys 
with vehicles that have dummy machine guns and period correct field gear ... 
but only a few with operational radios. The time may be now to seek these 
individuals out. I'm only beginning ... and I'm amazed at the network of radios 
that worked together. Shipboard base stations, fighters and bombers, vehicles 
and mobile units. Very cool indeed.

So, new people like me need help, training on how to operate and maintain the 
radios and get the proper licensing. 

Sorry that I'm rambling here but that is my story and I'm sticking to it. :^)

Regards,
Mark Tombleson