[Milsurplus] GRC-9 manufacturers

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Hue,

Avco bought Crosley sometime between the end of the War and 1951.  I had a 
'51 order year RT-77 marked Crosley/Avco and had BC-1306 components marked just 
Crosley.  Sometime on into the 50's they dropped the "Crosley" entirely.

The cases that you call "squared off corners" actually differ mainly in the 
CW-109 cover, which is smooth on the outside instead of having reinforcing 
stamped in like the case and the older covers.  I had an RT-77A matched serial 
number radio (the one that was stolen) that appeared to be a depot overhaul.  It 
had the later style case but a 1956 order, and the nameplate on the case was 
the same size and format as the earlier ones.  But I don't know when it was 
overhauled.

However, years later I bought a batch of RT-77 and RT-77A cases from a guy in 
CA.  Some of the RT-77A ones were the later smooth topped type.  They all had 
the later style Order Number that the Army went to in the mid-60's after they 
disbanded the Signal Corps.  But all of the top covers had 

PANEL COVER
CW-109/GRC-9

stenciled on top of the cover in white ink.  And the "Crosley" was dropped - 
they just say Avco on the metal plate on the case, which is also not the same 
shape as the earlier plates.  

I've not seen a CW-109 with a metal tag.  Anyway, I surmise that the flat top 
covers and cases were made in the mid to late 60's.  AFAIK, the last order 
for the complete AN/GRC-9 were in 1954 (Telefunken) and 1956 (Crosley/Avco).

In a message dated 4/11/2007 12:34:46 AM Central Standard Time, 
kargo_cult at msn.com writes: 
> While trying to empty out some storage, i found i had sometime in the past
> gone way overboard on GRC-9s. Anyway, i stopped counting but did not
> manufacturers,
> 
> Crosley Division of Avco
> Lewyt
> Hoffman
> Avco
> 
> BTW, back when FAIR was selling off their trove, i bought one with the-
> what i called "squared off corners" - that is, less radiused case corners.
> This turned out to be a purely AVCO model, which seems to be a 1970s
> "remanufacture" of the GRC-9. The radios have entirely new labels, the
> case altho not new looking, might be a new manufacture with the 
> less-radiused
> corners. I also noted a riveted on label on the case cover with its case
> cover nomenclature, if i recall, the original radios had this nomenclature
> number lettered right on the case. Also if i recall, when FAIR bought these
> from AVCO, they got them in all kinds of states of refurbishment, like
> the production had shut down while under way. At least that's what i was
> told by someone? Oh yes,the AVCO over the push for dial light button, has
> a rubber cover, not seen on any earlier model. I assume the radios are
> remanufacture as i cannot see AVCO building the whole rig from scratch.
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
<http://www.wa5cab.com> (Web Store)
MVPA 9480
<wa5cab at cs.com> (Primary email)
<wa5cab at houston.rr.com> (Backup email)
   
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