[Milsurplus] AN/URN-32 Frequency Meter

[neil277 at juno.com]

The URM-32 was around by the mid 1960's when I was at a Field Station
in Vietnam. Yes, I think it was the natural replacement for the BC-221
of WWII & Korea fame. It might have even been transistorized with an
internal battery pack of D-cells - but I don't remember that for sure.
As I recall, it had a filmstrip frequency dial under a magnifier (maybe
1.5 inch dia.) I don't remember it's top freq range, but I wouldn't be
surprised if it went into VHF to 70 or 80 MHz considering all the FM
radios in use then. I don't recall that we used it much - maybe we had
one of the early Hewlett Packard 524 counters. I was just the
shop-foreman, but when I heard that the NCOIC & CWO OIC turned it in
with a bunch of other stuff we didn't need, and that the S-4 was going
to send it to the dump or bury it. I suggested that they at least offer
it to our tactical brothers in some of the Div Support Companies. After
1966, I was never in a tactical unit again. All I saw after that was
electronic counters. (Well except for the BC-221 I picked up being
surplussed by NSA in the late 1970's - it may have come from their ham
radio club.)

On the batteries, I might be remembering the Tek 321 scope.

Neil, retired 33S/W/Z

From: "Hue Miller" <kargo_cult at msn.com>
Subject: URM-31 ???  [URM-32]

It appears this unit is a combined BC-221 or LM plus
a VHF het freq meter plus an AC power supply all in
one package, is this correct? What were its approximate
operational years?  I found one that has a really ugly
cabinet, stored outside for a while, was going to  scrap
it or build regen receiver in it, but i see the front panel
is nice enuff that i think i will restore the thing. Tnx- Hue