[Milsurplus] BC-348-Q questions

[Mike Morrow]

Michael wrote:

>I just received a BC-348-Q ...

>The receiver went through Pensicola NAS O&R ... 1st quarter, 1965.
>Is this an indication the Navy used the ARC-8 as well?

The USN had some aircraft with a SCR-287 in them, such as a few USAAF B-24 aircraft that were converted to USN service as PB4Y aircraft.  Larry has probably seen similar models out in the Arizona salvage yards.  The USN also made some some use of USAAF SCR-522 VHF sets, SCR-269 or AN/ARN-7 ADF sets, and RC-103 with AN/ARN-5 ILS sets.  All with good reason, since (excepting the SCR-287) these USAAF sets were better than their closest USN equivalents.  Even the USAAF T-47A/ART-13 is a notch above the USN ATC or T-47/ART-13.  The AN/ARC-8 is very arguably the finest airborne HF set of WWII.  It had a long service life.  I have part of an AN/ART-13 manual with a 1968 revision date on it, and I flew in a USAF (not reserve!) aircraft in 1970 that still had the AN/ARC-8.

>Second, it has a box with an SO-239 on it that appears to have been a
>field mod or something instead of a post military "improvement".  Was
>there a TO/??? on this modification?

I've got a similar USN-marked BC-348 with the same SO-239-in-a-box adaptation.  I don't think that it would have been part of an AN/ARC-8 installation.  It wouldn't make sense to use coax between the BC-348 and the T-47A, which uses wire-post antenna connections.  Maybe it was modified for use in some sort of system like one whose nomenclature begins with "AN/MRC-" or something similar.

>Hmmm ... anyone have a mount and plug they don't want?

Ebay has been my best source for such items, by far.

73,
Mike / KK5F