[Milsurplus] Cargo ship radio WW2

[Hue Miller]

Looking at a Mackay publication, which actually
is a 1944 business purpose compilation of  U.S.
non-warships and their radios actual ownership and 
repair contracts, if this list can be believed, it looks like
roughly eyeing the list, about 70% of the cargo ships
listed do NOT have HF transmit capability. Only about
10% of the ships do not have any HF receiver.

I had been told before that RMCA, and probably others,
didn't sell their equipment, but only leased it to the 
shipowners. I think that is an exageration and over-
simplification. This list bytheway, seems to list only about
5% of ships carrying equipment only leased from the maker.

Also looking at a Mackay price list, i see that a basic
VLF/LF receiver, model 128, was priced in 1942 at 
$277 to $355, depending on quantity and installation
services. The direction finder 102 by contrast, was 
priced at about $1000. Compare those. The lifeboat
radio transmitter 168 priced at around $250. If you
couldn't afford those, the 123-B emergency crystal
radio was priced at $17, altho in 1942 that was still a 
lot of money, around a GI's monthly pay. -Hue Miller