[Milsurplus] Holiday Puzzle

[Roger Basford]

Well, that's a pretty comprehensive reply Robert, thanks! I'll copy that to the list where it was being discussed.

All the best,

Roger

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: wa5cab at cs.com 
  To: roger at new-gate.co.uk ; milsurplus at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2009 4:58 PM
  Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Holiday Puzzle


  The two hand-held radios are as previously said or guessed, BC-611's.  The RT-196/PRC-6 is banana shaped and does not have either the antenna cap or the protruding rubber cover over the PTT actuator, both visible in the photo of the Group Leader.  It also does not have the protruding earphone cover visible on the one carried by the Assistant Group Leader.  Model-wise the radios in the photos could be anything from BC-611-A through early production BC-611-F.  Only two changes were ever made to the cases and they are not visible except on close inspection or partial disassembly.  But odds are that in Korea the two radios would have been ERLa -C, Galvin -E, or Galvin or ERLa -F.  The antenna cap on the one held by the Group Leader is resting on his thumb and edge of his hand.

  There is a common misconception that all of the BC-611-F had the thick bottom cover with mic and earphone jacks.  The two 1945 TM's would certainly lead someone to believe that.  However, the early production -F from both contractors had the thin bottom covers and gray fiber spacer/wire protectors of the earlier models.  There were two -F Orders.

  8259-Phila-45-01 ERLa late -F components @ S/N 13300
  10531-Phila-45-01 Galvin late -F components @ S/N 8691

  The BC-611-F Supplements to the 1943 edition of TM 11-235 are dated 15 and 25 January 1945.  The Addenda adding the thick bottom cover (and some other things) are dated 23 and 27 March 1945.

  The first TM 11-296 covering AN/PRC-6 is dated 16 October 1951.  The second edition is dated 15 September 1955.

  In a message dated 12/27/2009 7:53:17 AM Central Standard Time, roger at new-gate.co.uk writes: