[Milsurplus] Interesting Early Vietnam-era Military Document With Commo Gear

[Mike Morrow]

I found a 222 page document below that has some interesting info on early
Vietnam military issues, including communications gear:

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=AD348219&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

PROJECT AGILE - REMOTE AREA CONFLICT RESEARCH & ENGINEERING
Semi-Annual Report (1 July to 31 December 1963)

On page 114:

---QUOTE---
A number of available military and commercial radios have been developed or
purchased for evaluation in this area.

Ryan Rifle Butt Radio VHF-FM - This FM transceiver is an experimental unit
designed to examine the feasibility of mounting a transceiver in the stock of a rifle
employing the barrel as an antenna. This set, encapsulated and transistorized, will
add 1 pound (plus 1 additional pound for batteries) to the weight of an AR-15 rifle in
which it is installed. The unit operates on a frequency of 70 MC, with a CW transmitter
and voice receiver and nets with standard military VHF FM sets. Ryan has completed
development of the equipment and tests in CONUS are being conducted by the U. S.
Marine Corps.

<SNIP>

AN/PRC-35 VHF-FM - This set was developed by RCA on contract to USAELRDL
as a replacement for the AN/PRC-6 and has not yet been standardized for issue. It is
transistorized, weighs approximately 5 pounds, and incorporates FM voice capability
between 47 and 55 MC at a radiated power of 0. 35 watt. Three sets have been shipped
to Thailand for field evaluation. This set meets with all standard U. S. military
VHF-FM equipment.

In addition, a power amplifier for the AN/PRC-25 has been developed by RCA to
provide a capability to exercise power levels of 0.3, 1, 1.4, 2, 15, and 30 watts in
field experiments in Thailand.

ARPA has funded development by RCA and ITT of pocket-sized jungle message -
entry devices (JMED) which provide silent, semiautomatic, two-way communications
(using simple prearranged messages) compatible with standard U.S. military radio
sets.
---END QUOTE---

On page 116:

---QUOTE---
(1) High-Frequency Man-Pack Radios

(a) Hughes HC-162. This set is completely transistorized, weighs
approximately 25 pounds complete with batteries, radiates 15
watts PEP on SSB voice, and is tunable in 1-KC steps from
2 to 12 MC.

(b) AN/TRC-77 (Modified). This set was developed by Sylvania
(EDL) for Army Special Forces use. It is a 10-watt AM CW
set weighing about 25 pounds and has available six preset
channels in the range 3 to 8 MC. The sets under test have
been modified by EDL to add a voice capability.

(c) AN/TRC-88. This is a further modification of the AN/TRC-77
to provide SSB capability. It is otherwise similar to the
AN/TRC-77.

(d) OKI TRP-4. This is a partially transistorized HF SSB radio
manufactured in Japan which weighs about 30 pounds complete
with batteries. It radiates in excess of 2 watts voice or CW on
any of six preset channels between 2.5 and 8 MC.

(e) AN/GRC-9. The AN/GRC-9 is the standard U. S. Army highfrequency
AM voice and CW set available in quantity both to U. S.
and indigenous forces and has been incorporated in the tests as
a control item. The GRC-9 weighs about 90 pounds and radiates
10 watts on CW.
---END QUOTE---

My comments:

--How about that rifle butt radio using the barrel as antenna?  Clever idea.
   I wonder why it didn't work out. 
--The RCA AN/PRC-35 never made it for general issue, and there is NO
   mention of the RCA helmet radio systems AN/PRC-34 and -36.  Bad for RCA.
--There is NO mention of anything like the AN/PRR-9 and AN/PRT-4,
   which did see some issue (at approximately $1800 (in 1965) per set).
--Apparently some AN/TRC-77 units were officially modified for AM.
--There's NO mention of the normal AN/TRC-77 or the RS-1 (later AN/GRC-109).  
--There's mention of the rare USB/CW AN/TRC-88 that is an AN/TRC-77
   look-alike (I have most of an RT-655/TRC-88).  It didn't make it.
--The Hughes HC-162 became the AN/PRC-74.  It made it big time.
--It looks like the AN/GRC-9 was in its prime at this time.  But glory was fleeting.

Mike / KK5F