[Milsurplus] Strong Stomach Needed.

[Mike Morrow]

>The question at the end of the day is Ham radio history,
>including the practice of modification of surplus equipment
>just as valid as that of the military history in the context
>of communications equipment? 

I vote NO.  I have absolutely zero interest in how hams
exercise(d) their engineering "skills" on a piece of military
radio gear, unless they operate(d) it exactly as it was
designed, with all original or contemporary parts, and
without attempts to "improve" its performance with
subtle so-called "reversible" or "invisible" mods.

In other words, I'm interested in how the equipment
performed, exactly as issued, for the intended customer.
I don't care to know how a ham made a 200 watt PEP
SSB transmitter from a BC-696.

I've been a ham for more than 40 years.  My first
station was a beat-up T-18/ARC-5 modified for 80m CW,
plus a beat-up BC-454-B, plus a BC-453-B that I used
for copying merchant marine Morse, plus an AVR-20
receiver I got for a dollar in a local junk shop in 1966.
Just a lot of cheap surplus!

While I still have that BC-453 and wax nostalgic sometimes,
I wouldn't expect a story of my use of this gear to have
any level of interest today.

I want to know the history of the gear's development and
engineering, and especially the history of its use by the people
for whom the gear was procured in the first place.  That would
be our military people, not us ham hobbyists.

I do not expect anyone to share this outlook.

Mike / KK5F