[Milsurplus] PRC-74B/C (plus assorted kudos)

[Tom Norris]

On Jun 6, 2009, at 9:51 AM, Mike Morrow wrote:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350136474931
>
> The useful operator's manual is $12 at:
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150084348282
>
> I have no connections to this seller, but I have purchased about 30
> manuals from him in the past year with complete satisfaction.

I can vouch for this seller as well.  Latest example, by coincidence, is
a purchase of the owners manual above.  Got lost in the mail somewhere.
He sent me a replacement.  I've gotten things from him in the past as
well, seems like a good honest fellow.

Robert Downs WA5CAB is another good manual vendor and I can not say
enough good things about him.  Highly recommended for both manuals and
occasional bits of random inobtanium.

>
> As far as the AN/PRC-74 series goes, I think it is of interest to
> collectors of Vietnam-era communications gear.  But even the late
> models are more than 40 years old and have seen a lot of use.  I
> have four units (74 and 74B) including one depot rebuild.  They
> are quirky, troublesome, and poorly human-factored.  They lack LSB.

I agree somewhat that lack of LSB can be annoying, but that was how
they were designed, that design is similar to other radios of the era
such as the GRC-106.  Don't let USB-only design keep you from purchasing
one, though.  There are several "green radio" nets out there to keep you
in qso's.   It *is* possible to add a USB modification with very  
little effort
and to extend the coverage of the -B and -C models to include 18Mhz
by changing one crystal and sacrificing the 17 MHz band.
Another very good point in it's favor is that it's built using mostly
conventional parts, making it more easy to repair than many other radios
of similar pedigree. Nearly every semiconductor in the thing can be
replaced with a modern equivalent. Ease of modification and repair
along with a moderately low cost - as seen on Dennis Stark's list -
make this a good bargain and probably a good first-time purchase for
the new "green radio" user/collector.

I suppose my biggest gripe is the limited matching range of the RF out
network, not to mention insufficient protection of the RFPA transistors
from mis-match.  If used with an antenna other than the supplied whip,  
or
if used below about 4 Mhz (The adjustment on the whip says 3.5, but...)
you will need to good matching network if you are going to feed it  
into a
non-resonant antenna.  With the low power out, it is a fine candidate to
drive most available smallish low power (read: affordable) automatic  
tuners,
preferably mounted at or near the feedpoint of the antenna so as to  
minimize
loss - with lower power the more power you can inject into the aether  
(rather
than use to heat a piece of coax) the better.

All the above is just one man's opinion, take it as you will.

Best Regards and 73

Tom Norris NU4G
Murfreesboro, TN
YooEssAyy