[Milsurplus] Thefts,etc., and separately, Bill Perry

[Mark]

At the TRW swap meet in L.A. in the mid-80s, I was carrying a PRR-9/PRT-4 combo for intercom with a friend.  While I was bent over looking at something under a table, I set the receiver down.  I forgot to grab it when I walked away, realized my goof about ten minutes later, and hurried back.  The receiver was gone.  I initially assumed someone had picked it up.  The seller behaved somewhat oddly when I questioned him.

As I was walking away, a customer at that table who'd watched me describe the set and point to where I left the radio hurried to catch up and told me he saw the jerk SELL IT not five minutes before!  He couldn't give me a description of the buyer -- he was looking at the radio -- but he insisted money changed hands.

I immediately went back and confronted the seller, who would not admit to anything.  Obviously, he was lying.  I immediately made a complete sweep through the whole hamfest, scrutinizing customers in motion and looking at hands carefully, but came up blank.

Never saw the slob again (even though I made a habit of looking every month for maybe five years), but I remember his face like it was yesterday.  The serial number on the standard PRR-9 (6V power) is 345A.  If you ever run across it, you'll know it's hotter than an RBZ dial.

~*~

On a happier note, Bill Perry is one of the most connector-knowledgeable people you will ever run into, and an all-around totally nice guy.

I recall about ten years ago I was searching for the interconnect cable that goes between the TMC PAL-350/500 series linears and the PSP-350/500 power supplies to compete a backup PAL-500.  Didn't even matter if it was  wired up; all I wanted was the oddball rectangular connectors.  After something like a year of periodic searching, I'd pretty much given up.  Then I thought of Bill.

I still remember the phone call.  After I gave an extended description of the cable along with its usage, Bill immediately said, "Oh yeah, I've got one of those under the desk here."

I thought he was yanking my chain.  HARD.

But he really DID have the complete cable under the desk!  When I realized he wasn't funnin' me, I about fell outta my chair.  Turns out he'd unearthed it previously for a customer who ended up not buying it.  Well, I DID.  :)

--Mark Francis

Author of "Mil Spec Radio Gear Volume 2"
Available direct from the author, Universal Radio, 
and Fair Radio, and soon: Electric Radio Magazine
$29 cash/check/M.O. or $30.17 via Paypal, when ordered direct 
& shipped to the U.S. (Foreign buyers please contact me). 
See: www.mmfrancis.com/MSRG2/MSRG2.pdf

Volume 1 is still available from CQ, Universal Radio, and 
Amazon.