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

[Dave Maples]

All: I met Bill Perry at the Louisville hamfest this year for the first
time.  What a nice fellow!  Just outstanding.

Dave WB4FUR

-----Original Message-----
From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Mark
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 2:59 PM
To: Milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Milsurplus] Thefts,etc., and separately, Bill Perry


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.



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