[Milsurplus] AN/GRC-106

[Ray Fantini]

For the last month or so have been working on an AN/GRC-106 and have just about all the issues resolved now. The radio works fairly well and is almost as useable as some of the newer radios that I have been using like the Sunair GSB-800 or my favorite radio right now the huge and heavy Harris URC-92(RF-280) but a couple questions keep coming to mind. First why did they use obsolete audio connectors that were more suited to a T-195 or a RT-68? I would assume that the GRC-106 was in production around the same time as the VRC-12/PRC-25/77 family of radios with the smaller modern style audio connector. But still the 106 has those huge audio connectors from the Korean War.
I intend to install the GRC-106 alongside a VRC-89 in the back of my M-151 but the more I think about it may have to get rid of the RT-1439/VRC-89 setup and find a VRC-12 to more closely match the GRC-106, but looking at the audio cables and accessories wonder if a way old RT-68/VRC-10 may be a more appropriate match.
Second, how are you supposed to operate around that radio when the amplifier is running? The mechanical noise the fans in the transmitter produce are way annoying. Fortunately you can turn the amplifier off when not expecting to transmit but when its running you can only hear with the headset, and then that's not all that well using the stock headset. I am thinking of modifying a newer series VRC headset with proper headset as opposed to the poor quality one ear telephone style headset that came with the radio. Cannot imagine how anyone would be able to stand being in a little S-250 style shelter with one of those screaming and the old mechanical teletypes banging away.
Don't get me wrong, the radio has its good points, low power drain in receive and standby, easy to work on after you build or buy all the cables and produces buckets of power but the ergonomics of the radio appear to be lacking. Maybe radio operators were just tougher back then?

Ray F