[Milsurplus] Fwd: Fwd: Navajo code Talkers

[Hubert Miller]

Dave, there's a photo of a TBX on the beach at Roi-Namur. NO trees in sight.
I was wondering if all the sections are really required. Like maybe 2, 3 sections with no guy wires. 
I don't know if the transmitter would work into a shortened antenna. 
I do have a couple complete antenna sets.
I am certain no one subject to the physical laws of planet Earth could have the setup operational in 30 seconds.
-Hue 

>Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Fwd: Fwd: Navajo code Talkers

I had a complete TBX antenna at one time. Even had the guy ropes and everything, except for the canvas. Many years ago.  The thin tubing from which it was made was fragile as a college kid's  fee-wings.  I can't imagine that anyone could have set the thing up under fire, much less moved it, without breaking some of those tubes (or getting whacked).  
Given that the shore parties using the radio would not have been more than a mile or three from the beach, and being copied by communication stations on ships / saltwater with full-size antennas and powerful transmitters, I'd be willing to bet coffee and donuts that they just threw a wire over the nearest tree and stuck a screwdriver in the dirt for a ground.  I bet you that little field-expedient worked just fine.