[Milsurplus] Looking for unobtanium

[robert meadows]

 Reuben,Here is a bit of information on your "unobtanium"... Well it just might be so.The item was manufactured by Raytheon, Harris, and BAE systems.Unit cost in 2007, That is Govt Acquisition Cost was $6624, with a "net" price listed as $2259.  Now for the real problem, the item is classified by DLA as DEMIL B, a now unused code, but, must be followed (DEMIL codes were "updated")   DEMIL B means Mutilation to scrap before disposal outside DOD or Foreign Military sales.
There may be some out there that were disposed of prior to being assigned DEMIL B.  A lot of such equipment was originally disposed as DEMIL A, which means just sell it, and then the "great thinkers" within DOD and DLA became convinced that an old radio could be used by nasty folk in pursuit of bad things.  But those in DOD did not and still do not know that a nice ricebox radio will do more and are readily available for not very much.
Good Luck.Or, just start building one.  William Perry  Co can probably supply all the connectors you need.
CheersRobertW4RRD
    On Thursday, October 2, 2025 at 05:20:25 PM EDT, Reuben Popp <reuben.popp at gmail.com> wrote:  
 
 Hey all,

I come seeking some help from those of you who have been into collecting and rebuilding these radios for far longer than I.  I am, short of an exciter parts unit, short one piece from having most of an AN/WRC-1 system to rebuild.  That's the exciter, the receiver, the amplifier, the antenna tuner, and the handset.  What I am missing is the interconnect box (NSN 5895-00-973-1063).  Last year one was quoted to me from a logistics supply house for 24K.  YEOW!  There's pay to play and then there's where'd my kidney, spleen and lung go?

Anyway.. I look all the time  trying to find one.. any time I head to the hamfest, or on ebay, craigslist, you name it.. no dice.  Columbia Electronics doesn't have one, Murphy's told me maybe if I had asked about 30 years ago, and Surplus Sales of Nebraska said we won't know until it gets unburied (if it exists) in the warehouse.

So, my question to you is, in your time of having done this, how have you gotten over this hurdle?  The TM has the specs for the box.. at least the dimensions of it, so I could have one made, or fab it myself.. of course that also means having to try and source another set of connectors for the cabling in/out as well as building its innards.  At this point of waiting, I'm beginning to think this is my only real chance of finding one, unless one of you happen to have one squirred away, lol.

Any suggestions?  Thanks, and 73
Reuben______________________________________________________________
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