[MRCA] HF & FAC's other Korean War radios

[Dennis]

Marine "Pathfinders", & Army/Air Force FAC's, did indeed require the use of HF communication. This need persisted even into the 90's. I fail to 
understand the need of many to dispute the required use of HF equipment 
in aircraft, which is still today, a requirement, even commercially. 
Indeed we have had a number of commercial airline pilots check in to our nightly 40mtr net using their aircraft's equipment(which is limited to 
USB/AM).


Yep there is a long list of purpose built MRC series vehicular FAC stations 
built on heavily overloaded Jeeps, weapons carriers, even Mules(Mulie 
Talkies). They were composed of all sorts of modified systems. Some had 
retrofitted aircraft radios(a tradition that began in WW-II), other's 
had a collection of pack sets. ALL had one thing in common, the ability to communicate on every possible military 
band from HF-UHF. FAC had not only the need to control those over head 
aircraft, but also the ability to talk to those aircraft in route, or 
request that air support to begin with. Communication at ranges not 
possible with VHF/UHF types is/was a necessity. Then there's the monstrously huge and complicated ALL band multi transceiver systems PRC-71, -72, -etc of early 70's vintage. 


Though I would not question the Marine Corps use of the GRC-9, I would frown 
on the use of the word "extensive" at least until very late in the war. 
This because they were still using TBX's.

The TRC-7 was originally built for use by extreme forward units of military intelligence to communicate with overhead aircraft in WW-II. Hence it's mysterious TRC designation similarly used on the TRC-1, TRC-2, & 
TRC-77. This practice was pioneered by the OSS with the Joan/Eleanor(among others) to coordinated air drops etc. However most TRC-7's saw their service in the Korean War in a more traditional capacity & will exhibit markings as such.

By the beginning of the Korean War, most, if not all, US military air 
components had shifter their primary communication band from VHF to UHF. However, well into the late Vietnam War VHF equipment in some instances had to be maintained because not all Allied Forces had made that same 
switch. Also, the ability for military aircraft to communicate with 
civilian air controllers was/is often required.
The PRC-6 did indeed precede it's sister radio systems of the same 
generation into production, & the field. As noted I have seen 
several instruction manuals ca approx 1949 that featured finished 
product PRC-6's, while at the same time no such examples of the 
PRC-10/RT-68 family yet existed, so wood mock ups were use. I have in fact heard from Signalman who were trained with these wood mockups rather than the real thing because there were none. Additionally, I have seen 
actual examples of early PRC-6's dated 1950 & 1951. I still own a 
1949 dated preliminary manual for the PRC-6. Not to say that the PRC-6 
saw much service during the Korean War, as we already know, there 
wouldn't have been anything for them to talk to(but that didn't slow 
down the BC-1000). But if any of the VHF/FM radios of this generation 
did see service, it was the PRC-6. One last note, the PRC-6 saw 
development hysteria not experienced with the other sets for various 
reasons I'll not elaborate on here.
 
Dennis Starks
Military-Radio-Guy
KB0SFP
HFpack/Milpack Monitor(all USB):
3996, 5357, 7296, 14342.5, 18157.5