[MRCA] Fw: Korean war PRC 10 photo

[Tim]

Hi Guys - good discussion here....

A Marine buddy reminded me that the Chosin Reservoir battle depended
entirely on air drops for resupply.  Getting batteries in for any radio
would be a "problem".  Also, carbon zinc batteries are pretty worthless
below zero F and it was -35 at times so a hand-cranked generator radio
would have been highly desirable.  We don't know if the MAW-MAY or other
ground VHF/UHF radios could be powered by cranked generators but the TBX
and GRC-9 certainly can.  Receiver batteries were not essential for them.
Also, the MAW/MAY used wet cell batteries and these would have been a real
problem at those temps and being dropped by air.  The GRC-9 would have been
preferable to the TBX just due to the relative complexity of a TBX in
highly mobile ground ops.  Vehicle mounted radios overcame some of those
problems but the guys in the photo didn't have that luxury.....

We have been experimenting with a few MAW's in 144.450 MC out here on the
Left Coast.  Running LOS tests over 15-20 mile paths from Mt Diablo to San
Francisco and surrounding areas.  We have found that the MAW transmitter
works well, sounds good with a T-17 (being received with an ARC Type-12
set) but the MAW receivers are pretty deaf.  From what we have initially
found is they would work fine in a CAS situation where you had LOS to a
local aircraft but much beyond that it would be a problem.  As someone
pointed out, the longer range HF set would be handy in coordinating
incoming Air over longer distances in highly mountainous terrain.
Especially if that's all you had......

As we know, Korea in 1950 was a come-as-you-are war.  Make due with WWII
gear, adapt, improvise, overcome... I wonder what the Norks and ChiComs
were using beyond bugles....Probably our Lend Lease gear.....
Tim
N6CC

On Wed, Apr 11, 2012 at 8:34 PM, Dennis <spike.dennis at yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>
> Bob brings up some other good points.
>
> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>
> From: "WA5CAB at cs.com" <WA5CAB at cs.com>
> >To: spike.dennis at yahoo.com
> >Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2012 8:49 PM
> >Subject: Re: [MRCA] Korean war PRC 10 photo
> >
> >
> >First aircraft radio I know of (as opposed to ground radios carried in
> aircraft) that could talk to the low band VHF FM sets was AN/ARC-44.  Circa
> 1956.  USMC used the MAW in Korea.  Looks somewhat like the BC-1000, at
> least from a distance.  A book I have that was written by a 1st MARDIV vet
> describes troops in his platoon using one to talk to close support Corsairs
> during the return from the Chosin Reservoir.  Most likely an AN/ARC-1 on
> the other end.
> >
> >Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
> >wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
> >MVPA 9480
> >>First aircraft radio I know of (as opposed to ground radios carried in
> aircraft) that could talk to the low band VHF FM sets was AN/ARC-44.  Circa
> 1956.
> >------------------------
> >That
>  is absolutely correct. Small aircraft(Pipers & Tailercraft) were
> fitted with pack sets. This was practiced from early WW-II into the late
>  60's. However, these were used for artillery spotting & control,
> not FAC.
> >
> > > USMC used the MAW in Korea.
> >-------------------------
> >Also correct, as well as the MAY. These too continued in use until the
> late 60's.
> >
> >>  Looks somewhat like the BC-1000, at least from a distance.
> >-------------------------
> >But it's much larger.
> >
> >Very
>  few so called "Korean War Vintage" radios actually saw service during
> that war. The PRC-6 for instance had it's first preliminary manuals
> printed in 1949, while at this same time only wood "concept" mock ups of
>  the PRC-10 yet existed.
> >
> >It is generally believed that the PRC-6
> did see limited use in Korea. However, there would not have been any
> other radios for it to talk to in it's frequency range.
> >
> >
> >KB0SFP
> >
> >
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