[MRCA] problems owning/buying rare radios

[Ray Fantini]

I have never had any issues working with newer equipment. When you get into the WW2 stuff unless you want to operate CW or AM that's about it, also the value of unmodified equipment of that age is such that it's unwise to modify or change anything that old for convenient operation. Equipment from the fifties like the R-390, T-368 or my favorite the ARC-38 are far superior to anything built in the war period but still limited to AM and CW. By the sixties radios like the PRC-47, PRC-70 and PRC-74 allowed you to operate SSB although in some cases USB only and they were first generation hybrid sets and can have tubes and components that are hard to find. Once better solid state devices were available radios like the PRC-104 and GRC-106 demonstrated what could be done with solid state, yes I know the 106 has a tube in the PA. In the seventies and eighties Cmos and MPU started appearing in control systems and radios capabilities jumped way ahead. Another of my favorite radios is the Motorola URC- 100 family of radios and I have owned several and repaired them for others for some time now. 
Synthesizers, preset memories and programmable offsets beat crystal control or one channel simplex every time.
By the late forties all manufacturers moved to a modular approach in construction for military radios. Think of a R-390 or a ARR-41 and everything you can say about not being able to get to the underside of the chaise or work on the radio while in operation applies to them just as well as it applies to a PRC-104 and as far as obtaining parts with the internet and eBay I have had no issues getting components. Buying an integrated circuit on eBay is just as easy as buying a tube. And with the internet it's easier now more than ever to research and find others who may have the same radio or can provide assistance.
My only issue with buying anything built by Racal is that there a British company and may use different component numbering systems then the Motorola or General Dynamics stuff I have worked on.

Ray F

-----Original Message-----
From: mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of W2HX
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 9:55 PM
To: mrca at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [MRCA] problems owning/buying rare radios

Hi friends.  I am recently acquired a really nice Racal BCC-39B which is now my favorite HF manpack.  While there is some *very* basic documentation available, if the thing goes south I am likely SOL.  Now I may have an opportunity to purchase a BCC-39"D". This thing is significantly different than the B. For example, it has an internal ATU (vs the external BCC565 of the "B"), has some kind of hopping capability, uses LED instead of LCD display, etc.  For this radio, there is literally ZERO information on.  This thing makes hens teeth look common!

After thinking about which list to send this inquiry to, I decided the "C"
in MRCA might provide the most sympathetic ears.  What do you folks think about acquiring and owning very rare (and expensive) radios that may be unfixable? The practical ham in me thinks, "stay far away, save your money."
But the collector in me says "rare opportunity, only kid on the block with one, bragging rights galore!"  Now of course, this is a personal decision that no one can make other than me.  But.what do you other collectors think and how do you guys make these kinds of decisions?

Many thanks

 
73 Eugene W2HX
 



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