[MRCA] The PRC-104 Saga

[Peter Gottlieb]

I have a PRC-104 setup which includes the pack RT and amp/tuner, antennas, 
battery packs I made up using NiMH, a custom charger I made which runs from AC, 
12 VDC, and a Marine Corp solar panel (I made the charger MPPT).  Plus key, 
mics, headphones, laptop interface for data modes, and more.  So you could run 
out in the field off grid essentially forever.

I also have the GRC-193 setup with 400 W amp, NOS mounting frame, tuner, RTTY 
interface, cables, etc.  And the small mounting base, don't remember the model, 
which has the antenna switch on it.

It all works fine.

Unfortunately, I really don't use it so am planning on selling the entire setup.

Peter



On 5/7/2013 1:51 PM, Al Klase wrote:
> Gang,
>
> As some of you know I've been using an AN/PRC-104A HF back-pack transceiver 
> for 3 or 4 years now.  I really like this radio, and it performs very well.  
> For instance, I ran the Moose & Squirrel 60-meter Net from the MTA meet in 
> North Jersey the other Saturday, feeding a simple half-wave end-fed wire at 
> about 10 feet, and easily worked stations from Dover, DE to northern NH. These 
> were the follow on to the Vietnam era PRC-74, and are quintessential 
> long-range-reconnaissance-patrol radios with a proud history.
>
>
>
> Now, you may have heard me mutter that radios like this are just a heartbeat 
> away from being a wheel chock.  Unlike the earlier radios, like the PRC-47 and 
> PRC-74, they are serviceable only by swapping out major components.  Hughes 
> was building spacecraft at the time they designed this radio.  The circuit 
> cards are multi-layer boards using custom hermetically-sealed surface-mount 
> hybrid integrated circuits.  I have a fair amount of experience working on 
> solid-state radios, and own the appropriate test equipment, but these modules 
> are beyond my capabilities.
>
> I actually own there of these sets. Two of them work, and I haven't delved 
> into the third, as I have only one good A1A3 synthesizer module among them.
>
> So, at the simplest level, I'm looking for an A1A3 board.  I have a quote from 
> Columbia Electronics for $750.  Ouch!
>
> It's pretty clear to me that PRC-104's are being cannibalized to keep the 
> remaining sets running.  What I'd like to do is identify who's sitting on 
> what, and see if we can help each other.
>
> What do you have?
> Al
> -- 
> Al Klase - N3FRQ
> Jersey City, NJ
> http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/
>
>
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