[MRCA] SCR-284 PE-103

[Rob Flory]

I was talking about WWII in the Pacific.

RF

On Wed, Oct 4, 2017 at 10:34 AM, <mkdorney at aol.com> wrote:

> A bunch of wire was not a practical answer to what we were doing.  We were
> moving too often.  We only used wire to make non-issued long wire antennas
> for our PRC-77 radios ( we could't get any issue ones, and it was not a big
> deal if we lost one of our improvised long wire antennas - we just made
> another).  Phone wire could also give away your position if you didn't bury
> it.  Now if you were back "in the rear, with the gear" wire and remoting
> the radios could and did play a more prominent role.
>
> Mark
> WW2RDO
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 10/4/2017 10:18:42 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> farmer.rob.flory at gmail.com writes:
>
> Garrett hit the nail on the head:
>
> "Regarding whether or not you take a heavy medium power HF radio set to
> the sharp end, complete with a PE-103 dynamotor and probably a truck to
> power it - well that’s a different matter.  "
>
> At the sharp end it was all about wire.   Even low power HF radios were
> not commonly up at the sharp end.
> RF
>
> On Wed, Oct 4, 2017 at 9:35 AM, Garret Scott <scottgs at bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
>
>> I agree with Robert.   In my opinion, the SCR-284, with PE-103 is
>> probably the quietest of all the WWII radio sets that I have, while
>> transmitting. However, I only have a handful that I have restored and
>> operated.
>>
>>
>>
>> But, I think the discussion is not that it is silent, but that relative
>> to the other HF sets available to the Marine Corps, i.e. TBX, etc., it is
>> at least as quiet, and maybe quieter, even when running with hand-cranked
>> generators.  In receive, of course they all can run from dry batteries, so
>> there is zero sound emitted from the power generation for the sets.  Even
>> the PE-104 vibrator supply in the SCR-284, if used instead of dry
>> batteries, seems exceptionally quiet on receive.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have noted a comment in one of the books I have about the Native
>> American Code Talkers, that when discussing radios it was mentioned how
>> noisy the TBX hand crank generator was, and that SOP was to find a shell
>> crater to put the generator in, attached to a log on the ground, just to
>> help keep it quieter. Having operated this set, I can attest to the fact
>> that the hand-crank generator is rather loud, at least the three that I
>> have are.  As I have also learned through (somewhat painful) experience,
>> there are several other short comings of TBX set too, which do not exist in
>> the SCR-284 or BC-1306 – but I digress.  I can say that if I were given a
>> choice of HF radios, I’d probably choose the SCR-284 over the TBX (if I
>> didn’t have to carry it), as it is one fine working radio.
>>
>>
>>
>> Regarding whether or not you take a heavy medium power HF radio set to
>> the sharp end, complete with a PE-103 dynamotor and probably a truck to
>> power it - well that’s a different matter.   But surely if you did, the
>> SCR-284 would be amongst the quietest. And the heaviest.
>>
>>
>>
>> I’m no expert, and I wasn’t there of course, so these are just my amateur
>> observations after fooling with these WWII radios for several years.
>>
>>
>>
>> Garret
>>
>> W8BUG
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
>> *On Behalf Of *WA5CAB--- via MRCA
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, October 3, 2017 7:34 PM
>> *To:* mrca at mailman.qth.net
>> *Subject:* Re: [MRCA] SCR-284 PE-103
>>
>>
>>
>> That's what I've been trying to say.  The ones that I have/have had are
>> quieter than even a DM-32.  And definitely quieter than a BD-77 or DM-41.
>>
>> Robert Downs - Houston
>> wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
>> MVPA 9480
>>
>> In a message dated 10/03/2017 06:16:10 AM Central Daylight Time,
>> scottgs at bellsouth.net writes:
>>
>> Surprised to hear this. The two PE-103's I have are exceptionally quiet,
>> more so than even some hand crank generators. You can barely hear them
>> outside a tent. Compared to other dynamotors, they seem the quietest of
>> all.
>>
>> Perhaps there's differences among them?
>>
>> Garret
>> W8BUG
>>
>>
>>
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