[MRCA] CH-54 -> CAP Radios 50 years ago

[Mike Morrow]

Gene,

I was a CAP senior member in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Arkansas, and had some sort of card as a communicator.  About all I did technical was set up temporary antennas on 4630/4627 kHz for the HW-18-1 two-channel USB transceiver we had at an encampment at Blytheville AFB in 1970.

I don't recall any CAP allocations in the 30 to 76 MHz coverage of the AN/PRC-25.  Even if there were, and even though the Army had quickly transitioned to the AN/PRC-77 after 1968, I don't think there were many AN/PRC-25 sets available to the fringe groups associated with the US military.  But maybe so...the Army ROTC armory at Georgia Tech in 1970 had some AN/PRC-25 sets in addition to several hundred fully functional M14 rifles, most without the full-auto selector installed.  (The Navy ROTC there had only M1903 30-06 rifles, and I don't think Air Force ROTC had any weapons.)

The Heath HW-18-1 and the Colins KWM-2A on 4630 kHz, VHF-AM aircraft radios, and the odd CB set with crystals for 26.62 MHz were the only radio gear in Arkansas CAP that I recall.  We had in our stores about a hundred useless T-278/U VHF-FM high-band transmitters for the old AN/VRC-19 set, but nothing else.  We'd have been fascinated by access to an AN/PRC-25.

That's why it surprises me to hear of CAP use of VHF tactical FM sets, and also of the use of military-style tactical callsigns outside the CAP norms of calls like "Razorback 17" (an Arkansas CAP station, of course).

Mike / KK5F
(For no good reason except nostalgia I recently bought for a few bucks an almost pristine unhacked HW-18-1 on 4585/4582 kHz, including its scarce manual.  It's an interesting efficient design that uses 17 active devices in 12 tubes and gets 200W PEP input from two small 6GE5 Compactron finals.  It uses no relays, not even for antenna switching.  It sold alone with no power supply in 1968 as a kit for $120 ($885 in 2019), or factory built for $180 ($1325 in 2019).  Weren't those the good ol' days!

-----Original Message-----
>From: Gene Smar via MRCA <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
>Sent: Sep 3, 2019 9:21 PM
>To: 'MICHAEL ALUZZO' <bellgrove2 at aol.com>, "'B. Smith'" <smithab11 at comcast.net>, mrca at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [MRCA] CH-54
>
>Gents:
>
>     "IGMR" brings back memories for me about my first encounter with a Prick 25.  Back in 1972-ish, I was the Commo Officer for CAP Squadron 305 at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, where I was an EE student.  Our squadron was asked to provide flightline service for Army ROTC Rangers one Saturday during the fall of that year.  PANG were sending Hueys to our football fields over the hill from the main campus to pick up the Rangers at zero dark thirty and take them to IGMR for a day of Ranger "play", then return them more or less safe and sound that evening.
>
>     We arranged with the local FD to have a foam fire truck, ambulance and other apparatus on site for the arrival of the Hueys.  The Rangers were on the field as well, somewhat awake after breakfast.  Also on site were about a half dozen of us CAPers.  A couple of guys were at the far end of the field where the first helo would touch down; others were near the emergency vehicles; and I was on the sidelines between both crews.  We all had PRC-25s, to talk amongst ourselves on the flightline.  I also had a second -25 set on the air-to-ground 35 MHz (I think) PANG channel used by the helos.
>
>     At some point after sunrise we heard a low rumble off in the distance.  After a few minutes the ruble turned into the familiar whop-whop-whop of a stick of 10 Hueys approaching us from the west (from IGMR.)  As they made their final, they turned back to the west and split into two sticks for landing.  They hovered about a half-mile away from the field at maybe 500 feet.
>
>     I got a call over my -25 something like, "Joplin Blend Six this is Tango Six.  Pop smoke for our landing.  Over."  I answered, "This is Joplin Blend Six.  Wilco.  Out."  I hit the PTT on the other -25 and asked the touch down crew to set off one of the ROTC-provided smoke canisters.  They did.  It was green - on a football field!
>
>     My ATG radio blared, "Joplin Blend Six, do you have any other color? Over."  
>
>     "This is Joplin Blend Six.  Negative.  That's all Army ROTC gave us.  Over."
>
>     "This is Tango Six.  Figures.  Out."
>
>     The two sticks landed quite professionally on the fields.  They were loud.  Twenty minutes later, after the ROTC Rangers were loaded on board, my radio opened up once again, "Joplin Blend Six, this is Tango Six.  [Something about requesting permission to get on our way.]  Over."  I hit the PTT, "This is Joplin Blend Six.  Clear for takeoff.  Will maintain emergency equipment at this location for twenty minutes after your departure.  Over."  "This is Tango Six.  Roger. Out."  
>
>     And in 60 seconds only the rumbling from their rotors was left to remind us of their brief visit.
>
>     Later, near dusk, we were back on the same field, fire apparatus at the ready, when my -25's squelch opened up with, "Joplin Blend Six, this is Tango Six.  We will be doing an assault landing.  Over."  I didn't want to show my ignorance so I hit the PTT and said, "This is Joplin Blend Six.  Roger.  Out."
>
>     The next three minutes scared the bejesus out of me.  (Remember:  I was not yet 21 years old and had never served in uniform.)  What we all witnessed was two Hueys begin rapidly circling directly overhead at fifty feet, rolled onto their sides so their guns (Ma Deuces?) were pointed down at the LZ.  One orbited clockwise, the other the other way.  The noise was deafening.  These two gunships continued this maneuver as the ten original helos skimmed slowly across the ground at a foot above it in two sticks while the Rangers jumped out of both doors onto the playing field.  Within a couple of minutes the entire airborne group was on its way back to IGMR.  
>
>     I got on the -25 one final time and said, "Tango Six, this is Joplin Blend Six.  Will maintain emergency equipment this location for twenty minutes after your departure.  Over."  The PANG lead helo radio'ed, "This is Tango Six.  Roger.  Thanks.  Out."  And that was the last time I used a Prick 25 until I bought one of my own in 2004 or so.
>
>     Next time you see me, ask me about my CAP use of PRT-4's and PRR-9's.  
>
>73 de
>Gene Smar  AD3F