[MRCA] adding another guy to the MRCA group

Thu Apr 15 07:31:18 EDT 2021

Hi Mark
Hi Ray

I would like to know how can we add another person to this group.  
Steve Hood is a retired Army helicopter pilot and owns a WWII Dodge WC and a Korean War Jeep.  He has some military radios and is buying more.  He lives in Topeka, Kansas. 

Thanks,
David Craine

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 15, 2019, at 11:47 PM, mkdorney at aol.com wrote:
> 
> 
> My apologies for getting the radio types mixed up.  I claim a long day at work, and perhaps a bit of a senior moment.  The SCR-284 is the BC-654;  What I thought you were referring to was the radio in the picture you are in, which is either an SCR-694/BC1306 or an AN/GRC-9.  In any case, I'd get that radio under cover.  The SCR694/BC-1306 is a late war radio. It was supposed to replace the SCR-284/BC654.  The SCR-694/BC1306  had the problems getting the correct power supplies shipped to Europe with the radios, although it was used extensively in 1944 and 1945 in the Pacific.  The SCR-284/BC654 was widely used in Europe for the duration of WW2.  The vehicle radio mount for it is the FM-41. The issued vehicle antenna base for the SCR-284 was the MP-48, although it could use other types.  The vehicle antenna base issued with the SCR-694/BC-1306 is the MP-65, although the earlier antennas could also be used. The BC-659 radio could use either the MP-48, MP-65 or the AB-15 mast base, but just make sure that the antenna can the same type of antenna wire as the radio.
> 
> Mark
> WW2RDO 
> 
> From: mrca at mailman.qth.net
> Reply-to: mkdorney at aol.com
> To: david.r.craine at gmail.com
> Cc: RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu, mrca at mailman.qth.net
> Sent: 2/15/2019 10:04:27 PM Eastern Standard Time
> Subject: Re: [MRCA] Additional thought on Dayton Hamvention
> 
> The BC-659 was the radio used by the Field Artillery. The BC-620 is an Infantry Radio. That’s the bad news. The good news is that while operating a BC-620 can get some Hams pissed off at you for using phone (voice) transmissions on frequencies used more for CW ( Morse Code ) transmissions, the BC-659 is good to go for voice at some frequencies above 29.0 MHz fm. Power supplies for the BC-620 and BC-659 are interchangeable. Just make sure the output power on the power supply and the input power on the radio match. The way to tell the difference between a BC-620 and a BC-659 is that the BC-659 has a speaker in the front, while the BC-620 has no internally mounted speaker. In NY, we have our BC-659s set on 29.6 and 29.1 MHz FM.  
> 
> Your best bet is to see if you can get a hold of a WW2 dated TO&E for a HQ Battery for either a Mech or a towed FA battalion and see what they actually had. I think you have a good start with the BC-284/BC-1306(80 meters, can work with the BC-611 Handie Talkie).  Keep in mind the the SCR-284/BC-1306 was a very late war radio. Also, there were some delivery problems in Europe with the power supply made for that radio. Look around for a BC-659. For just the radio in decent but non-working condition, the price should be in the $200-$400 range.
> 
>     I’d move the SCR-284 to get it under the canvas for the troop compartment. Best to get that radio out of the elements.
>    
>     Do you have any vehicle antennas for your radios?  I didn’t see any in you pictures. The SCR-284 was issued with an MP-65 antenna base for the vehicle. If you have trouble finding one, let me know and I’ll see what I can find. The BC-620 and
> BC-659 can use either the MP-48 or more plentiful AB-15 antenna base. Just make sure you can get the correct wire W-128 to connect the radio to the antenna. Also, don’t use more that three feet of that wire when connecting the radio to the antenna or you’ll have antenna matching problems.
> 
> 73
> Mark
> WW2RDO
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 15, 2019, at 9:16 PM, David Craine <david.r.craine at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi thank you!  You guys can ask anything.  Hello from a fellow Redleg.  In 1983 I started as a Pvt E1 13B cannon cocker and was almost immediately pulled into the FDC, for a few years.  Then became an Artillery Officer.  
> I desire to replicate a WWII artillery fire direction center.  Battalion level.  I have an SCR-620 that needs some work.  I have an SCR-284 and just got the mount as a kit and an AM receiver  BC-312.  One of my BC-312 was converted to AC and it does glow and produces static.  I’m pretty excited about that.  I set up a large fly tent and back my truck up to it. 
> 
> <image1.jpeg>
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 15, 2019, at 19:57, Mkdorney <mkdorney at aol.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello David,
>        First of all, welcome to the group. If I may be so bold to ask, what branch of the Army. I was an O-3, 13E5H.
> 
>       What rigs do you have in the WC ?   I don’t think I’d add any more. The’d be kind of like crew served weapons in that if the vehicle was destroyed, the unit would loose 3 radios. I am torn in adding even a second radio to mine. I can add either a BC-659-B or a VRC-3 (BC 1000 with a PP-114 power supply. My PP-114 is dated 1945 ). I’m not sure I want to add either.  Where did you put the radio connection box - in the front passenger side tool box ( factory mount ) or behind the driver on the front wall of the troop compartment (field mount)? 
> 
> What level Amateur ticket do you hold?  General or Extra?
> 
> 73
> Mark
> WW2RDO
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 15, 2019, at 8:32 PM, David Craine <david.r.craine at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi guys, I’m new here and this is my first post.  I have a 1943 Dodge WC52 and I have 2-3 radios from WWII mounted in the back.  I found your group and I hope I can learn from you all and I agree with Mark.  At the 2018 MVPA Convention I went straight to the tables with military radios and there weren’t many!  I’m hoping we can do more events together.  I’m in a MVPA club in Topeka Kansas, I live in Lawrence kansas.  
> I’m 53 year old retired Colonel and now work for the VA.  
> Dave
> 
> <image1.jpeg>
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 15, 2019, at 16:16, Mkdorney via MRCA <mrca at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> There are 4 letters I would recommend all Hams with an interest in military Radio technology  memorize:  MVPA.  It stands for the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. Their International convention this year is in August in York, PA. Those in the Northeast know that the MRCA joins the local chapter of the MVPA in Gilbert PA every year for their show. That could be replicated across the country if Hams who have Military radio gear got together with local MVPA organizations. There are even some recruiting possibilities at these shows as many of these vehicle owners have old, working and non working radios and really don’t know where to turn to in order to get licensed and get there stuff fixed. And you don’t need to worry so much about your “old stuff” being pushed into a corner, because their stuff is also the old stuff. 
> 
> As far as the ARRL is concerned, Military radio collectors and operators have been the bastard stepchildren for some time now, and that really doesn’t look to be changing any time soon. The ARRL has become way too involved with companies like Yaesu and the like, especially monetarily, to hope for any change on their part. In that respect, the ARRL has become nothing more than a trade group for these manufacturers. The only possible way that will ever change as far as events like Dayton are concerned is if Military radio collectors demand that change. And the big money manufacturers will fight tooth and nail before they allow that to happen.
> 
> Mark
> WW2RDO
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 15, 2019, at 10:26 AM, Ray Fantini <RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
> If you look at the amount of promotion that’s been going on  in QST and how packed the dealer and sales pavilions are I have to wonder if maybe the flea market aspect of the Hamvention is being pushed off to the side and being left to wither and die? Or is it that the entire concept of used equipment, homebuilt and playing around with old radios is itself died out?
> 
> Pure speculation on my part but is there a effort to make the Hamvention into a convention where they just talk and show the newest and latest technology and the hell with all that old junk and the people who want to mess with it? Looking at the ARRL it appears that’s their main interest is in pushing you to go out and buy the newest whatever and that if you’re not on the cutting edge or using the newest digital mode you not a complete Ham.
> 
> I work in a technical field and have to deal with installing the latest software, operating systems and hardware every day and the last thing I want to do when I am not at work is have to download stuff and resolve set up issues, so I prefer to work with the technology of the past where you can get in, make changes and work with things at a slower pace. After all it is a hobby and not a business. So that’s the question is Hamvention evolving into something more along the lines of a boat show, where everything is about the newest and most expensive or will it still reflect whatever the general state of the hobby is?
> 
> And what is the general state of the hobby? Maybe this is the future and people like me that are getting older and prefer to waste time on technology from our past just need to get out of the way for the Hams of the future? Although most of the people I know, see at the fest and have talked with are just as old if not older then I am so where are all these Hams of the future? Maybe by getting rid of us old buzzard Hams that will entice theses young Hams out to the events? Yet another reason to kill off the flea market.
> 
>  
> 
> Have to remember your Bell “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us” Somehow always thought that was a bible quote but apparently not. Maybe if Hamvention is failing in my expatiations or costing too much it is time to make this the last trip, but other regional sales like Frostfest are doing great and maybe look to a future of more online and local stuff.
> 
>  
> 
> Collecting and using military technology in some ways is a smaller subset then the larger Vintage Ham radio community is, but it’s what I want to do and once you get into the military collectors community you soon discover the weapon, vehicle and many other collectors that have a thriving community that somehow survives without having a national organization that’s beating the drum for everyone to go out and buy or constantly move forward. Perhaps the nearest analog would be the reenactors and what they are doing although I don’t consider myself a reenactor, but they are from what I see a growing group and would assume they have some sort of organization and publications and would assume that a large part of it involves advertising and trying to get there members to go out and buy things.
> 
>  
> 
> It all circles back to Dayton and what the future is there. Perhaps it’s my expectations that have changed and not the Hamvention at all? Or maybe it’s a combination of the two? Or maybe it’s just that it’s a Friday and Friday morning are somewhat slow here at work and it’s an opportunity to take time out and write about these things and try to get an idea what others think.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Ray F/KA3EKH
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
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