[R-390] Surplus Recalls! (was: Is this the beginning of the end?)

[Dave Maples]

All: I'd like to offer another way to look at this.  It's just food for
thought, and all replies are welcome.

1. I was slated to obtain a diesel generator through MARS back in late 2003.
After doing the entire paperwork deal the generator was whisked back into
government service.  Apparently someone decided that maybe it made sense to
pull the generator back into government service, even though they had
already concluded that it was surplus.  Why would they do that?

2. The older-style green gear (PRC-25, etc.) that gets handed down to
National Guard types runs 15 kHz deviation and nothing else, whereas all
commercial gear has been at 5 kHz deviation for years and years, and 2.5 kHz
deviation is on the way.  The commercial gear won't do 15 kHz deviation.  If
the Feds need more equipment that can actually do 15 kHz, there's no
alternative other than purchasing new (at large $$$$$) or reclaiming the
old.  Replacing the old green gear with new commecial gear at 5 kHz
deviation really isn't an option unless the Feds want to replace ALL of the
old gear at one time (good luck getting budget for that).  Further, whatever
they replace it with has to be able to be deployed the same way they deploy
the old green gear (else they have to retrain the troops, at much additional
expense) AND work with the encryption devices and other hardware that they
already have.  If you total up the budget to replace vs. the budget to go
reclaim stuff that was surplused and reactivate it, there's no way that
replacement can beat out reclamation.  The real question: Do the Feds need
more 15 kHz green gear all of a sudden?  If so, why?

3. There's one more thing to consider.  When I worked as a Fed contractor
the Feds treated money for new capital assets much differently than they
treated money for maintenance.  It may well be that they have a
"color-of-money" issue that is preventing them from purchasing NEW
equipment, even though it may serve their needs better, but they can get
money to REPAIR OLD equipment without difficulty.

What this thread suggests to me is that (a) there may be some strain in the
radio assets within DoD (including the Nat Guard units), and (b) due to
budget, time, logistics, and legal (e.g. the color-of-money issue I just
commented on) constraints they aren't able to just go purchase new stuff
right out of the chute and put it into service.  As a result they are
recalling old gear.

Rather than evidence of some conspiracy, this could actually be someone
within the Federal government actually thinking through a problem and coming
up with a solution that doesn't automatically require more deficit spending.
If so, that's actually a GOOD thing, even if it means that the mil-surplus
aspect of the hobby will suffer for a time.

73,
Dave WB4FUR