View Full Version : Typical A-Team Commo Bunker in RVN -- A-244 Dak To.
Can you ID the different radios?[COLOR=skyblue][COLOR=skyblue]
CommoGeek
04-23-2004, 14:48
You're going to make me Google, aren't you?
RT-524, 106 and a RT-841??? I believe.
CommoGeek
04-23-2004, 16:46
Bottom radio, first picture is a R390A. I'm not sure if this is the MIL nomenclature or not.
Originally posted by CommoGeek
Bottom radio, first picture is a R390A. I'm not sure if this is the MIL nomenclature or not.
That is correct CG. The R-390A was the work horse of AM/HF receivers. All services used them to include the Navy and SIGINT units. It almost took four hands to operate it. With the vol. control, tuning knob BFO, and band width filter, you could isolate practically any signal on the air. It was perfect for receiving the low power CW signals of the AN/GRC-109. I have heard that SIGINT units still use this receiver today.
The unit at the top left is an aux. speaker .:p
Originally posted by flyboy1
RT-524, 106 and a RT-841??? I believe.
Flyboy: You are correct about the RT-524. There is also a PRC-25 or 77. Y"all are going to have to help me with the rest. Most of the Vehicular FM radios you see on an A site were not organic to SF. We had a very active "requisition system". As an example, at Dak To there were several 4th ID jeeps missing radios. :D
I was not assigned to A-244. I was assigned to FOB-2 and Dak To was used as a launch site and I got my beginning as an operator at Dak-to. I shared their site and most of the FM equipment was ours courtesy of various II Corp "Donors".
CommoGeek
04-23-2004, 18:25
Second radio from the top in the second photo LOOKS like a GRC-46, but I didn't think that radio was in service then. The one blow it is the PRC-25/77.
That is a GRC-109 with power supplies on the top of the first photo. IIRC, if you didn't have the power supplies, power was derived from a hand-crank usually operated by the ODA's XO. :)
Originally posted by CommoGeek
Second radio from the top in the second photo LOOKS like a GRC-46, but I didn't think that radio was in service then. The one blow it is the PRC-25/77.
That is a GRC-109 with power supplies on the top of the first photo. IIRC, if you didn't have the power supplies, power was derived from a hand-crank usually operated by the ODA's XO. :)
The unit on the top left with the voltmeter is the smaller of two powersupplies. I believe it is the PP-2685 and the larg power supply is the PP-2684 (I may have them reversed).. The large power supply was capable of working off of 6 vdc batteries which were standard in those days.
We normally deployed with both the G-43 hand crank generator and smaller power supply in case we had access to AC power. Later we carried the UGP-12 .25 KW gas generator.
Kyobanim
04-23-2004, 19:50
I did notice your assortment of 'paper weights' on the top shelf.:D
BMT (RIP)
04-24-2004, 05:08
QRQ 30, Damn all we had at Quan Loi LS was a Collins KWM-2 and PRC-25.
BMT
LAUNCH SITE PUKE
I was assigned to the COMCEN when I got to FOB-2. I did everything to get out. I volunteered for the LS. I helped A-244 since they were in the process of re-locating to Ben Het. I then volunteered for a stint on Leghorn. That was extended because of Tet. I then returned to the COMCEN. The third time an S-3 officer came in and changed the way an AAR was written after I had it typed up and ready for RTT I got up and walked out. He asked where I thought I was going and I said since he lnew more about my job than I ,I was going somewhere I was needed. That was the beginning of my career on an RT. :D
Solid: Your mailbox is full. Try this link. Leghorn is about half way down.
http://sfcommo.com/5thsfga/id5.html
Clear now, thank you for the link.
Solid
BTW nothing was "stolen". It was amazing what you could get with a supply of genuwine hand sewn VC flags splattered with chicken blood. :D
Hey where do you plug the laptop computer into?:D
BMT (RIP)
04-26-2004, 17:18
Max Tab Do you really want to know???:munchin
BMT
NousDefionsDoc
06-27-2004, 16:03
Originally posted by BMT
Max Tab Do you really want to know???:munchin
BMT
LOL
I can't remember any of the radios anymore except the 109 and the 77. We had one ssb radio that I used but can't remember the type.
Recon at CCN was full of commo guys, everyone wanted out of the commo shack. I spent a couple of months at the MLT and on Fuller and Hickory RR before going to Recon. Spent the last 40 days in the TOC.
Did you ever get RTTY training. Mine was OJT. Showed me the machine and said send these....
Originally posted by rwt_bkk
I can't remember any of the radios anymore except the 109 and the 77. We had one ssb radio that I used but can't remember the type.
Recon at CCN was full of commo guys, everyone wanted out of the commo shack. I spent a couple of months at the MLT and on Fuller and Hickory RR before going to Recon. Spent the last 40 days in the TOC.
Did you ever get RTTY training. Mine was OJT. Showed me the machine and said send these....
You are refering to the KWM-2A which became the FRC-93 (military version). It worked fine until we got the linear amplifiers making it the "A" model. Lack of experience and knowledge of antenna matching resulted in about half or more going up in smoke in RVN.
As for LLTT and RTT I also learned OJT.
There were few SF qualified O5Bs who were content to watch the war from a bunker. That brings up Plasters book. I wonder who the 05B was who wanted to work in commo and didn't see the light of day until DEROS. It was the RTT that led to me going recon. We had to manually type a tape to be fed to the keyer. These tapes were about two miles long. The third time an officer told me to change an AAR I told him to do it himself and went to the recon company. Those were the days!! If you were willing to beat the brush you could do almost anything you wanted.;)
Nope it wasn't the Collins, I knew that rig we didn't have one. I think (CRS!)is was a PRC-74. We used it for SSB and CW between the TOC and Eagle Nest. Was an OD issue rig.
One word of advice, if you don't WANT to be a radio operator flunk the RST test! I was a ham since age 12. Maxed the code test and was ordered to be Commo man (I wanted to be O&I). Spent most of my training time in a snack bar. Instructors didn't want me in class. So just showed up to learn the new radios and take tests. It did take me 4 weeks to finish code school though, couldn't get 15 wpm, just the wrong rhythm for me. Passed at 22wpm but took another week doing it.
I heard a lot of stories about people burning out the finals on the KWM2. Never had a problem. Probably had something to do with the 6146-A tubes. Later versions were pretty good. I used the 6146-W in my Kenwood. Used one pair for years included several major radio contests where they were on for 48 hrs straight without problems.
Nope it wasn't the Collins, I knew that rig we didn't have one. I think (CRS!)is was a PRC-74. We used it for SSB and CW between the TOC and Eagle Nest. Was an OD issue rig.
One word of advice, if you don't WANT to be a radio operator flunk the RST test! I was a ham since age 12. Maxed the code test and was ordered to be Commo man (I wanted to be O&I). Spent most of my training time in a snack bar. Instructors didn't want me in class. So just showed up to learn the new radios and take tests. It did take me 4 weeks to finish code school though, couldn't get 15 wpm, just the wrong rhythm for me. Passed at 22wpm but took another week doing it.
I heard a lot of stories about people burning out the finals on the KWM2. Never had a problem. Probably had something to do with the 6146-A tubes. Later versions were pretty good. I used the 6146-W in my Kenwood. Used one pair for years included several major radio contests where they were on for 48 hrs straight without problems.
How can anyone fail the "RIMK" test unless they tried? :D