[PTF Guy]

Hi Elfstone - Very nice article on the GRC-109. Glad you were able to dig up some pix - there are very few of the '109 being used operationally.
The GRC-109 is a rugged, reliable field radio as you described. I use mine almost daily on Ham frequencies - good fun. In the past 6 weeks I have worked Hams in 27 states, including Alaska and Hawaii (plus Aruba and France) from CA using a simple dipole antenna. The '109 can make the distance and it always works. Mine still has all its original tubes.
A minor note on the 1964 frame grab photo of MSG Peghram operating CW with the irregulars: The Signal Corps/National Archives video had misidentified his radio as the GRC-109. It is actually the GRC-9 (note the antenna), another era field radio with roughly similar capabilities. The generator is the same (G-43, Ugh!)
Have fun with your set. Don't miss "Radio Havana Cuba - Free Territory of the Americas" on 6.000 Mc just after local sundown. I wonder how many GRC-109's are still cached in Cuba.
Nice article - you captured it! Tim