AN/PRC-117F
 

Any thoughts on it? It seemed like the baddest radio ever in the briefing about it the other day, even though we won't be carrying one. I was really impressed with it and had to ask how often we are going to run into people using them. The answer was we probably won't. The 1Lt briefing us said that his unit had one, but noted he did his best to acquire more for his troops, but couldn't get the funding (they are 75,000k a piece.) He said that some of SF personnel he ran across were drooling over it asking how he got it.

Found this http://www.rfcomm.harris.com/news/vi...kup&pr_id=2253, maybe they will be more prevalent. :cool:

I know this is an old post, but i have been using 117's for quite a while. I love the thing. What questions do you have (if you still have any).

I'm looking back at this post an laughing now. I swear this year with the Army (EOD, Scouts, Sappers, and Grunts ) has been like drinking from a fire hose. I had never used a Harris Radio until I got to CST. Now every day I'm screwing around with them. I actually have two of their contractors as roommates for a few days while they are here helping my team. The 117 and 152 are damn fine radios.

Radios
 

At the risk of expanding the post beyond it's original theme:

Remember the AN/GRC 109 = An AM radio with fixed crystals to set the frequency?

Duplex ... one box to transmit and one box to receive.

And then came along the AN/PRC-74B with FM and SSB capability?

And there were URC-10's. And URC-90's.

And KY-38's and KY other stuff?

And keying units with little magnetic tape cartridges ...


And we were joking about "you know, one day they will laugh at us because the Army will have AM/FM/UHF/VHF/SATCOM and it will all fit in a box that will slide into a side pouch on your ruck ..."

I guess those days are now.

I just get concerned when P.A.C.E. resides in a single box........

Redundant systems
 

At 15.9 Pounds with batteries, I'll bring two.

Specs: http://www.rfcomm.harris.com/product...rc-117f-hq.pdf

117F is great, but the 152 is better!
 

At 15 pounds or whatever it weighs, the 117F is heavy. Break contact with on your back. The 152 is essentially the same radio with less RF power output, and the industry has several external amplifier solutions available.

In addition to being smaller, the 152 uses considerably fewer BA5590s than a 117F or PSC-5D.

When at the ABNSOTD I was the Test Officer for the 117F, Great Radio-It was the first ever radio to pass the DAMA test on its first attempt.

And I do remember the 109, 74B, 70, URC110 and so on. I was a Echo for 15 plus years and a Freq Manager

Burst Device
 

CSB, I absolutely remember the 109, with the additional black box, AN/GRA-71 Coder Burst Device. But you didn't mention my all time favorite, the hand crank generator, G-43. I have fond memories of the guy cranking the generator letting me know when I started transmitting and had a good load on the antenna.

Humping an Angry 109 and G43 in a M1951 Mountain Ruck is an experience one will ever forget:lifter

http://www.prc68.com/I/GRC109.shtml

Smaller and Lighter
 

RE: G43.... been there done that.

And we thought the AN/PRC-74B was hot stuff.

Now there's the 117 (I wonder if it was named after the Stealth Fighter of the same digits?)

In about 20 more years I predict commo will be cell phone / Blackberry sized, (solar powered) to a world wide network of voice and data.

Maybe even on a wrist band, or a "Beam me up Scotty" sized "communucator" on a lapel pin.

I see more "hands across the OBJ" if that's the case, and more issued lightweight gear to keep the loadout poundage about the same :D

PRC-117
 

For WCH and Mosby Raider. I too remember the GRC-109. and the GN-43. I also remember how we hated the weight. And how at commo time, we were stringing the antenna and shackling messages while the rest of the team was taking 10. I hated that radio so much that in retirement, I found one, bought it and set it up in my den. Receiver on only of course. Dial up WWV and CHU once in a while for a time check. When I left group for flight school, my last act was to sell my Vibroplex Blue Racer!

LOL we been saying that since Kirk wore a red shirt....

Lot of HAMMY stuff out there that comes close to the lightweight ideal in a lot of the bands, problem is when we attach the 10-pound "MILSPEC" plate on it. Heck the 132 beat most everything out there in HF-land long before it's time but never caught on (and it sucked to pack due to the configuration).

Multiband is the way to go. Software defined systems that can be reprogrammed on the fly will be the ticket. Cognizant systems are down the road, but most of the big name manufacturers are scared of the concept (along with the spectrum regulators)