[wbturner]

When I was with Co B, 20th SFG (A) in Jackson MS we had ANGRC 109s. They were all we had so we used them and adjusted our training to make them really useful. Every 05B had a working knowledge of CW and antenna theory so it was not a stretch to make them work for us. RF burns were like WWII M-1 thumbs. They were a curse from the beast. After a little practice, trial and error, they were a great radio set. The antennas were a product of theory, trial and error, and lots of practice. One of the traditions we developed was that the person who wrote the message cranked the generator when it was sent. Kept 'em short and concise.
I moved to Co A 20th SFG in Montgomery AL for a short while and we had a version of 109 that was small and transistorized. I can't remember it's exact nomenclature but it worked exactly the same. The Transmitter, Receiver, and "small" Power supply would exactly fit -one each in a field jacket pocket. It had all the performance without the bulk and weight. There was nothing you could do with he generator except lug it and the seat. We found some very inventive ways to get AC power. "Good Old Days?" I wouldn't change a thing!