PRC 10 radios

[jeffhuey1n]

Over the years I’ve acquired some PRC 10 radios. Two are in backpack configuration and one is set up for use in a vehicle. I put together a bench to try and test each one with the plan to incorporate them into my War Wagon a replica gun truck from the Vietnam War. I picked up one of the home made battery packs for use in the two backpacks. The vehicle mounted one just needs a power source.
My question, therefore is what is the proper power input to operate these radios? Is it 24 volt? I am not a radio operator by any stretch of the imagination but I want to make these work.
Another question concerns getting a license to operate these radios. Am I required to get a license for them?
Pictures to come later once I get things organized.

 

[Bulldogger]

The vehicle mounted radio should be fine w 24 VDC. The manpack versions need the special battery that has multiple voltages, unfortunately, unless you find a modern adapter that has the necessary voltage step ups and so on. Not to say it can't be done, but it will take a little doing. Here is one adapter I found with a search of eBay. I do not know this seller and cannot speak to the quality or utility https://www.ebay.com/itm/226651368850

As far as licensing, YES, to be legal to operate in the PRC-10s VHF military frequencies, you should obtain an FCC technician license at the very least (lowest of the three levels). It is a multiple choice exam, administered by your local ARRL club. You should be able to find it online, and the ARRL website has practice exams. If you use the ARRL study guides, it's not hard to pass.

ARRL | Licensing, Education & Training | Getting on the Air

Find the information you need to get your ham radio license, get on the air, and get more involved in amateur radio operating, all from ARRL.

www.arrl.org

As a fun benefit of getting your Federal radio license, most States allow you to use it as your license plate number. It looks like Wyoming allows this https://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/titles_plates_registration/specialty_plates/Radio_Amateur.html
Both my wife and I have our FCC callsigns as our license plates. Virginia even allows us to use ours on more than one vehicle, since it is a Federally recognized designation.

Good luck!

Bulldogger
KO4GMY

 

[jeffhuey1n]

The vehicle mounted radio should be fine w 24 VDC. The manpack versions need the special battery that has multiple voltages, unfortunately, unless you find a modern adapter that has the necessary voltage step ups and so on. Not to say it can't be done, but it will take a little doing. Here is one adapter I found with a search of eBay. I do not know this seller and cannot speak to the quality or utility https://www.ebay.com/itm/226651368850

As far as licensing, YES, to be legal to operate in the PRC-10s VHF military frequencies, you should obtain an FCC technician license at the very least (lowest of the three levels). It is a multiple choice exam, administered by your local ARRL club. You should be able to find it online, and the ARRL website has practice exams. If you use the ARRL study guides, it's not hard to pass.

ARRL | Licensing, Education & Training | Getting on the Air

Find the information you need to get your ham radio license, get on the air, and get more involved in amateur radio operating, all from ARRL.

www.arrl.org

As a fun benefit of getting your Federal radio license, most States allow you to use it as your license plate number. It looks like Wyoming allows this https://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/titles_plates_registration/specialty_plates/Radio_Amateur.html
Both my wife and I have our FCC callsigns as our license plates. Virginia even allows us to use ours on more than one vehicle, since it is a Federally recognized designation.

Good luck!

Bulldogger
KO4GMY

Thank you for all the great info!

 

[msgjd]

keep in mind the radios are polarity-specific .. I built a power source adapter for my prick77 and certainly know better, but I was in a hurry to test it by quickly touching the power source leads to the input leads.. I did not mark my leads (bad dog!) , and apparently lost track of polarity in the rush.. Bad bad BAD dog! .. All it took was a nanosecond of a wire touch to blow something inside the radio

i recall doing EngrBN guard duty at night in an M882 a few times at FLW Mo, listening to TV stations in between sitreps

 

[NDT]

I think you can shout farther than a PRC-10 will transmit. If it will work at all. I never had any luck getting them to work. Something about the capacitors aging out.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

I think you can shout farther than a PRC-10 will transmit. If it will work at all. I never had any luck getting them to work. Something about the capacitors aging out.

I’m in the early stages of learning about radios. I’ve got a bunch of test equipment and power sources that may help my journey, once I figure out how they work. I’ve also got a bunch of electronic parts, which I need to figure out how to use to repair broken radios.
My end goal is to have radios that I can use in conjunction with my gun truck for displays. It’ll add that touch of realism to make a more realistic display.

 

[M813rc]

Having several military radios, like you I wanted to be able to legally use them, so a few years ago reloader64 and I decided to get our licenses. We spent about three weeks doing the online study guide, then went to a local ham show where they were giving the tests for free. We both passed an shortly had license in hand.
If I can do it, you can!

Cheers...KI5YJD

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Having several military radios, like you I wanted to be able to legally use them, so a few years ago reloader64 and I decided to get our licenses. We spent about three weeks doing the online study guide, then went to a local ham show where they were giving the tests for free. We both passed an shortly had license in hand.
If I can do it, you can!

Cheers...KI5YJD

Hopefully they have something like that near Cheyenne. Back when I was still in the service, I needed to get my A&P license. I had to take three multiple guess tests and the oral and then practical tests. It took about a month and a half or so to do everything . It was really expensive though, something like $1,500.00 to pay for everything. I bought the study guides to prepare for the written tests and the guides for the other tests. It was a lot of work but it was also kinda fun.