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I've got some Ham radio doodads out in the barn. A big arsed antenna among other things. I'm getting rid of all of it. Too many projects so some are going away. If interested PM me.
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saving military communications gear at hamfests
- Thread starter maddawg308
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I'll post pics.
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General Hood
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Are any of you guys making it to HamCom this weekend? There is usually some military radio equipment available from some of the vendors who set up outside the building. I can't make it this year due to other responsibilities
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Next show: Manassas VA 6/4/17, bright sunny day and a decent crowd! Always fun at Manassas...
Pic 1-2: telegraph set TG-5-B - this is a late war telegraph key set, comes in a self-enclosed box with a bunch of electronics and a battery pack, along with the headset and key. This unit was in good shape but was missing most of the set, except for the key which was present. No price listed for it.
Pic 3: Another Hammarlund SP-600, this one is a JX-17 version, probably the most common of the SP-600 Super Pro series. This unit was used by several agencies and military branches, but this specific iteration was never given a military designation, unlike other -600 SPs. The JX-17 was the only one that had the red-colored metal knobs, other versions had black plastic. $600 obo was listed for this boat anchor, a bit high but if it worked okay I would gladly offer $450 to $475.
Pic 4: I've posted pics of R-390As before and given you the rundown, they are a great HF radio receiver. If you have $300-400 and you like quality radios, you NEED to have one in your shack. This unit was in good condition and working, seller was taking offers. I figured $250 would've brought it home.
Pic 5: A Hammarlund BC-794-B, the Signal Corps version of the SP-200SX. All Hammarlund are well-built and will give you decades of enjoyment if well cared for. This unit was mid-WWII in age, the BC-794 is perhaps the most rare of the SP-200 series. It's rack mounted, covers 1.2 to 40 MHz in receive. This one came with the rack mounted power supply for $100 - a GREAT deal and I was ready to purchase it when the owner said it worked. However, seeing a tag attached to the top of the power supply listed a half-dozen problems with the radio set, it DID work, but there were 5-6 features that didn't, all probably related to capacitor failure. While this can be remedied by a recapping job, I need another radio project like I need a hole in the head, so I opted to leave her where she was.
Pics 6-9: what I came home with!
I caught up with the seller who had the TS-497B/URR signal generator for $25 at the Howard Cty. show, he was set up there and still had the unit (!!!). I whipped out a $20 and a $5 and was glad noone else caught that unit first!
- Lot of 3 various ARC (Aircraft Radio Corp) R-34 type aircraft receivers. I don't know much about these, from what I understand they are descendants of the venerable ARC-5 radio sets I have plenty of. For $10 for the lot of 3 units, I'll take a chance.
-Test Oscillator TS-170/ARN-5. This unit was disassembled when I found it, I put it back together again. The AN/ARN-5 is an airborne glide path receiver, fixed freq. of 335 MHz. This is calibration source for that radio. It's probably useless for me, but for $2 I'll hold down more paper around here.
- Couple military coiled cables, a H-113/U headset, a WWII J-45 leg key bracket (without the key, but I have one here), and an odd flip-phone-like radio handset that is for a European military radio. Unsure of model, there are several places on it with three crowns in an inverted triangle, I assume that is supposed to hint at its country of origin, but got me. If anyone knows what model handset it is, please let me know.
Pic 1-2: telegraph set TG-5-B - this is a late war telegraph key set, comes in a self-enclosed box with a bunch of electronics and a battery pack, along with the headset and key. This unit was in good shape but was missing most of the set, except for the key which was present. No price listed for it.
Pic 3: Another Hammarlund SP-600, this one is a JX-17 version, probably the most common of the SP-600 Super Pro series. This unit was used by several agencies and military branches, but this specific iteration was never given a military designation, unlike other -600 SPs. The JX-17 was the only one that had the red-colored metal knobs, other versions had black plastic. $600 obo was listed for this boat anchor, a bit high but if it worked okay I would gladly offer $450 to $475.
Pic 4: I've posted pics of R-390As before and given you the rundown, they are a great HF radio receiver. If you have $300-400 and you like quality radios, you NEED to have one in your shack. This unit was in good condition and working, seller was taking offers. I figured $250 would've brought it home.
Pic 5: A Hammarlund BC-794-B, the Signal Corps version of the SP-200SX. All Hammarlund are well-built and will give you decades of enjoyment if well cared for. This unit was mid-WWII in age, the BC-794 is perhaps the most rare of the SP-200 series. It's rack mounted, covers 1.2 to 40 MHz in receive. This one came with the rack mounted power supply for $100 - a GREAT deal and I was ready to purchase it when the owner said it worked. However, seeing a tag attached to the top of the power supply listed a half-dozen problems with the radio set, it DID work, but there were 5-6 features that didn't, all probably related to capacitor failure. While this can be remedied by a recapping job, I need another radio project like I need a hole in the head, so I opted to leave her where she was.
Pics 6-9: what I came home with!
I caught up with the seller who had the TS-497B/URR signal generator for $25 at the Howard Cty. show, he was set up there and still had the unit (!!!). I whipped out a $20 and a $5 and was glad noone else caught that unit first!
- Lot of 3 various ARC (Aircraft Radio Corp) R-34 type aircraft receivers. I don't know much about these, from what I understand they are descendants of the venerable ARC-5 radio sets I have plenty of. For $10 for the lot of 3 units, I'll take a chance.
-Test Oscillator TS-170/ARN-5. This unit was disassembled when I found it, I put it back together again. The AN/ARN-5 is an airborne glide path receiver, fixed freq. of 335 MHz. This is calibration source for that radio. It's probably useless for me, but for $2 I'll hold down more paper around here.
- Couple military coiled cables, a H-113/U headset, a WWII J-45 leg key bracket (without the key, but I have one here), and an odd flip-phone-like radio handset that is for a European military radio. Unsure of model, there are several places on it with three crowns in an inverted triangle, I assume that is supposed to hint at its country of origin, but got me. If anyone knows what model handset it is, please let me know.
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Three crowns is most likely Sweden (two above, one below), so look at their stuff in Jane's to see what you can find. Sometimes it helps to be a stamp collector.
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Well another February, another Frostfest! Back to Richmond VA to see about saving some military radio gear!
FIRST - the gear I saw there but did not buy:
Pic 1: Another Collins-made R-390, circa 1951, 500 KHz to 32 MHz. I have spoken at length about them previously, so I won't bore you all with the specifics again. This one was complete, but had obviously seen better days, one of the panel guards was missing on the front, along with most of the finish on the knobs. The warning stickers on the radium dials were neat. The seller was asking $275 I believe, which was a bit high considering the unit looked like it had been in a dusty shed for several decades and would need a thorough cleaning and testing before plugging it in. I would have offered $150-200 range.
Pic 2: Pair of military vacuum tube testers. Shame I forgot to write down the models of these units. The seller said they both worked, left one was $130, right was $160. If they did indeed work, those are very good prices! I should've picked at least one of them up, but I forgot all about them.
Pic 3: Another Hallicrafters SX-28, in good shape. Price was a fair $200 for this classic rig. I should get one of these, and a spare set of tubes for it, before they all vanish into history...
Pic 4: This is a WWII BC-342N receiver, 1.5 to 18 MHz receive. It's a brother unit to the more common BC-312 receiver, except this rig runs off standard 110-120 VAC wall current so it doesn't require a dynamotor for power requirements. It was primarily used in the field, and in stationary installations. This unit looked in very nice shape, the owner said it was restored for sale for $250, with a spare parts unit and a matching speaker. The antenna jack on the front has been replaced with a more modern UHF connector, but other than that, it's a neat radio in mostly original condition.
Pic 5: Surplus BC-348-Q radio, this one was in need of TLC but everything looked like it was there. $70 would get it out the door with you.
Pic 6: YET ANOTHER R-390A/URR, made by Collins. This one was in really nice shape, in a pristine rack mount, all for $600. I've seen ones just as nice as this sell for hundreds more, if you were in the market for a plug-and-play R-390 this was as good a deal as you could possibly find.
Pics 7-8: This were mystery units! I've never seen military radios as colorful as the knobs on these are. These were made by Watkins-Johnson, they are the receivers for the AN/PRD-11 direction finding radio set. I will have to look up more on these rigs online. I wanted to talk to the seller about them, but every time I passed by he must've been out shopping. The sticker says $350 each, I have no idea if that's a fair deal or not, I know nothing about these at this time.
FIRST - the gear I saw there but did not buy:
Pic 1: Another Collins-made R-390, circa 1951, 500 KHz to 32 MHz. I have spoken at length about them previously, so I won't bore you all with the specifics again. This one was complete, but had obviously seen better days, one of the panel guards was missing on the front, along with most of the finish on the knobs. The warning stickers on the radium dials were neat. The seller was asking $275 I believe, which was a bit high considering the unit looked like it had been in a dusty shed for several decades and would need a thorough cleaning and testing before plugging it in. I would have offered $150-200 range.
Pic 2: Pair of military vacuum tube testers. Shame I forgot to write down the models of these units. The seller said they both worked, left one was $130, right was $160. If they did indeed work, those are very good prices! I should've picked at least one of them up, but I forgot all about them.
Pic 3: Another Hallicrafters SX-28, in good shape. Price was a fair $200 for this classic rig. I should get one of these, and a spare set of tubes for it, before they all vanish into history...
Pic 4: This is a WWII BC-342N receiver, 1.5 to 18 MHz receive. It's a brother unit to the more common BC-312 receiver, except this rig runs off standard 110-120 VAC wall current so it doesn't require a dynamotor for power requirements. It was primarily used in the field, and in stationary installations. This unit looked in very nice shape, the owner said it was restored for sale for $250, with a spare parts unit and a matching speaker. The antenna jack on the front has been replaced with a more modern UHF connector, but other than that, it's a neat radio in mostly original condition.
Pic 5: Surplus BC-348-Q radio, this one was in need of TLC but everything looked like it was there. $70 would get it out the door with you.
Pic 6: YET ANOTHER R-390A/URR, made by Collins. This one was in really nice shape, in a pristine rack mount, all for $600. I've seen ones just as nice as this sell for hundreds more, if you were in the market for a plug-and-play R-390 this was as good a deal as you could possibly find.
Pics 7-8: This were mystery units! I've never seen military radios as colorful as the knobs on these are. These were made by Watkins-Johnson, they are the receivers for the AN/PRD-11 direction finding radio set. I will have to look up more on these rigs online. I wanted to talk to the seller about them, but every time I passed by he must've been out shopping. The sticker says $350 each, I have no idea if that's a fair deal or not, I know nothing about these at this time.
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- Appomattox, VA
Now for the things I DID save!
Pics 1-2: AN/URR-27 fixed frequency receiver. Receives 105-190 MHz AM, must use a single crystal set to the freq. you would like to listen to. Complete, all there, but seller never used it himself so it's a gamble. Cost was $20, so I'll play with it and see what she can do.
Pic 3: This is the unit I didn't pick up last Frostfest, then found out it was the power supply for the LM-18 frequency meters I have here that I have no power source for. The seller still had it! This time, though, the price wasn't $10. It was $2 !! In the basket you go!
Pics 4-5: This was in a big wooden crate, it's a BC-638A frequency meter, made by Bendix Radio. Note it has American and I believe British data plates! Info I got on the net says this is for use with the BC-639 and SCR-522 receivers. Paid $30 for it, I think I'll clean it up and see it I can't find any other buddies of mine that might have the specific use for it.
Pics 6-8: The heavy iron this time around was this WWII RAK-8 VLF receiver, covers 15-600 KHz, so it can receive very low frequency AM radio signals, and a lot of other interesting radio traffic like submarine comms, etc. Came with the receiver itself, and a separate power supply unit, all for $60. A lot less than a dollar a pound!
Pic 9: Odds and ends - a pile of manuals for $10 altogether, a small test set for the TRC-1 radio set for $2, a Boy Scout morse code key in decent shape for $2, and a like-new WWII machinegun oil can for $5.
All in all, a decent haul from this Frostfest! Next ham radio show is Annandale, VA in mid-March, so I'll be sure to save more stuff there!
Pics 1-2: AN/URR-27 fixed frequency receiver. Receives 105-190 MHz AM, must use a single crystal set to the freq. you would like to listen to. Complete, all there, but seller never used it himself so it's a gamble. Cost was $20, so I'll play with it and see what she can do.
Pic 3: This is the unit I didn't pick up last Frostfest, then found out it was the power supply for the LM-18 frequency meters I have here that I have no power source for. The seller still had it! This time, though, the price wasn't $10. It was $2 !! In the basket you go!
Pics 4-5: This was in a big wooden crate, it's a BC-638A frequency meter, made by Bendix Radio. Note it has American and I believe British data plates! Info I got on the net says this is for use with the BC-639 and SCR-522 receivers. Paid $30 for it, I think I'll clean it up and see it I can't find any other buddies of mine that might have the specific use for it.
Pics 6-8: The heavy iron this time around was this WWII RAK-8 VLF receiver, covers 15-600 KHz, so it can receive very low frequency AM radio signals, and a lot of other interesting radio traffic like submarine comms, etc. Came with the receiver itself, and a separate power supply unit, all for $60. A lot less than a dollar a pound!
Pic 9: Odds and ends - a pile of manuals for $10 altogether, a small test set for the TRC-1 radio set for $2, a Boy Scout morse code key in decent shape for $2, and a like-new WWII machinegun oil can for $5.
All in all, a decent haul from this Frostfest! Next ham radio show is Annandale, VA in mid-March, so I'll be sure to save more stuff there!
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- Greenback, TN
Great haul Mike! With that RAK-8 you can try to receive the yearly test transmission of radio station SAQ, a 17.2 kHz Alexanderson alternator/transmitter in Grimeton, Sweden. I have tried many times to hear it but you might get lucky!
Good info here; http://www.vlf.it/parmigiani/saq_eng.htm
Bob WB4ETT
Good info here; http://www.vlf.it/parmigiani/saq_eng.htm
Bob WB4ETT
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It's been some time since I updated this thread with my military radio finds at ham radio swap meets, and since now it's a new year and I'm getting back into the swing of things, and starting to visit some more hamfests, I'd like to revisit this topic a little bit. Perhaps get you interested in saving more military commo stuff as well.
First, a show I went to late last year, Howard County MD hamfest in October 2021. I don't have any pics from the event itself, but did save a bunch of heavy old iron there so these are pics and info of what I got. The show itself was pretty packed, lots of neat stuff for sale. Anyways, here we go...
Pics 1-3: I came home from the show with no less than 3 (!!!) R-390A radio sets. I've mentioned these great HF rigs several times, so I won't bore you with the details again. There were commonplace in fixed installations and Navy ships from the 1950s through the 1980s. One was a Motorola contract specimen in nice condition in a portable rack mount enclosure, seller said the faceplate needed a little touch-up but it worked great. Taking his word for it, it was well worth the $325 price tag to me. The other two were parts units that might be able to be combined into one working rig, my price was $90 each. The parts units were made by Motorola and Electronic Assistance Corp.
Pic 4: Purchased for $150, a very fair price, was a Hammarlund made R-274A/FRR, basically a militarized Super Pro SP-600. I believe I've mentioned this one before as well, similar performance as the R-390As above just a different manufacturer and model. I really like the rack-mount Navy-style receivers of the 50s and 60s, they are very heavy duty and easy to repair. In the right hands, these rigs will give many more decades of service.
Pic 5: Also snagged a URM-26B signal generator for $40, with the manual. Don't scoff at military test equipment - I've worked in an electronics lab once, and newer test equipment is REALLY PRICEY, like 4 or 5 figures pricey. These mil-spec pieces of test gear are inexpensive and built very well, with components that were very high quality, and if you find one in good physical shape, odds are there's still lots of accurate life left in it. The URM-26B covers 4 to 405 MHz, which is most of everything you'll need in HF and VHF radio servicing.
Pics 6-8: The rest of the pieces I saved were ARC-5 units that I scrounge if they are cheap enough (in this case, $5 each), some mil-spec antenna cables, and a handful of mostly aircraft radio system components. If they are good prices, they are going in the basket!
Will post pics and gear from a couple more hamfest soon...
First, a show I went to late last year, Howard County MD hamfest in October 2021. I don't have any pics from the event itself, but did save a bunch of heavy old iron there so these are pics and info of what I got. The show itself was pretty packed, lots of neat stuff for sale. Anyways, here we go...
Pics 1-3: I came home from the show with no less than 3 (!!!) R-390A radio sets. I've mentioned these great HF rigs several times, so I won't bore you with the details again. There were commonplace in fixed installations and Navy ships from the 1950s through the 1980s. One was a Motorola contract specimen in nice condition in a portable rack mount enclosure, seller said the faceplate needed a little touch-up but it worked great. Taking his word for it, it was well worth the $325 price tag to me. The other two were parts units that might be able to be combined into one working rig, my price was $90 each. The parts units were made by Motorola and Electronic Assistance Corp.
Pic 4: Purchased for $150, a very fair price, was a Hammarlund made R-274A/FRR, basically a militarized Super Pro SP-600. I believe I've mentioned this one before as well, similar performance as the R-390As above just a different manufacturer and model. I really like the rack-mount Navy-style receivers of the 50s and 60s, they are very heavy duty and easy to repair. In the right hands, these rigs will give many more decades of service.
Pic 5: Also snagged a URM-26B signal generator for $40, with the manual. Don't scoff at military test equipment - I've worked in an electronics lab once, and newer test equipment is REALLY PRICEY, like 4 or 5 figures pricey. These mil-spec pieces of test gear are inexpensive and built very well, with components that were very high quality, and if you find one in good physical shape, odds are there's still lots of accurate life left in it. The URM-26B covers 4 to 405 MHz, which is most of everything you'll need in HF and VHF radio servicing.
Pics 6-8: The rest of the pieces I saved were ARC-5 units that I scrounge if they are cheap enough (in this case, $5 each), some mil-spec antenna cables, and a handful of mostly aircraft radio system components. If they are good prices, they are going in the basket!
Will post pics and gear from a couple more hamfest soon...
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papakb
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Maddawg, Your "colorful knobs" receivers are GRR-8 receivers that are a part of the PRD-11 Direction Finder Set. There are 4 tuning heads that interchange to give it a .5 - 500 Mhz tuning range. The manuals are all online for the set. I have all 4 tuning heads and an extra .5-30 head. Do you have any plans for them?
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Those units I did not buy, only some stuff in this thread I purchased, the rest is just a showcase for items I saw at the hamfests.
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Another weekend, another hamfest. This was from the Memorial Day hamfest in Howard County, MD, always a good show and good turnout if the weather is nice, and it was this weekend. I bought a few things there, but I made NO purchases of military gear at this show, there were only a few military items there and they were higher price than I was willing to pay. One vendor even said "that's the price, or it goes back in the truck". Wouldn't you know, at the show's end, they went back in the truck!
Here's the mil gear I saw at the event, even though I didn't buy them:
1. Radio Control Set, C-845/U. Looked around online to find what this was used with, was unable to definitively find any info about its application. All I know from looking at it is it takes a handset with a U-77 connector. If anyone know what this was used for, please let me know, I'm curious. BTW, the
asking price was $125. Too high for a curiosity.
2. Type CAY-47154A plug-in tuning unit. Part of WWII Navy aircraft GP-7 radio set. This plugs right into the center of the GP-7 radio set, there would be a handful of these constructed for different band ranges, if you wanted a certain freq, you would pull out the installed tuning unit and reinstall the one meant for the freqs you wanted. Owner had another $125 on it, seems high but if you had a GP-7 missing the tuning unit you kinda gotta have it.
3. Sorry for the glare - it was a sunny morning when I took the pic. A venerable BC-348 aircraft radio, a favorite among vintage ham radio guys. This was for sale at $155, probably a good deal if you were looking for one not too hacked up by ham radio modders over the last 75 years. This had a few front panel mods, but didn't look that bad.
4. BC-652A receiver. This is the receiver portion of the WWII SCR-506 vehicular radio set. This would receive AM or CW, from 2 to 6 Mhz in two band selections. Used in all manner of jeeps, trucks, tanks, etc. in the big war. Another $125 from that mentioned seller, looked in good shape but I didn't need it for that price.
5. Navy Type CME-50063 Preselector unit. It was very nice condition, but unsure of what it was supposed to be used with. $40 I believe was the asking price. Again, too high for me for an unknown.
6. Now THIS I know what it is. It's a GRR-5, I believe I mentioned one or two of these before. I LOVE these radio receivers, they are very handy for listening to all manner of shortwave and HF signals from around the globe with a simple whip antenna. They are worth owning, but NOT worth the $400 price tag the owner had on it. I would expect $300 for a REALLY nice example unit, but 4 Benjis for an untested used rig is nuts.
Till next time....
Here's the mil gear I saw at the event, even though I didn't buy them:
1. Radio Control Set, C-845/U. Looked around online to find what this was used with, was unable to definitively find any info about its application. All I know from looking at it is it takes a handset with a U-77 connector. If anyone know what this was used for, please let me know, I'm curious. BTW, the
asking price was $125. Too high for a curiosity.
2. Type CAY-47154A plug-in tuning unit. Part of WWII Navy aircraft GP-7 radio set. This plugs right into the center of the GP-7 radio set, there would be a handful of these constructed for different band ranges, if you wanted a certain freq, you would pull out the installed tuning unit and reinstall the one meant for the freqs you wanted. Owner had another $125 on it, seems high but if you had a GP-7 missing the tuning unit you kinda gotta have it.
3. Sorry for the glare - it was a sunny morning when I took the pic. A venerable BC-348 aircraft radio, a favorite among vintage ham radio guys. This was for sale at $155, probably a good deal if you were looking for one not too hacked up by ham radio modders over the last 75 years. This had a few front panel mods, but didn't look that bad.
4. BC-652A receiver. This is the receiver portion of the WWII SCR-506 vehicular radio set. This would receive AM or CW, from 2 to 6 Mhz in two band selections. Used in all manner of jeeps, trucks, tanks, etc. in the big war. Another $125 from that mentioned seller, looked in good shape but I didn't need it for that price.
5. Navy Type CME-50063 Preselector unit. It was very nice condition, but unsure of what it was supposed to be used with. $40 I believe was the asking price. Again, too high for me for an unknown.
6. Now THIS I know what it is. It's a GRR-5, I believe I mentioned one or two of these before. I LOVE these radio receivers, they are very handy for listening to all manner of shortwave and HF signals from around the globe with a simple whip antenna. They are worth owning, but NOT worth the $400 price tag the owner had on it. I would expect $300 for a REALLY nice example unit, but 4 Benjis for an untested used rig is nuts.
Till next time....
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papakb
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This past Thursday thru Saturday was the Military Radio Collectors Group revival at Camp San Louis Obispo here is California. Covid paused the meet for a few years but we seem to be back on track for them to continue again next year. This meet is normally held in May but just getting it going again took some time. The meet had about 30 attendees and there was plenty of nice WWII stuff with some newer items thrown in. Some very good seminars and some interesting foreign spy equipment on display. There was some talk about possibly merging this meet next year with the Military Vehicle Collectors meet up in Plymouth and I think this would be an excellent idea as many of the MVCC members are also radio guys. Many thanks to Craig Von LLten for his work to get this up and running again.
KG6KMJ
KG6KMJ
As a lifelong amateur radio operator and general “nerd”, a major problem, if not the problem with this niche of collecting, is the non-radio military personnel realizing what they have.
2005 was perhaps the height of the War on Terror and some posts were doing all they could to repurpose buildings that weren’t being used but still had utilities and serviceable structure. I was tasked with emptying two buildings that had seen little use beyond a couple of offices used on guard drill weekends.
One building had been in use by a signal unit. There was a formal shack set up as well as endless Cold War-era radio gear. Anything from obscure “boatanchor” HF transceivers to pallets of PRC77 batteries. A lot of just “stuff” taking up space…rooms full of test equipment, spools of feedline, every type of base or mobile antenna imaginable, old commercial-grade mobiles and handhelds, etc.
My radio hobby was known up to and including all of the brass with whom I interacted regularly. I received written permission from the brigade commander himself to remove anything I wanted from the building to essentially “save it from the trash dump”.
I was going to be allowed two visits, out of uniform and during my off time, to retrieve whatever I wanted. I lacked the room, vehicles, and manpower to get everything I wanted. I explained this to the good commander and he said anyone who would normally be allowed on post (veterans, retirees, dependents, etc) could assist me and take what they wanted as well. This was in the interest of both history and the hobby.
I told local radios clubs and even put it out on QRZ. I was determined not to let anything of value be disposed of.
One person came and took some antenna kits. That was it. There were 14 NOS PR77s and 6 NOS PRC25s that someone asked to be set aside for him and he never showed up. There were stacks and stacks of Motorola public safety radios and parts, almost all brand new, that someone enthusiastically said he would be driving 400 miles to retrieve— I set those aside for him and never heard a word!
All in all it was an extremely frustrating experience as the military really wanted those items cleared and didn’t care about potential value. The hobbyists I approached were clearly the wrong part of the collector crowd as well. Had I known about SS or another forum I belong to way back then, I’m convinced that a ton of history could have been saved.
2005 was perhaps the height of the War on Terror and some posts were doing all they could to repurpose buildings that weren’t being used but still had utilities and serviceable structure. I was tasked with emptying two buildings that had seen little use beyond a couple of offices used on guard drill weekends.
One building had been in use by a signal unit. There was a formal shack set up as well as endless Cold War-era radio gear. Anything from obscure “boatanchor” HF transceivers to pallets of PRC77 batteries. A lot of just “stuff” taking up space…rooms full of test equipment, spools of feedline, every type of base or mobile antenna imaginable, old commercial-grade mobiles and handhelds, etc.
My radio hobby was known up to and including all of the brass with whom I interacted regularly. I received written permission from the brigade commander himself to remove anything I wanted from the building to essentially “save it from the trash dump”.
I was going to be allowed two visits, out of uniform and during my off time, to retrieve whatever I wanted. I lacked the room, vehicles, and manpower to get everything I wanted. I explained this to the good commander and he said anyone who would normally be allowed on post (veterans, retirees, dependents, etc) could assist me and take what they wanted as well. This was in the interest of both history and the hobby.
I told local radios clubs and even put it out on QRZ. I was determined not to let anything of value be disposed of.
One person came and took some antenna kits. That was it. There were 14 NOS PR77s and 6 NOS PRC25s that someone asked to be set aside for him and he never showed up. There were stacks and stacks of Motorola public safety radios and parts, almost all brand new, that someone enthusiastically said he would be driving 400 miles to retrieve— I set those aside for him and never heard a word!
All in all it was an extremely frustrating experience as the military really wanted those items cleared and didn’t care about potential value. The hobbyists I approached were clearly the wrong part of the collector crowd as well. Had I known about SS or another forum I belong to way back then, I’m convinced that a ton of history could have been saved.
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I couldn't imagine how neat that could have been...
I have a hard time personally going to the radio shows because I know absolutely nothing about military mobile communications gear. Spending money on something has always been on things that I know a little about and I just haven't put in the time and effort to learn. Doubt it will ever happen again, but if the opportunity ever comes up again please let me know...
papakb
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Unfortunately we hear stories like this all the time. The military used so much communications equipment it was almost impossible even for someone knowledgeable in comm gear to know all of it and even though they paid ridiculous money for it when it comes to the end of the line it's move it or lose it! I watched this happen with the Sacramento Army Depot, Fort Ord, and Moffett Field. If I'd had one of their warehouses I could have saved more of it but living in the Bay Area means tight quarters unless your someone like Jacques Littlefield. When you see a 100,000 pound scrap lot it just isn't possible to process it as an individual. That and most people won't speculate on radio equipment because 90% of what's there really is scrap.
The pieces that do get into individual hands can go one of two ways. If they know what they have it usually turns into green gold. If it's just "dad's junk' it gets expensive because they know Uncle paid a fortune for it ot they have no idea what it's worth and they shoot for the moon pricewise. The other extreme is all they want to do is see it go away and some scrappy comes and hauls it away.
The pieces that do get into individual hands can go one of two ways. If they know what they have it usually turns into green gold. If it's just "dad's junk' it gets expensive because they know Uncle paid a fortune for it ot they have no idea what it's worth and they shoot for the moon pricewise. The other extreme is all they want to do is see it go away and some scrappy comes and hauls it away.
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Went to the first hamfest of the year for me yesterday, it was a drive at over 2 hours for a small club-sized indoor swap meet in Harrisburg, PA. It was REALLY small, maybe 20 vendors, and a lot of stuff I wasn't interested in. However, I bought EVERY MILITARY THING at the meet! Which was only the paltry things you see in the pic, like I said it was small and barely any of our type of stuff there.
Saved:
Pair of handsets, a H-189 and H-250, both in excellent shape, for $35 together.
A trio of Amphenol-type connectors often used on the Navy-type receivers I have, $1 each
Manual for R-392 HF receiver of the 1950s-1960s, fair shape but no pages missing, $2
H-113 headset, also fair shape but for the price I'll take a gamble, $3
Proof that even the small shows have a few good parts floating around!
Saved:
Pair of handsets, a H-189 and H-250, both in excellent shape, for $35 together.
A trio of Amphenol-type connectors often used on the Navy-type receivers I have, $1 each
Manual for R-392 HF receiver of the 1950s-1960s, fair shape but no pages missing, $2
H-113 headset, also fair shape but for the price I'll take a gamble, $3
Proof that even the small shows have a few good parts floating around!
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I'm an idiot, I was just going through some pictures and I realized I took some at another show last June and forgot to post them up. Better late than never...
June 2022, Manassas, VA. I was a little disappointed at this show - it used to be at the fairgrounds behind the ARNG armory on Sudley Road, they sold off the field to an RV business and moved the show across town to a community college parking lot. Use to be HUNDREDS of vendors about 20 years ago at the fairgrounds, but at the new place, maybe 20 inside and 40 tailgaters outside. Not a lot of foot traffic either. Oh well, some shows grow and some wither.
Pics from the show first, then what I saved:
Pics 1-3 - A BC-348-O aircraft radio, with the loop antenna (designation AS-2084/GRA-94) for $150. This was a great deal if you wanted a nice complete, and according to the owner WORKING, BC-348. The loop antenna was icing on the cake, you rarely come across the loop antenna for the set. Most of these have been hacked up over the years, but if you could stand a radio and antenna in need of a repaint but otherwise working condition, this was a very fair price. I should've gotten it myself, thinking back to it.
Pic 4 - Survival/rescue radio RT-159B/URC-4. Fixed frequency VHF or UHF, the antennas are part of the rig, you fold them out to use the radio. It required a separate battery with cable, that wasn't available from the seller. 1950s era. Not very useful for ham radio use, but if you collect military survival gear here ya go. I thought $100 was a bit high, but after I came home there were a few others on eBarf that were even more, with bidders.
Pics 5-7 - Saw these in the back of a show-vendor's truck, a trio of amplifiers for the AN/GRT-21 and GRT-22 FAA transmitters. I believe the owner said they weren't for sale, I think he just picked them up himself. Anyways, the AM-6155 and AM-6154 amplifiers were used on the VHF and UHF bands, and though they were rated for only 50 watts output, a couple websites have info on bumping them up to 400 watts with a little work and no extra parts. You pay a lot of money for a good amplifier with that output, so if he got them for surplus prices he did good. Condition of the units looked excellent.
Pic 8 - What I bought!
Trio of manuals - I think they were $2 a piece, always good to add to the library
ARC dynamotor - a little high but a friend needed it for his aircraft radio stuff at $20
amplified loudspeaker - forgot the nomenclature, it was $10
big LONG length of CG-1773 antenna cable for my RT-524 install in the CUCV for $5
another batch of mil-type phono plugs for $10 altogether
Next hamfest is in February, I'll try and be more prompt with the updates this next time.
June 2022, Manassas, VA. I was a little disappointed at this show - it used to be at the fairgrounds behind the ARNG armory on Sudley Road, they sold off the field to an RV business and moved the show across town to a community college parking lot. Use to be HUNDREDS of vendors about 20 years ago at the fairgrounds, but at the new place, maybe 20 inside and 40 tailgaters outside. Not a lot of foot traffic either. Oh well, some shows grow and some wither.
Pics from the show first, then what I saved:
Pics 1-3 - A BC-348-O aircraft radio, with the loop antenna (designation AS-2084/GRA-94) for $150. This was a great deal if you wanted a nice complete, and according to the owner WORKING, BC-348. The loop antenna was icing on the cake, you rarely come across the loop antenna for the set. Most of these have been hacked up over the years, but if you could stand a radio and antenna in need of a repaint but otherwise working condition, this was a very fair price. I should've gotten it myself, thinking back to it.
Pic 4 - Survival/rescue radio RT-159B/URC-4. Fixed frequency VHF or UHF, the antennas are part of the rig, you fold them out to use the radio. It required a separate battery with cable, that wasn't available from the seller. 1950s era. Not very useful for ham radio use, but if you collect military survival gear here ya go. I thought $100 was a bit high, but after I came home there were a few others on eBarf that were even more, with bidders.
Pics 5-7 - Saw these in the back of a show-vendor's truck, a trio of amplifiers for the AN/GRT-21 and GRT-22 FAA transmitters. I believe the owner said they weren't for sale, I think he just picked them up himself. Anyways, the AM-6155 and AM-6154 amplifiers were used on the VHF and UHF bands, and though they were rated for only 50 watts output, a couple websites have info on bumping them up to 400 watts with a little work and no extra parts. You pay a lot of money for a good amplifier with that output, so if he got them for surplus prices he did good. Condition of the units looked excellent.
Pic 8 - What I bought!
Trio of manuals - I think they were $2 a piece, always good to add to the library
ARC dynamotor - a little high but a friend needed it for his aircraft radio stuff at $20
amplified loudspeaker - forgot the nomenclature, it was $10
big LONG length of CG-1773 antenna cable for my RT-524 install in the CUCV for $5
another batch of mil-type phono plugs for $10 altogether
Next hamfest is in February, I'll try and be more prompt with the updates this next time.
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Fun! Makes me want to find a hamfest.
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Hey, I'm making a post the same day as the hamfest, something must be wrong with me.
Another small fest south of me in Elkton, VA, a small town a few miles east of Harrisonburg VA. Once again, a small club gathering, VERY small since it was freezing outside this morning, there were only about 2 tailgaters (!!!) and maybe 12 inside the VFW hall selling. Mostly civilian stuff, I picked up a few books and a Collins S-line speaker. Only a few military things there, I got it all except for a pair of J-45 leg telegraph keys for sale; they were good shape but way overpriced so they stayed there (sorry no pics of the leg keys).
What I did get:
-manual for PRC 8-9-10 series of backpack radios, $5
-trio of aircraft microphones in various conditions, I think WWII vintage, $10 for everything
-another H-250 handset in good shape, $15
Next fest is in a month in Vienna, VA, it's a decent sized one so I'm sure there will be more mil stuff there than at the last couple shows....
Another small fest south of me in Elkton, VA, a small town a few miles east of Harrisonburg VA. Once again, a small club gathering, VERY small since it was freezing outside this morning, there were only about 2 tailgaters (!!!) and maybe 12 inside the VFW hall selling. Mostly civilian stuff, I picked up a few books and a Collins S-line speaker. Only a few military things there, I got it all except for a pair of J-45 leg telegraph keys for sale; they were good shape but way overpriced so they stayed there (sorry no pics of the leg keys).
What I did get:
-manual for PRC 8-9-10 series of backpack radios, $5
-trio of aircraft microphones in various conditions, I think WWII vintage, $10 for everything
-another H-250 handset in good shape, $15
Next fest is in a month in Vienna, VA, it's a decent sized one so I'm sure there will be more mil stuff there than at the last couple shows....
