On 1/18/2011 2:37 AM, Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names wrote:
On Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:37:44 EST, Bill
wrote:

I was just wondering: whatever happened to GE's "Progress Line"...[snip]

They were quite popular in the early days of 2-meter FM. However,
with the advent of smal synthesized rigs that became smaller and more
capable every couple of years, the old dinosaurs lost their appeal.

I haven't been to a hamfest for 3-4 years but as I recall the last
hamfest I went to I saw several old ProgLines and Motorola
xtal-controlled handhelds piled up for sale with no takers.

I understand that the _actual_ Progress line radios had to go: they were
tube units, after all. What I want to know is what happens to _any_ kind
of commercial transceiver when the FCC requires them to be retired: the
GE Mastr units, for example (a hybrid tube-solid state rig), and the
varous Motrac/Motran/Mo-whatever rigs that came and went before
trunk-tracking radios became the norm.

I have this vision of a warehouse full of 1970~1980's taxicab &c radios,
waiting to be put in service again. Granted, they weren't as small as
the synthesized rigs available now, but they could take a lot more
punishment and keep going, and I think an organized effort by hams could
restore them to service.

Bill, W1AC
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