From: Frank Gilliland on Dec 18, 6:54 pm

On 18 Dec 2005 14:04:25 -0800, wrote in

snip

In the Army the "front-line" (we called them just "line")
radio users were just ordinary infantry, artillery, or armor
troops who've had quickie courses in using their radios.

Those aren't Signal Corpsmen per se.

My bad. I thought they came from the same stock -- I guess that shows
how old I'm not :-0

No problem. "All parts are interchangeable" in the land forces,
something that's been mentioned for decades...before I was in
and will be long after today. Soldiers are soldiers first,
specialists second.

USUALLY, but not always, the infantry radio ops are infantrymen
with some short training in their manpack radios. Signalmen
are found from Battalion level and up to Brigades, and do the
mass-communication stuff for Brigade through Division command.

Field radio equipment has been designed for wired-remote
control (many hundreds of feet away, as needed) of transmitters
for over a half century. Major reason being RDF *might* be
able to pinpoint an emitter and drop some nasty stuff on it.
The personnel at the control point won't necessarily be hit
so those are still survivable. If the comms equipment is
destroyed and no replacements are available, the signalmen
revert to their basic duty: Soldiering the infantry way.


That used to be true but the paradigm has flipped over today.

Very true. Real sci-fi stuff they have these days. Won't be long and
every grunt will be equipped with a helmet-mounted sat-comm complete
with bio-telemetry and "black box" A/V recorders.

Not quite. That stuff is PR material that's been out for
years. The Army tried out the "squad radio" concept in
Vietnam during the early 1970s. Didn't work out well and
that was generally abandoned for wholesale use on the line.
I don't know WHY it didn't work out since I've never been
involved directly with it, just the manpack-to-high-power-
vehicular-amp families of "regular" (in ham ideas) radios
and some other interesting DoD stuff. :-)

Back in 1990 the land forces had the AN/PSC-3 radio with
voice and data capability on the military aviation band,
three different antennas from whip to wire mesh parabolic
reflector. The data part had a "chiclet" keyboard and a
small LCD-like screen and messages could be typed in,
stored, sent at 1200 BPS on UHF, either to an airborne
radio relay or through military comm sats. Can't verify
if the data part could be encrypted, but today's PSC-7
can do that. The PSC-3 was used in unfriendly territory
during Desert Shield and none were compromised. Some old-
timers in here thought the military was still using
something like WW2 OSS HF sets with morse code during the
first Gulf War! :-)

The present-day survival radios (HT size) can cooperate
with the DME of TACAN to yield distance information and
their voice is both digitized and encryptable. Same size
as 20-year-old survival radio-beacons but have more
electronic features and better battery packs.

The AN/PRC-104 HF manpack transceiver (operational 1986,
will be replaced soon by an updated unit) by Hughes Ground
Systems has an automatic antenna tuner integral to the
manpack R/T. One can physically shorten the whip by
removing sections to cut down visibility and the antenna
tuner will compensate for the shorter sections. Won't be
quite as efficient as the full whip but it is less visible
on the ground. The lil 20 W PEP transmitter will shove as
much RF into the whip as it can without damaging itself.

While I haven't been with the Army units testing anything
in the last half-dozen years, I can see that the "command
track" concept (actually a command vehicle, a Humvee now
more than a Bradley tracked vehicle) is still strong. That
lends itself to the "many antennas" visibility for un-
friendlies who have some smarts on sorting out targets.
With two NVIS whips (bent-over long ones) and a couple
VHF, UHF antennas on a Humvee, those stand out pretty well
from the ordinary gunner-style Humvee. There are "mini-
huts" for making up a Humvee into a radio command vehicle
holding lots of radios inside...similar to the full-size
hut on a deuce and a half flatbed.

Armor units have the flashy toys now with a couple dynamic
(on the move) automatic positioning location and reporting
systems still undergoing more field testing. [why, I don't
know, they were first out in the field a decade ago]
Artillery can confirm its position super-accurately with
military-mode GPS in the little HT-size "plugger" or
AN/PSN-11 receiver. The same plugger can connect to any
SINCGARS radio to update its calendar clock for good
networking in FHSS mode; GPS provides a super-accurate
time base. Plugger was in use during Desert Storm.

I haven't followed the progress of the SIDs (Seismic
Intrusion Device) that first saw service in later years
of the SE Asia Live-Fire exercise. My RCA division in
Van Nuys did the casing and geophone amplifier-filter-
processor, me doing the final whip design desired to be
a simple wire rather than the original OD tape style.
Buryable unit intended for Vietnam but that war ended
early without full deployment. It could distinguish
between two-footed and four-footed creatures and report
back (by coded radio signal) detection of the two-
footed variety. In the three decades since there must
have been improvement in that area. shrug

There's more stuff coming along with the first signs of
in SIGNAL magazine published by AFCEA along with Defense
Industry Newsletter.

The latest is an RF psycho weapon using ultra-wideband
microwave stuff to scare-shock-disturb unfriendlies at a
distance. First operational test contract was awarded
a couple months ago. While it uses radio, it might not
be handled by signalmen at all, probably not by artillery
types either. Psy-war units? :-)

The first NODs (Night Observation Devices) were
operational during the latter half of the 1960s and
used in Vietnam. Too many were stolen/captured with
the USSR making their own versions. Now those "Buck
Rogers" devices can be bought at sports stores as
a regular consumer electronics product. shrug

On 19 Dec 2005 10:38:46 -0800, wrote in
. com:

From: Frank Gilliland on Dec 18, 6:54 pm
snip
Very true. Real sci-fi stuff they have these days. Won't be long and
every grunt will be equipped with a helmet-mounted sat-comm complete
with bio-telemetry and "black box" A/V recorders.

Not quite. That stuff is PR material that's been out for
years. The Army tried out the "squad radio" concept in
Vietnam during the early 1970s. Didn't work out well and
that was generally abandoned for wholesale use on the line.
I don't know WHY it didn't work out since I've never been
involved directly with it, just the manpack-to-high-power-
vehicular-amp families of "regular" (in ham ideas) radios
and some other interesting DoD stuff. :-)


One version of the "squad radio" was the PRC-68, a cool little VHF-lo
rig. The problem was the radio wasn't built very well (mic screen kept
falling off, battery boxes dented easily, antennas broke, etc), and
the batteries were expensive, didn't last very long, and weren't
compatible with any commercial equivalent.


snip
The AN/PRC-104 HF manpack transceiver (operational 1986,
will be replaced soon by an updated unit) by Hughes Ground
Systems has an automatic antenna tuner integral to the
manpack R/T. One can physically shorten the whip by
removing sections to cut down visibility and the antenna
tuner will compensate for the shorter sections. Won't be
quite as efficient as the full whip but it is less visible
on the ground. The lil 20 W PEP transmitter will shove as
much RF into the whip as it can without damaging itself.


We had the PRC-104 in the early '80s; the RT was used as the exciter
for the MRC-109/110 (400/1000W) jeep radios. Mechanical push-button
tuning from 2-30 MHz. I still want one.


snip
The latest is an RF psycho weapon using ultra-wideband
microwave stuff to scare-shock-disturb unfriendlies at a
distance. First operational test contract was awarded
a couple months ago. While it uses radio, it might not
be handled by signalmen at all, probably not by artillery
types either. Psy-war units? :-)


I heard about that a couple years ago. Not a psych weapon -- it causes
significant "discomfort" in the eyes and skin at a distance. It is/was
intended for domestic purposes (i.e, riot control -- make sure to wear
your aluminum-foil hat to the upcoming anti-war rallies).


The first NODs (Night Observation Devices) were
operational during the latter half of the 1960s and
used in Vietnam. Too many were stolen/captured with
the USSR making their own versions. Now those "Buck
Rogers" devices can be bought at sports stores as
a regular consumer electronics product. shrug


Yeah, I have a Soviet unit that takes 2 AA batteries. Hmmmm.....








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Frank Gilliland wrote:
On 19 Dec 2005 10:38:46 -0800, wrote in

snip
The latest is an RF psycho weapon using ultra-wideband
microwave stuff to scare-shock-disturb unfriendlies at a
distance. First operational test contract was awarded
a couple months ago. While it uses radio, it might not
be handled by signalmen at all, probably not by artillery
types either. Psy-war units? :-)


I heard about that a couple years ago. Not a psych weapon -- it causes
significant "discomfort" in the eyes and skin at a distance. It is/was
intended for domestic purposes (i.e, riot control -- make sure to wear
your aluminum-foil hat to the upcoming anti-war rallies).


All the NPR types that riot at the economic summits might be
interested. And Bono.

From: Frank Gilliland on Dec 19, 1:28 pm

On 19 Dec 2005 10:38:46 -0800, wrote in
From: Frank Gilliland on Dec 18, 6:54 pm


The AN/PRC-104 HF manpack transceiver (operational 1986,
will be replaced soon by an updated unit) by Hughes Ground
Systems has an automatic antenna tuner integral to the
manpack R/T. One can physically shorten the whip by
removing sections to cut down visibility and the antenna
tuner will compensate for the shorter sections. Won't be
quite as efficient as the full whip but it is less visible
on the ground. The lil 20 W PEP transmitter will shove as
much RF into the whip as it can without damaging itself.

We had the PRC-104 in the early '80s; the RT was used as the exciter
for the MRC-109/110 (400/1000W) jeep radios. Mechanical push-button
tuning from 2-30 MHz. I still want one.

I'm not familiar with the MRC-109 or MRC-110, but a reference
on C4I has that compatible with the AN/VRC-49 which is FM in the
30 to 76 MHz region.

The AN/PRC-104 basic R/T was used in the AN/GRC-213, a vehicle
mount configuration with audio amplifier and DC vehicle power
supply conditioning, 20 W PEP SSB output. The AN/GRC-193 is
also for vehicle mounting, uses the basic R/T, but includes
a 100/400 Watt linear amplifier for transmitter and a higher-
power antenna coupler/tuner.

The basic R/T has digit push-wheel frequency selection (like
digit thumbwheels but with a single button mover). The
AN/VRC-11 through AN/VRC-49 had, variously, 10 push-button
or rotary switch selection of frequencies in the 30 to 76 MHz
region, FM, and were compatible with the AN/PRC-25 and -77
VHF FM sets. The lower number VRCs I've seen all have
chromed push buttons, something left over from WW2. :-)


The latest is an RF psycho weapon using ultra-wideband
microwave stuff to scare-shock-disturb unfriendlies at a
distance. First operational test contract was awarded
a couple months ago. While it uses radio, it might not
be handled by signalmen at all, probably not by artillery
types either. Psy-war units? :-)

I heard about that a couple years ago. Not a psych weapon -- it causes
significant "discomfort" in the eyes and skin at a distance. It is/was
intended for domestic purposes (i.e, riot control -- make sure to wear
your aluminum-foil hat to the upcoming anti-war rallies).

I'll have to get out my aluminized Nomex full-body suit! :-)

The "riot control" version was an R&D model. DoD has
upped the ante with a fieldable system contract awarded
for testing on whoever wherever they want to try it.


The first NODs (Night Observation Devices) were
operational during the latter half of the 1960s and
used in Vietnam. Too many were stolen/captured with
the USSR making their own versions. Now those "Buck
Rogers" devices can be bought at sports stores as
a regular consumer electronics product. shrug

Yeah, I have a Soviet unit that takes 2 AA batteries. Hmmmm.....

In 1967 the U.S. military had three field models of
NODs. Electro-Optical Systems division of Xerox in
Pasadena produced one of those models. Three were
stolen/turned-up-mission that year, feds in there asking
questions after. The production manager "resigned."
I have no idea where those missing NODs wound up but I
read reports in 1970 where the USSR military now had
them. First ones were "blotchy" in imaging and sensitivity
didn't have any automatic gain control but they could
enable anyone to "own the night." They have improved
considerably since 1967.

On 19 Dec 2005 20:41:35 -0800, wrote in
. com:

From: Frank Gilliland on Dec 19, 1:28 pm

On 19 Dec 2005 10:38:46 -0800, wrote in
From: Frank Gilliland on Dec 18, 6:54 pm


The AN/PRC-104 HF manpack transceiver (operational 1986,
will be replaced soon by an updated unit) by Hughes Ground
Systems has an automatic antenna tuner integral to the
manpack R/T. One can physically shorten the whip by
removing sections to cut down visibility and the antenna
tuner will compensate for the shorter sections. Won't be
quite as efficient as the full whip but it is less visible
on the ground. The lil 20 W PEP transmitter will shove as
much RF into the whip as it can without damaging itself.

We had the PRC-104 in the early '80s; the RT was used as the exciter
for the MRC-109/110 (400/1000W) jeep radios. Mechanical push-button
tuning from 2-30 MHz. I still want one.

I'm not familiar with the MRC-109 or MRC-110, but a reference
on C4I has that compatible with the AN/VRC-49 which is FM in the
30 to 76 MHz region.

The AN/PRC-104 basic R/T was used in the AN/GRC-213, a vehicle
mount configuration with audio amplifier and DC vehicle power
supply conditioning, 20 W PEP SSB output. The AN/GRC-193 is
also for vehicle mounting, uses the basic R/T, but includes
a 100/400 Watt linear amplifier for transmitter and a higher-
power antenna coupler/tuner.


Well hell, I guess I -am- getting old. I found references to the 400
watt MRC-138 but not the 1000 watt version. I could have sworn they
were called the MRC-109/110.......


The basic R/T has digit push-wheel frequency selection (like
digit thumbwheels but with a single button mover). The
AN/VRC-11 through AN/VRC-49 had, variously, 10 push-button
or rotary switch selection of frequencies in the 30 to 76 MHz
region, FM, and were compatible with the AN/PRC-25 and -77
VHF FM sets. The lower number VRCs I've seen all have
chromed push buttons, something left over from WW2. :-)


Got a couple of tuners like that in the parts pile.


The latest is an RF psycho weapon using ultra-wideband
microwave stuff to scare-shock-disturb unfriendlies at a
distance. First operational test contract was awarded
a couple months ago. While it uses radio, it might not
be handled by signalmen at all, probably not by artillery
types either. Psy-war units? :-)

I heard about that a couple years ago. Not a psych weapon -- it causes
significant "discomfort" in the eyes and skin at a distance. It is/was
intended for domestic purposes (i.e, riot control -- make sure to wear
your aluminum-foil hat to the upcoming anti-war rallies).

I'll have to get out my aluminized Nomex full-body suit! :-)

The "riot control" version was an R&D model. DoD has
upped the ante with a fieldable system contract awarded
for testing on whoever wherever they want to try it.


The FEMA bunkers come to mind.


The first NODs (Night Observation Devices) were
operational during the latter half of the 1960s and
used in Vietnam. Too many were stolen/captured with
the USSR making their own versions. Now those "Buck
Rogers" devices can be bought at sports stores as
a regular consumer electronics product. shrug

Yeah, I have a Soviet unit that takes 2 AA batteries. Hmmmm.....

In 1967 the U.S. military had three field models of
NODs. Electro-Optical Systems division of Xerox in
Pasadena produced one of those models. Three were
stolen/turned-up-mission that year, feds in there asking
questions after. The production manager "resigned."
I have no idea where those missing NODs wound up but I
read reports in 1970 where the USSR military now had
them. First ones were "blotchy" in imaging and sensitivity
didn't have any automatic gain control but they could
enable anyone to "own the night." They have improved
considerably since 1967.


Sounds about right. On this one the lens is pretty good quality but
the electronics are nothing more than a noisy inverter and a finger
trigger. Suprisingly sensitive tho, especially to short IR.








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From: Frank Gilliland on Tues, Dec 20 2005 12:42 am

On 19 Dec 2005 20:41:35 -0800, wrote in
From: Frank Gilliland on Dec 19, 1:28 pm
On 19 Dec 2005 10:38:46 -0800, wrote in
From: Frank Gilliland on Dec 18, 6:54 pm

The AN/PRC-104 HF manpack transceiver (operational 1986,
will be replaced soon by an updated unit) by Hughes Ground
Systems has an automatic antenna tuner integral to the
manpack R/T. One can physically shorten the whip by
removing sections to cut down visibility and the antenna
tuner will compensate for the shorter sections. Won't be
quite as efficient as the full whip but it is less visible
on the ground. The lil 20 W PEP transmitter will shove as
much RF into the whip as it can without damaging itself.

We had the PRC-104 in the early '80s; the RT was used as the exciter
for the MRC-109/110 (400/1000W) jeep radios. Mechanical push-button
tuning from 2-30 MHz. I still want one.

I'm not familiar with the MRC-109 or MRC-110, but a reference
on C4I has that compatible with the AN/VRC-49 which is FM in the
30 to 76 MHz region.

The AN/PRC-104 basic R/T was used in the AN/GRC-213, a vehicle
mount configuration with audio amplifier and DC vehicle power
supply conditioning, 20 W PEP SSB output. The AN/GRC-193 is
also for vehicle mounting, uses the basic R/T, but includes
a 100/400 Watt linear amplifier for transmitter and a higher-
power antenna coupler/tuner.

I'll have to amend what I said on the PRC-104. Hughes Aircraft
Ground Systems got the initial development contract for it from
the USMC some time between 1975 and 1977; seems there was a bit
of disagreement between a couple of ex-HAC people who worked on
it south of here as to exact year. :-)

The Army got into the act on seeing field performance of the
first USMC ones and they wanted one, too. :-) Army changed a
few things (not much) and - probably - they added the "IHFR"
moniker to the series ("Improved High Frequency Radio")...which
meant an "A" suffix to the original PRC-104 and its R/T unit
(RT-1209). Not to be outdone, the USMC wanted some changes
after that with a resulting "B" suffix. :-)

USMC had them first in the latter half of the 1970s, Army got
theirs in the first half of the 1980s. :-)

Somewhere in the era between 1977 and 1985, Hughes incorporated
a microprocessor in the synthesizer. One result was the change
from a single push button per digit with mechanical display to
an LCD screen with rubber-sealed push buttons on frequency
control of the R/T. That, plus some more minor revisions
inside resulted in a re-issue of TMs in 1985 - 1986. Same basic
R/T that is a full SSB receiver plus Tx exciter (the 20 W PEP
Amp is in the automtic tuning unit alongside the manpack, higher
power Amp and auto antenna tune in the vehicular or "ground"
version (GRC-193).

I tried to find a better description of the MRC-138 but could not.
Maybe that was the Marines' own version of the GRC-193? Either
way, it was described as selectable 100 W or 400 W PEP on HF.
Note: A lot of "MRC-" radios out there but all for Marines;
I find no direct Army "MRC-"s described.

Well hell, I guess I -am- getting old. I found references to the 400
watt MRC-138 but not the 1000 watt version. I could have sworn they
were called the MRC-109/110.......

Given a mere 64 years since we got into WW2 until now, there's
a whole potfull of different radios, radar sets, transponders,
gizmos that have gotten the U.S. military nomenclature. A few
of those were civilian developments, bought intact, and given
MIL monikers (AN/FRC-93 for the Collins KWM-2 all-band HF
transceiver; AN/FRC-23 and FRC-35 for a GE microwave terminal).
I'm glad I "took notes" with my camera during my 4 active years
just to jog the memory much later; came easy enough with visual
clues to pull out certain technical details. :-)


The basic R/T has digit push-wheel frequency selection (like
digit thumbwheels but with a single button mover). The
AN/VRC-11 through AN/VRC-49 had, variously, 10 push-button
or rotary switch selection of frequencies in the 30 to 76 MHz
region, FM, and were compatible with the AN/PRC-25 and -77
VHF FM sets. The lower number VRCs I've seen all have
chromed push buttons, something left over from WW2. :-)

Got a couple of tuners like that in the parts pile.

Probably from the old BC-603 and BC-604 "tank radios." [add
80 to the numbers for corresponding non-tank radios] Those were
all-tube, FM, and definitely crystal-controlled using 1 to 10
FT-241 holder crystals with "channel numbers" on them plus the
air frequency (highest end of HF). Those just selected the
crystal and cam-operated a couple variable capacitors. Those
"tank radios" were among the first to get their nomenclature
changed to "AN/VRC-" in the last year of WW2.



In 1967 the U.S. military had three field models of
NODs. Electro-Optical Systems division of Xerox in
Pasadena produced one of those models. Three were
stolen/turned-up-mission that year, feds in there asking
questions after. The production manager "resigned."
I have no idea where those missing NODs wound up but I
read reports in 1970 where the USSR military now had
them. First ones were "blotchy" in imaging and sensitivity
didn't have any automatic gain control but they could
enable anyone to "own the night." They have improved
considerably since 1967.

Sounds about right. On this one the lens is pretty good quality but
the electronics are nothing more than a noisy inverter and a finger
trigger. Suprisingly sensitive tho, especially to short IR.

The sensitivity is due - according to a PhD in Optics I worked
under at Rocketdyne - an innovative expansion of the basic
photomultiplier tube still used for light level measurements
down to single photon level. The difference with the NOD is
that it does it as a wavefront of EM light as opposed to the
"stages" of the photomultiplier tube with a small target area.
That requires the higher voltages from the internal battery
supply. Sensitivity is best at IR due to less wavefront energy
there, thus the photon multiplication has higher gain at IR.

Weird science! First time I looked through one at EOS in
Pasadena (test area completely enclosed in double black
plastic sheet), the "illumination" came from a guy's radium-
marked wris****ch dial! "Eye opening" experience! :-)