V40
Well-Known Member
This might interest others who are collecting items from the Vietnam Era. What I have is some of the radios used during Vietnam. A small collection which would be about 1/9th of all the radios used there. Starting from the left to the right and going Clockwise we have the following:
1) The top radio here is called a AN/URC-68. This is one of the early type of Aircrew Survival Radios that all pilots were to wear in case of an "Ejection" from the plane. Elite unit(s) also used them, and yes even SOG wood wear them religiously on an "Across-The-Fence" scenario. Notice all of the dials and such. Can be a P.I.T.A to use.
2) Below that we have a helmet receiver called a "Helmet-Mounted AN/PRR-9 Receiver". I will go out and find a picture on the web of one being connected and used. This is a Receiver only.
3) We will skip the next picture in its entirely because it can confuse some others.
3a) These are two different flavors out of a possible 6-7 more radios of this type. However, we have here are two variants of the PRC-90's. The one on the left is a "PRC-90-0". These are both "Excellent" Survival Radios" that were still used on up through the 90's and considering that the left side version came out in 1968, still makes it an excellent choice among Pilots of that Vietnam War Era. The first one used is on the left side and it has all of the abilities that one could ask for in a survival radio. Again, these units were used by "Elite" units and SOG. The one on the right is a PRC-90-1. It has the "Morse code" removed. Also, above the two of those is a black-wire. This was found in the black plastic bags hanging off of each hand strap on the PRC-90's. One end of the wire has a 9volt battery hookup and the other end has a ear piece. This was all used in case you were shot down or are a member of SOG.
Note: The Survival radios were all used by the pilots of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines in their each survival vests and seat kits with about four extra batteries. So the Pilot had one in his equipment along with an extra battery tied to the outside. You then will find another survival radio of the same sort as to what is on the vests along with usually two extra batteries and with one battery already installed in both radios. Redundancy was necessity back then. Therefore, SOG used the same Radios, Survival Vests and sometimes even the Pilots overalls, and other truly unimaginable ordnance and equipment added to SOG's equipment Connexes.
One other item to explain; Each survival radio had at least two different channels that were standard all of the time on each radio. These channels were: 243 Mhz (Also known as the Guard Channel) and the 282.0MHz. Some models could have different crystals added or deleted so that the Recon Team can have a Guard Frequency of 243 Mhz and different frequency's added as needed. SOG ALWAYS retained the Guard Channel for themselves and for the FAC of the day and for moonbeam (I believe this is the correct contact sign for the C-130 orbiting along Laos, and Cambodia). This special equipped Hercules had all kinds of directional devices, FLIR, side looking radar, and commo up the ying-yang! They were the only lifeline for SOG at night.
4) This is also another survival radio called a RT-60. Again SOG used it along with the pilots who were issued with it. SOG also used this too in their survival kits with an extra battery.
5) This is the infamous PRC-77. It replaced the PRC-25 later in the war. Although it was better than the old PRC-25, the Army
Will Continue tomorrow>>>>>
1) The top radio here is called a AN/URC-68. This is one of the early type of Aircrew Survival Radios that all pilots were to wear in case of an "Ejection" from the plane. Elite unit(s) also used them, and yes even SOG wood wear them religiously on an "Across-The-Fence" scenario. Notice all of the dials and such. Can be a P.I.T.A to use.
2) Below that we have a helmet receiver called a "Helmet-Mounted AN/PRR-9 Receiver". I will go out and find a picture on the web of one being connected and used. This is a Receiver only.
3) We will skip the next picture in its entirely because it can confuse some others.
3a) These are two different flavors out of a possible 6-7 more radios of this type. However, we have here are two variants of the PRC-90's. The one on the left is a "PRC-90-0". These are both "Excellent" Survival Radios" that were still used on up through the 90's and considering that the left side version came out in 1968, still makes it an excellent choice among Pilots of that Vietnam War Era. The first one used is on the left side and it has all of the abilities that one could ask for in a survival radio. Again, these units were used by "Elite" units and SOG. The one on the right is a PRC-90-1. It has the "Morse code" removed. Also, above the two of those is a black-wire. This was found in the black plastic bags hanging off of each hand strap on the PRC-90's. One end of the wire has a 9volt battery hookup and the other end has a ear piece. This was all used in case you were shot down or are a member of SOG.
Note: The Survival radios were all used by the pilots of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines in their each survival vests and seat kits with about four extra batteries. So the Pilot had one in his equipment along with an extra battery tied to the outside. You then will find another survival radio of the same sort as to what is on the vests along with usually two extra batteries and with one battery already installed in both radios. Redundancy was necessity back then. Therefore, SOG used the same Radios, Survival Vests and sometimes even the Pilots overalls, and other truly unimaginable ordnance and equipment added to SOG's equipment Connexes.
One other item to explain; Each survival radio had at least two different channels that were standard all of the time on each radio. These channels were: 243 Mhz (Also known as the Guard Channel) and the 282.0MHz. Some models could have different crystals added or deleted so that the Recon Team can have a Guard Frequency of 243 Mhz and different frequency's added as needed. SOG ALWAYS retained the Guard Channel for themselves and for the FAC of the day and for moonbeam (I believe this is the correct contact sign for the C-130 orbiting along Laos, and Cambodia). This special equipped Hercules had all kinds of directional devices, FLIR, side looking radar, and commo up the ying-yang! They were the only lifeline for SOG at night.
4) This is also another survival radio called a RT-60. Again SOG used it along with the pilots who were issued with it. SOG also used this too in their survival kits with an extra battery.
5) This is the infamous PRC-77. It replaced the PRC-25 later in the war. Although it was better than the old PRC-25, the Army
Will Continue tomorrow>>>>>
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