RCA HF Command Set Radio- Time Frame

[Hue Miller]

At 02:01 AM 5/8/99 -0500, David Stinson wrote:

>The primary mission of Command Set radios was plane-to-plane
>voice communication providing a short-range channel...

>The primary mission of the more powerful Liaison radio
>was to provide real-time reports of tactical and situational
>information from single or formations of aircraft to
>bases hundreds of miles away

--my point is that the liaison / command division arose from the
actual installation on the aircraft and its intended role,
not so much on the physical equipment by itself. Many (most?) of the
classic multiseat planes of this era did not have equipment to make
that distinction. The equipment fulfilled all roles, up to the limits
of its abililty.

>with a radio determined by the distance, or "range,"
>from base to which it was expected to fly.
>An ATB or GF/RU could reliably communicate with a base
>within several tens of miles.

--your spec'd range is okay for the RUGF. the ATB range on CW,
with trailing aerial, would certainly be greater than this.
( i am guesstimating 100 miles, CW, but that is *just* a guesstimate)
A book i have ( maybe "Your Flying Navy" ?? ) seems to state that
the ATB, as used on Kingfisher, was installed here specifically as
a longer range radio - a role here, for example, comprising both
'liaison' and 'command' roles. in such an installation, both pilot
and radio operator could operate the radio, altho only the radio
operator actually had a key, and access to the tuning controls.

>Liaison transmitters-
>typically more powerful- would communicate over hundreds
>of miles.  This was generally not desirable in a
>short-range scout such as the Kingfisher, because
>you would run the risk of enemy interception of
>your scouting reports.

>73 OM DE Dave Stinson AB5S

--just a reminder: in combat patrol conditions, radio silence was
the rule. radio was used for "contact reports", i.e. reports on
enemy contact or sighting; or distress signals, when the interception
risk was unavoidable.

--and btw, Aviation History magazine, sept. 1998, has a one page article
"Radar and Radio Intercept in the Philippines 1941-42". incidents reported
are probably drawn from some more authoritive obscure book. mentions
the 2nd Signal Service Company, based on The Rock, listened to Japanese
pilots with apparently lax radio discipline, and using such overheard
snatches as "Ikamura is  landing in the water, looks like he won't be
coming home", to get an idea of losses and enemy strength.
also, i remember reading that Allied monitors during the war listened to,
and apparently deciphered, radio weather reports from Japanese patrol
planes. I strongly don't believe allied weather reporting flights
reported back by radio, but  would cerainly appreciate any input on this.

73 de hue ka7lxy ar ( sorry, no handy military Q signal reference
handy, hi)

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