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What radio for Mutt M151A2 ?

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papakb

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The radios that were installed in the 151s were really mission dependent but the most commonly fitted ones were the VRC-12 family of radios. These are the RT-246/524 and R-442 as mentioned above. The older VRC-3 series radios like the one in the first picture were being phased out of the system about the same time the 151s were coming into it. That doesn't mean they didn't get put into the 151s but only the early series. With the 151 you can install almost any radio you want to because they were so widely used. Forward Air Controllers would have had radios like the MRC-83 series in them and then those were replaced with the GRC-206s.
 
frank8003

frank8003

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I was the Battalion Commanders driver. My Jeep had the whole back of the thing filled with radios.
It had some really, really long antenna. Lots of them. No pictures for the General. That was 1969, I was trying to get warm, not take pictures, wasn't allowed anyhow, I had to carry his codebook, what a monster book.
It is goofy but We had no top, no heater, all that stuff went to Vietnam I guess. Brrrrerrr cold.
Airborne backround.jpg
 
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papakb

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In '69 that probably would have been one of the MRC-83 series sets for a BC. They tried to make them talk in HF, VHF, and UHF using a mishmash of available radios like the Collins 618Ts for HF, VRC-12 for VHF, and ARCs for UHF. Monsters that needed a separate generator in it's own trailer.
 
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2deuce

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Does anyone have a picture of a grc 106 in a M151? What years would this likely be done? Would it need to pull a generator trailer?
Thanks
 
m38inmaine

m38inmaine

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No generator needed, draws up to 40A @ 24VDC, I would have the engine running during use. The GRC-106 was pretty munch phased out by the 90's.
 

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papakb

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That one looks like an MRC-108 and would definitetly have needed the genset. I guess the real question is is this just for looks or do you plan on operating the radio(s)? If you really want to impress the 106 set is a good one but don't overlook big sets like the TRC-75 or the GRC-193 or going over the top, a GRC-206. For all around simplicity and one you can actually use (with a tech license) I'd stick with the VRC-12 family of radios. Available, relatively inexpensive, and you can get them repaired if you need to.
 
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2deuce

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I have a GRC-106 set I got at an estate sale. I think I have everything that goes with it. I don't know what should go in a vehicle and what might be only used in a station. I have a M151a1 that I thought I may put all this in. The tag on the set reads good, but I would only intend to display it. Advice is appreciated.

Thanks
 
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joel

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Hmmn, The radio jeeps I remember for the 151 is an/mrc-110, an/mrc-109, one with rt-505 with an amplifier(mrc-139?), an/mrc-134, an/mrc-135
 
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papakb

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I've looked for years for a listing of the various configurations of the MRC series radios. Does anyone have one that could be copied or know where to find one? In searching I find that the USMC liked to designate complete vehicle/radio systems as MRC radios where the Army would assign that designation to just the radio set, Somewhere there should be a listing.
 
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joel

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There also were the an/mrc-83, an/mrc-87 radio jeeps.They used the m38A1 jeeps for these radios.I'll see if I can find the info you're looking for
 
Wile E. Coyote

Wile E. Coyote

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m38inmaine said:
No generator needed, draws up to 40A @ 24VDC, I would have the engine running during use. The GRC-106 was pretty munch phased out by the 90's.
Click to expand...
I started to plan out the install for a GRC-106 setup in mine - but once I put the radio there to see what it would look like - sitting in the driver's seat made it pretty apparent that if I got rear-ended the back of my skull was going straight into the nasty corner on the top of the 106. That pretty much killed that idea (rather it than me), so I just stuck with the double RT-524s.
 
Wile E. Coyote

Wile E. Coyote

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Flyingvan911 said:
Here's a radio Mutt at the Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, OH. I highly recommend a visit. Plan to spend most of the day.
Click to expand...
MRC-107 and MRC-108 were also recycled for use in some of the first Humvees, believe it or not, by cutting down the pallet so it would fit in the Humvee.

Meanwhile, some units still possessing nothing but M151A2s were getting issued new GRC-206 racks, so you had brand new radios in ancient jeeps - and ancient radios in brand new Humvees. It varied all over. Sometimes the special antenna mounts for the GRC-206-in-M151A2 wind up on Ebay. Mike Murphy had some too...as did Austin Aviation.
 
Wile E. Coyote

Wile E. Coyote

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2deuce said:
I have a GRC-106 set I got at an estate sale. I think I have everything that goes with it. I don't know what should go in a vehicle and what might be only used in a station. I have a M151a1 that I thought I may put all this in. The tag on the set reads good, but I would only intend to display it. Advice is appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...
There are a lot of bad ones out there. When I get them now I lightly lubricate all the tuning apparatus etc. before I try them, and you have to follow the tuning instructions and various 'DO NOT' -type instructions exactly or things break. They're kind of fun to have sitting at some event tuned to one of the few remaining shortwave broadcast services, but since that seems to get harder and harder I kind of cheat and just run canned radio traffic through the LS-454 and call it even :)
 
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