M38A1 Radio Question

w30bob · Post by **w30bob** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:45 am

Hi Guys,

I think I read the PRC 10 was for infantry and the PRC 9 was for armor. The PRC 8 was for something else I can't remember right now. So would it be unheard of to find a PRC 9 in the back of an M38A1? I guess what I'm asking is were the PRC 9s only installed in armor......or would support vehicles for armor also have them? Did M38A1s ever support armor? Reason I ask is I'd like to put a radio in the back of my M38A1 for looks and I can find PRC 9s for cheap compared to PRC 10s. But would the military vehicle "experts" scoff and be whispering behind my back at what an idiot I was to put the wrong radio in an M38A1?

thanks,
bob

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:58 am

Hey Bob,
Everybody doesn’t get to ride in a tank!

B

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:01 am

Note in the downloads section at left is a drawing
for installing the VRC8 through 10 in the M 38 and M38A1.

http://www.willysmjeeps.com/downloads/ant6.pdf

w30bob · Post by **w30bob** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:26 pm

Hey B,

I'm thinking that's probably a good thing! I heard tanks instantly became everyone's target when seen.

I was looking at that download yesterday. Think I'm going with the MT 759 mounted behind the driver's seat with the AM 598 feeding a PRCx. I've got a really good manual around here that describes all the radio components and mounts for all the vehicles.....got it for my M37.....as usual, I just have to find it.

Looks like the actual radios (PRC 10,9 and

aren't too expensive. Same can't be said for the AM 598 power supply though. With our annual east coast meets coming up I want to get my ducks in a row in the event I run across some nice radio equipment. I hate finding great stuff and not knowing if it's right for my vehicles. On the flip side.......when I know what to look for I seldom find it. Six of one, half a dozen of the other I guess.

later,
Bob

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:19 pm

That's the luck I usually have.

Good hunting!

Bill_F · Post by **Bill_F** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:39 pm

Prc 10 usally sells for more as it can be used on the 6 meter ham band. The prc 8 and 9 can not be used to transmit.

w30bob · Post by **w30bob** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:14 pm

Hi Bill,

Thanks for that.........good to know. I only looked quickly at Fair Radio and they list them all for $150......so my bad. I should have researched it a bit more before speaking. Thanks for the correction.

So I'm still wondering..........could an M38A1 have been outfitted with a PRC 8 or 9........or only the PRC 10?

regards,
bob

Bill_F · Post by **Bill_F** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:34 pm

It could have had any of them.

Post by **wesk** » Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:25 pm

Radio sets that came in only one of the three frequency frequency ranges back then were carried by anyone needing to communicate with that type unit. Not just the armor, artilliary or infantry unit but any coordinating units that needed to be able to converse with one of the three or even two or all three of the three.

Your answer is near the bottom of this chart as to which radio was used for which frequency range.

radtech · Post by **radtech** » Sun Feb 25, 2018 4:15 pm

The PRC 8 was manufactured for armored units,PRC 9 artillery and PRC10 infantry.The frequencies of these sets were assigned so each set will communicate with the next set.Ie the PRC8 with the 9 and the 9 with the 10.When the Vietnam war came around they combined the frequencies in a single radio with the PRC 25,Rt 246 and RT 524.

dpcd67 · Post by **dpcd67** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:11 pm

I know little about radios except how to talk on them, which I have done quite a lot, in Tanks. And jeeps. And later Humvees. We had a Com/El Platoon to fix them.
I have a radio that is going in my M38; consists of a RT68, power supply, speaker, huge mount, all weighing about 100 pounds it seems. That is what would have been in a Mech or Tank Company jeep. No need for a PRC.
PRC, usually addressed as Prick, is Portable. Weighing about 25 pounds.
There is a vehicle mount, I think, but all we had were VRC, for Vehicle, Radio Communication. I think the PRC would have been in a Leg Infantry unit.
Do M38A1s support tanks? Sort of. The company commander has a jeep; there are two in a Tank Company headquarters. I had M151s; too late for the M38 Series. When I was a BMO, I had one as well.

radtech · Post by **radtech** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:41 pm

Throughout the production of these sets some time in the late 1950's the RT-66 was for Armor,the RT-67 for artillery and the RT-68 for infantry.In the USAF we addressed them with their designation PRC,GRC,or VRC TRC etc.When I was in we had a few vintage RT68 RT-70 sets in infantry frequencies.When the RT 524,RT 246 and PRC 25 sets came into service the designated frequencies ie armor,artillery and infantry were discontinued.I am sure there were M38A1's in armored units with com equipment.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Sun Mar 04, 2018 9:20 am

From the photo pages...
http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... _photo.php

radtech · Post by **radtech** » Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:28 pm

The VRC 10 set in the picture cost the government $1869. for the first production in 1950 and less for subsequent production units.

skyjeep50 · Post by **skyjeep50** » Sun Mar 04, 2018 3:26 pm

I have a VRC-10 on my M38A1 and a VRC-7 and a PRC-10 VRC on my M38. The VRC-7 is a short range (1 mile) radio for armored units while the PRC-10 was used as a backpack portable when equipped with a battery. Here it has a vehicular power supply. The VRC-7 manual specifies installation on a M-38 so that would be appropriate.