Radio Gear
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AideMemoire
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Believe it or not, Ebay is a good source for VRC-12 family EIS. Very few of the sets we had in Canada seem to have stuck around, though single PRC-25s and 77's have been known to show up at Crown Assets from time to time. Canada seems to sell the bulk of its surplus radio gear to vendors in the U.S., as far as I've been able to figure over the years, with one of the big ones being Fair Radio Sales Inc. in Ohio. There's another outfit in the U.S. called "PVT Jarhead's Surplus" which also has the RT-524 and the packsets available for halfway decent prices, though, like most of the smaller U.S. vendors, they often refuse to sell to anyone who isn't a U.S. citizen (not a problem with Fair Radio Sales, who actually understand the regulations that others just misquote.) If you're looking in Canada only - Toronto Surplus and Scientific often has 25 sets and some of the VRC-12 vehicle stuff, though their prices tend to be...well...hefty.
Expect to pay $300 - $650 USD or thereabouts for complete transceivers which may or may not work, and $500 - $900 USD for the "checked, working" variety. MT-1029 vehicle mounts can be had for about $30 USD, and cabling is typically $5 - $15 per cable. A couple of different antenna systems were used by Canada, but the common later one on the M151A2 "74 pattern" jeep and the the various M38A1CDN jeeps was the AS-1729 system, which uses the MX-6707 "round AMU" and two fiberglass whip sections. Fair Radio has all that, and it shows up on Ebay fairly often too. Canada also used the MX-2799 "box-base AMU" with a special bracket on the pre-roll cage M151A2s and I think the M38A1s, and they show up now and then too. While the whip bottom section for the MX-6707 looks like it will fit on the MX-2799 too -- it won't -- and the proper MX-2799 whip section lower is a very rare item nowadays and virtually unobtainium.
Some comms units in the past have had RT-524s they've been able to give Cadet units somehow (NPF or otherwise not on docs, I guess), but this far away from the TCCCS changeover I doubt you'll have much luck with that. I don't have any spare radios but I do have a mountain of MT-1029 trays, cabling, headsets, etc. for that family of sets out at work (we bought some giant surplus lots back in the 1990's) but sadly no antenna related stuff. PM me or reply if you're still doing this project and haven't had any success anywhere else.
Expect to pay $300 - $650 USD or thereabouts for complete transceivers which may or may not work, and $500 - $900 USD for the "checked, working" variety. MT-1029 vehicle mounts can be had for about $30 USD, and cabling is typically $5 - $15 per cable. A couple of different antenna systems were used by Canada, but the common later one on the M151A2 "74 pattern" jeep and the the various M38A1CDN jeeps was the AS-1729 system, which uses the MX-6707 "round AMU" and two fiberglass whip sections. Fair Radio has all that, and it shows up on Ebay fairly often too. Canada also used the MX-2799 "box-base AMU" with a special bracket on the pre-roll cage M151A2s and I think the M38A1s, and they show up now and then too. While the whip bottom section for the MX-6707 looks like it will fit on the MX-2799 too -- it won't -- and the proper MX-2799 whip section lower is a very rare item nowadays and virtually unobtainium.
Some comms units in the past have had RT-524s they've been able to give Cadet units somehow (NPF or otherwise not on docs, I guess), but this far away from the TCCCS changeover I doubt you'll have much luck with that. I don't have any spare radios but I do have a mountain of MT-1029 trays, cabling, headsets, etc. for that family of sets out at work (we bought some giant surplus lots back in the 1990's) but sadly no antenna related stuff. PM me or reply if you're still doing this project and haven't had any success anywhere else.
AideMemoire
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my72jeep said:
You wouldn't have an intercom in a jeep, though collectors put them in anyway because shouting at your passenger on a long drive gets real old real fast (I drove an ex-CDN M151A2 "74 Pattern Jeep" for 10 years as my daily-driver. And I can still hear even!)
You've got the tray that the RT-524 mounts into though, right? I have the main power cable for that, the cable that goes from the RT-524 to the MX-6707 antenna tuner (thick one - to run the motor/tuner in the MX-6707), and the RF cable (BNC-to-BNC) which also goes to the antenna tuner. Lots of antenna tuners out there are bad (full of water, usually), so before you hook the cables up, grab the knob on the bottom of the antenna tuner and make sure it turns freely or it will pop the circuit breaker in the RT-524, and many don't reset properly from the front panel.
Headsets/handsets: I can probably spare two of the headsets. They're not the boom-mic type, just the listening only type. They're good to use in conjuction with either the 25/77 or the RT-524 with the headset on the one audio connector, and the microphone on the other. They won't work properly with the VIC-1 intercom stuff because there are special-purpose audio accessories for that I don't think I have spares of (which switch between keying/listening to either Intercom or Radio). I think I'm short on H-250 handsets, but should have a couple of the M-80 microphones - and even the Canadian accessory bag it all goes in.
You can have the cables for free for the cost of postage. I'll see what I can scare up on the rest of that stuff later today. I'll also see if I have any of the VIC-1 intercom cables going spare, but I don't think so. Just a word of warning on wiring up the AM-1780 amplifier box in the VIC-1 system: pay very, very close attention to the manual and DON'T hook the standard power cable up to the power cable connector if you're using it conjunction with radios. The army fried hundreds and foreign armies continue to fry hundreds, so good ones are getting rare and pricey ($275 USD at last check.) What will happen is that 24VDC will short to ground across one of the wafer switches and will cook the contacts off, and these specific switches are neither obtainable nor repairable, unfortunately.
Sorry if this all sounds obvious, but better safe than sorry.
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I have the 524 in and working , antenna mounted. I was looking to hook up the head set with the boom mic like we had in the 113's. it gets loud with out the top on.the mount I have has the intercontecting box under it. need to know what connects to it and then find the parts.
AideMemoire
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The interconnection box mounted under your 524, does it look like this: http://www.prc68.com/I/Images/C2299Cs.jpg
or this: http://www.prc68.com/I/Images/C-2298s.jpg
or does it look like this: http://www.prc68.com/I/Images/AM1780Xs.jpg
If it's that first box, the C-2299, it doesn't provide intercom, but just interfaced two radios (one on each jeep fender) for RRB (repeater) operation. That second box, the C-2298, is the 'dumb' crew-station part of the larger intercom system we had in the M113s. That third box, the AM-1780, is the 'brains' of the M113-type intercom system.
If you wanted a two-station intercom system (say driver and passenger), and wanted to be able to switch over to talk on your radio too - you'd need this stuff:
a) 1 x AM-1780 intercom amplifier (unused, beautiful one at http://tinyurl.com/AM-1780 )
b) 2 x C-2298 control boxes or equivalent (some here - these guys are excellent: http://tinyurl.com/5srgvw )
c) 3 x CX-4723 cables: one from driver's C-2298 to AM-1780; one from passenger's C-2298 to AM-1780; one from AM-1780 to RT-524's mounting tray. They come in different lengths, but I was only able to find the 4 ft. long ones here: http://tinyurl.com/cx-4723 where you'll want longer ones instead.
d) 2 x Headset/ Boom Mic/ Chestset groups type H-161 also found here: http://tinyurl.com/5e2ccu - as you probably remember, these were problematic when they got old and tired and worn, and the ones at Fair Radio are brand new.
Once you install this lot you'll be able to talk on the intercom to your passenger and will be able to switch over to talking on the RT-524 whenever you want to. (Passenger can also control the radio when necessary.) The AM-1780 -- the 'brains' -- draws its power from the single CX-4723 cable running from it to the RT-524's radio tray, which also provides the radio audio in/out and radio control.
Unfortunately there's no way to avoid getting all of that, and no 'shortcut' to having an intercom system with less stuff (which is why you never saw the system in smaller vehicles.) I don't have any of that equip available, unfortunately, but if you decide to go ahead I can see if anyone else I know has those longer CX-4723s kicking around. Vendor-wise you won't do better than the ones I've pointed out, unless you have the patience to wait for it to show up on Ebay (and generally the prices are no better even then.)
Hope that helps.
or this: http://www.prc68.com/I/Images/C-2298s.jpg
or does it look like this: http://www.prc68.com/I/Images/AM1780Xs.jpg
If it's that first box, the C-2299, it doesn't provide intercom, but just interfaced two radios (one on each jeep fender) for RRB (repeater) operation. That second box, the C-2298, is the 'dumb' crew-station part of the larger intercom system we had in the M113s. That third box, the AM-1780, is the 'brains' of the M113-type intercom system.
If you wanted a two-station intercom system (say driver and passenger), and wanted to be able to switch over to talk on your radio too - you'd need this stuff:
a) 1 x AM-1780 intercom amplifier (unused, beautiful one at http://tinyurl.com/AM-1780 )
b) 2 x C-2298 control boxes or equivalent (some here - these guys are excellent: http://tinyurl.com/5srgvw )
c) 3 x CX-4723 cables: one from driver's C-2298 to AM-1780; one from passenger's C-2298 to AM-1780; one from AM-1780 to RT-524's mounting tray. They come in different lengths, but I was only able to find the 4 ft. long ones here: http://tinyurl.com/cx-4723 where you'll want longer ones instead.
d) 2 x Headset/ Boom Mic/ Chestset groups type H-161 also found here: http://tinyurl.com/5e2ccu - as you probably remember, these were problematic when they got old and tired and worn, and the ones at Fair Radio are brand new.
Once you install this lot you'll be able to talk on the intercom to your passenger and will be able to switch over to talking on the RT-524 whenever you want to. (Passenger can also control the radio when necessary.) The AM-1780 -- the 'brains' -- draws its power from the single CX-4723 cable running from it to the RT-524's radio tray, which also provides the radio audio in/out and radio control.
Unfortunately there's no way to avoid getting all of that, and no 'shortcut' to having an intercom system with less stuff (which is why you never saw the system in smaller vehicles.) I don't have any of that equip available, unfortunately, but if you decide to go ahead I can see if anyone else I know has those longer CX-4723s kicking around. Vendor-wise you won't do better than the ones I've pointed out, unless you have the patience to wait for it to show up on Ebay (and generally the prices are no better even then.)
Hope that helps.
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the intercontecting box I have is the size of a pack of smokes and is mounted as part of the Radio tray( looks like this) http://cgi.ebay.com/m151-HMMWV-Interconneting-Box-Radio-Military-RT-524-246_W0QQitemZ280286595027QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item280286595027&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 . but what Im trying to do is use the head set\with boom mike I have so i can hear and talk as I drive.
AideMemoire
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Okay, all that is is an interface device for crypto equipment, so it doesn't do anything to help you out. I don't know if the H-161 headset/chestset works the way you want it to by hooking it up to both audio connectors on the RT-524 (the headset/chestset has two audio connectors), but if you bought one you could try it. If the radio transmits when the switch on the chestset is set to 'I' rather than 'R', just reverse the leads at the radio and it should fix it. I can't think of any headset with boom mic that terminates in a single audio connector - at least nothing I've used. Normally you just use the headset with no boom mic on one audio connector, and use the M-80 microphone on the other.
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OK makes sense I have the mike/headset two connectors it only works as a headset only will not transmit. how would i go about hooking it up to work? ex combat engineer here using and maintaining Com's I can do, wiring vox and intercom I bow to your expertise.
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my72jeep said:
So, you've got the headset/chestset H-161 with the boom mike? Basically you'd have some re-wiring to do because a lot of the pinouts for the U-229 audio connector are different on that setup vs. the usual VRC-12 family audio accy's. What's the easiest way to do this. Hmm. I have all the manuals for that system here, so I'll pull one of those H-161 headset/chestset boom-mic setups out of stores tomorrow when I get a break and see if I can come up with an easy mod. Might be Saturday. Sounds like an interesting challenge.
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Yeahsorry - been a strange few months. Just as well because I was having a brain f*rt earlier.
Assuming you have the H-161 headset w/boom mic (see http://tinyurl.com/avjpvu )
that hooks in to the chest set switch (the one that says RAD or ICS on either side of the toggle switch) and winds up in the two standard radio connectors -- all you have to do is hook one connector to each of the front panel connectors on the RT-524. Then just transmit by holding the toggle switch over to the RAD side like usual, and you should be good. If you get anything weird happening (i.e., no transmit) - just swap the connections around - and really make sure the contacts are clean (eraser on the end of a pencil works great) or you'll have some problems.
I just tried it on one of my sets and it works perfectly. Should also work fine on the 77 sets too.
Assuming you have the H-161 headset w/boom mic (see http://tinyurl.com/avjpvu )
that hooks in to the chest set switch (the one that says RAD or ICS on either side of the toggle switch) and winds up in the two standard radio connectors -- all you have to do is hook one connector to each of the front panel connectors on the RT-524. Then just transmit by holding the toggle switch over to the RAD side like usual, and you should be good. If you get anything weird happening (i.e., no transmit) - just swap the connections around - and really make sure the contacts are clean (eraser on the end of a pencil works great) or you'll have some problems.
I just tried it on one of my sets and it works perfectly. Should also work fine on the 77 sets too.
AideMemoire
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I also just remembered that where I had to rewire them last time was for a military set with only the one audio connector. When you have a set that has two like the RT-524s, RT-246s and the prick 25s and 77s - there's no problem.
