The Envy for Modern Gadgetry
submitted by: Alva Leon Matheson
The Air America Pilatus Porters we had in 1966 featured a VOR radio, period. Past Skyline, northeast of Twenty-Alpha (PDJ), and beyond 25 miles or so, forget any navigational aids. We flew pilotage all of the time. Our UHF radio was a portable back-pack ground set, an AN/PRC-41, Combat Control Team (CCT) radio strapped to the back of the seat with a rope, and a headset. I did try to audiotape on a strike or two for the “Agency” but gave up on it. I jerry-rigged a regular reel-type recorder to the audio output of the radio, and as the strike began, turned it on. But the racket in the open microphone overwhelmed any meaningful sound.
I acquired the HF-Single Side Band frequency used by the Jolly Green rescue helicopters, and placed another CCT ground HF radio, AN/PRC- 47, battery-powered, in the back of the airplane. I ran a wire out to the wing strut and tied it with a rope for an antenna. Then, on shoot-downs or other bad times, I could talk to Jolly Greens directly. What a luxury! No airborne controls, etc, at that time, consistently. We had one, Dogpatch, a Gooney Bird, but it got shot down north east of Sam Neuea.