BKells said:You'll never see the bottom two unless you join the air force or work in a BDE CP.
The second one is called the AN/PRC-521 set and everyone calls it a 521. This piece of kit is garbage, by the way.
Just a Sig Op said:You have no need to see HF radios in the infantry, or really, any trade outside signals anyway, as it's for strategic communcations, not tactical communications. We sigs types use them though, often.
Michael Dorosh said:On our driver wheeled course, all the instructors brought cel phones - I realize the need for crypto stuff in modern comms equipment, but it is beyond me how we can't get radios to function with the same ease as a cel phone?
signalsguy said:was because the military equivalent was garbage.
willy said:2. Finger problems when programming: The PRC 521 IUCE (programming box) is not user friendly, and programming can easily go awry as a result. Unless the thing is set to the same frequency as the next radio, problems will invariably occur. Use a laptop with the Frequency Fill Software on it to program your radio, vice doing it manually with the IUCE. The FFS is simple and user friendly, and if you do make a mistake, you'll be able to see it right away. Overall, you'll find your results are much, much better. Once one radio has been properly programmed in that manner, use a cloning cable to make your other radios identical. Programming and the lack thereof is the single biggest cause of poor comms when using these radios.
3. Attempting to use the set for purposes for which it was never designed: Nominal range of the 521 on high power when using the 1M blade antenna is 3.0 Km. Actual range will depend on battery power, terrain, conductivity of the ground, and condition of the set itself. You will almost never get 3 Km out of it though. Accept that fact, and don't try and use it as your lone means of communications when on patrol 5+ Km from
Just a Sig Op said:Reference #3, while you are right, I once had a 521 that couldn't reach the CP we were gaurding, 500m away. It could establish comms with the 522 set we had on site, which in turn could reach the CP, but the 521 itself just couldn't do it... on high power... with the blade antenna. Probably some sort of freak circumstance, but still. We eventually gave up and ran a field phone.