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Pre-WW2 field radio SCR-288


robinb
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The SCR-288 was originally made for export to Sweden by RCA in the late 1930's. When it became apparent that the US was going to be involved in the War, the Signal Corps was surprisingly short of field radios so they decided to stop exporting the SCR-288 and adopt it for the UIS Army to use.

Well, here's my complete set. It's taken many years to find everything, but as of today, the last piece came together. The telegraph key was the toughy. I've been assembling this set for about 15 years, one piece at a time. But that key proved to be very elusive. One stumbing block was the fact that the key is not marked with any type of model number designation. All I knew was that it was made by Speed-X. But then again, Speed-X made thousands of keys for all kinds of radios. I've had the word Speed-X saved in my ebay searches for at least 10 years, and recieved notifications pretty much every day during those last 10 years. I've carried a photograph of that key to many ham radio swap meets and asked around. No one had ever seen one. Well, last week this one turned up on ebay, and I got it for a very reasonably price.

MVC-001S.JPG

MVC-002S.JPG

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What a great set! Any idea on the transmitter's power? Is that a regenerative receiver?

 

I've got a civilian version of that style of microphone - all chrome-plated: they're a lot like the old telephone mikes with a handle attached.

 

Congratulations on staying diligent!

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Very nice set. Nice to see someone dedecated putting it together. I have just compleated the remote unit and set up for the SCR 399, found a junction box JB-60 that i have been looking for, for years, at last. Now to sort out this dammed AN/TRC-7.

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Beautiful set. A lot can be said for the "joy of the hunt". Last year I completed my SCR-694 set up, only lacking the BX-53(or is it 54?), not the one with the spare tubes, the other one that held crystals. Certainly not as hard a search or long as your SCR-288, but did have to dig through GRC-9 and some French stuff for a long time to get WWII GI components. And I have always tried to convince people that every "thing" has a bunch of "stuff" that goes with it, it is not just the radio or just the machine gun. When I show it to people or take it out and set it up, everyone is surprised at all the accessories-and that the thing came in 4 bags. And sometimes, I just open up parts of it and look at it, just to say-I finally got it all...almost! Again, beautiful radio set and congrats on the morse key!

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Beautiful set. A lot can be said for the "joy of the hunt". Last year I completed my SCR-694 set up, only lacking the BX-53(or is it 54?), not the one with the spare tubes, the other one that held crystals.

 

My SCR-694 is almost complete as well. I think I just need the power cord to be finished.

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Folks,

I am a new member and I got intereted in joining when I found this topic on the SCR-288.

Awesome set robinb, congrats!

I happen to have a nice BC-474 too, but predictably I have been hunting accessories for it without much success.

I am missing the GN44 generator, the microphone, filter FL-10, radio legs and the elusive key!

Any ideas where I can get any of these rare items?

I welcome any advice.

Thank you.

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  • 4 years later...

hey , don't know if you still have the radio set but if possible i would love to have more info on the parts :)

 

recently bouht the empty shell and will try to complete a set

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