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[TenTec] Rice Box

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Subject: [TenTec] Rice Box
From: geraldj@ames.net (Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, P.E.)
Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2000 09:34:52 -0600
John Dvoracek wrote:
> 
> >   I always thought the term "Rice Box" came from the fact that the
> early
> > Japanese radios came packed in boxes made of rice paper.  Having
> "hosted"
> 
> Wherever the term arose, someone in the translation department at Yaesu
> had a sense of humor.  I purchased a used 144 MHz all mode rig (TT's
> wasn't out then either) in the early 1980's - an FT227R I think.  I
> swear, hidden in one paragraph in the manual was an admonition not to do
> something or "the rice will fall out of the box".  I don't remember what
> it was I wasn't supposed to do, and I am certain it was the (probably by
> then ex-) translator who must have added that comment.
> <snip>

>From my limited study of printed Japanese, I suspect that the particular
Kanji or Hiragana that means "the rice will fall out of the box" also
means "the radio will be broken", the common item being the bottom of
the container will be damaged. Which WILL let the rice fall out IF the
box contained rice.

That consideration would leave me to think the caution was in not using
mobile mount screws that were too long and that the translator was not
truly familiar with radio. Many rice box manuals have that character,
making one wish to have had the original manual in Japanese, the pseudo
English manual making no better sense to one not capable of reading
Japanese.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

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