[TenTec] Re: Rig standardization

[Stuart Rohre]

Ron,
The HT 37 is a rather recent rig in your example.   I was talking about the
heyday of AM when the Amphenol coaxial mike connector such as on the Heath
DX 100 was king of mike connectors.  Widely used on P.A. systems, AM ham
rigs, etc.  Only the Cannon three pin mike connector was arguably more
popular, since it was standard on Commercial Broadcast equipment somewhere
in the 1950's.

The two types of jack systems were the smaller military tip ring and sleeve
such as one the T -17 Carbon aircraft mike and many others, and the 1/4 inch
MONO jack for headphones.  The mil nomenclature of the smaller plug and jack
system escapes me; but you are right they would not fit 1/4 inch hardware.

Stereo type jacks came in at 1/4 inch much later, in the 1960's, ( maybe
late sixties).  Along the way some mobiles like the early RCA CB had Jones
plugs or other connectors.  But the majority of 1950's and earlier ham gear
had the coaxial two conductor mike jack, and a mono 1/4 inch phone jack for
key, and another for headphones on receivers.

My source is several years collection of CQ Magazine Radio calendars,
personal use of military surplus radios and 1950's AM rigs, as well as home
brew rigs in CQ and QST of the periods.

Yes, who might standardize ham practice other than ARRL?   IEEE does such
for commercial electronics, and although there is always carping at
standards decisions, most go along for the good of the profession.  It might
be better if ham manufacturers had a national organization (even
international today), to standardize connectors.   IEEE has done some of
international work.

 In consumer electronics the old RMA (Radio Manufacturers Assoc.) morphed
into the RTMA (Television added) and now the current Electronics
Association.   Those groups were where things like RCA jacks on audio hi fi
were adopted, 300 ohm terminal strips on TV's, and later type F coaxial TV
connections for antenna input or cable were hammered out.

I am sure every time we cable home hi fi equipment we are glad there are no
more complicated cables to deal with than the RCA's, although now you have
the type S video and some other variants with DVD and advanced TV's.  It may
never happen in ham radio, but it would be one less bone of contention that
should not complicate a hobby.  What if hunters had to deal with different
gauges on every shotgun manufacturer and rifle maker, and ammo was not
standardized?
73,
Stuart
K5KVH