Collins had the best gear and probably still does if you can afford it. The
Japanese just have good easy to use gear at a great price.

Being a spec 4 I got to take down some equipment for repair (does anybody know
how to drive a jeep)to Collins Saigon a couple of times for repairs from Phu Bai
which is 13 klicks south of Hue? So a long trip sitting on a C-130 cargo pallet
with a radio in your lap. I guess they were pioneering the current airlines
practice of overbooking.
After repaired picked up a radio from Collins one morning and as I left the
building Papasan suddenly appears with a rickshaw. So I think this is a good
idea to get back to the "hotel" carrying the radio. After some talking I hop in
and he starts pedaling, and pedaling, after about two hours he starts asking me
questions in Vietnamese. Eventually I look around and for as far as you can see
there is nothing but building rubble and not one person standing. Poor
Papasan is huffing and puffing and I realize this was bad idea.
>
Somehow I got back but have no idea how, sort of like those ufo abductees whose
memory is erased.

Dave
AB8AQ
> But, and it is a big "but", the Collins gear was for the most part in the
supply system, so parts were easier to get when time was not a factor.
> Sure made a difference in the budgeting and getting funding for support.
>
> Doug Thomas
>
> --- On Fri, 6/5/09, david.lane37 <david.lane37@...> wrote:
>
> From: david.lane37 <david.lane37@...>
> Subject: [MARS and Vietnam ] Spare parts
> To: marsandvietnam@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Friday, June 5, 2009, 10:57 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I recall a story from WWII about a guy mailing home and entire jeep part by
part. Probably the same everywhere/time, as a joke (he said later)a guy at my
former high tech company ordered a Porsche on the
>
> automated material purchases system. Went through several supervisor sign offs
till it got to a VP sign off, and he noticed the word Porsche (probably had one
himself). Who knows what got by the rest of the time.
>
> When I got back stateside I bought a Yaesu FTDX400, ordered it through
>
> the mail for something like 500 dollars. Covered all the bands, even 11 meters
and no crystal changing. Collins was good but the Japanese
>
> sure beat everybody in the market.
>