2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Sept 24, 2009 0:55:35 GMT -5
These resin replicas of both the handy talkie and walkie talkie are awesome. I have several of the Vietnam era PRC77s and love them. They are of course lighter than the real deal (thankfully) but look right and function like the original through the handsets. They use modern GMRS radios and the controls work as they should. vietnamairsoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=31They add a lot to events and are great for an RTO impression.
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Post by CharleyNovember on Sept 24, 2009 10:39:20 GMT -5
Ummm I see a lot of nam stuff and like 75 pages can you be more specific. I'm interested in these.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Sept 24, 2009 13:20:08 GMT -5
The guy primarily focuses on Vietnam equipment but branched out (somewhat at my insistence) and does a SRC 1000 and the WW2 handy talkie ,commonly known as the walkie talkie (although at the time the Walkie talkie was the back pack radio he does up.)
I thought the link would show a picture of both the WW2 radios. He lists on Ebay quite a bit. I recently bought a couple of the "Handie Talkies" and have owned the PRC 77s for some time. The rubber, push to talk button on the Handy Talkies is spot on and clicks and feels just right. It is fully functional. The black voice and ear covers look absolutely correct and the radios are hard to tell from a real item (though the weight is more reasonable.)
The current GMRS long range radios function way better than either of these radios worked back in the day if anything they are far more functional. (Nice to know somethings have gotten better after 60 years!) You can hook the GMRS antenna on his PRC 77s into the actual radio antenna so the function gets really, really good.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Sept 24, 2009 13:54:25 GMT -5
Here is the thread dsicussing these radios in greater depth. The builder is finalizing his designs and gearing up for full on production. I got early prototypes and he has made several improvements since. He shows precisely how to hook up your radio inside the BC 611 (Handy talkie) (Plug in and insert) vietnamairsoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3110&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=0
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CptJericho
Private 1st Class
"We got to stop the Germans from getting the secret weapons!"
Posts: 495
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Post by CptJericho on Sept 24, 2009 14:59:02 GMT -5
Thats so cool if i had more money i'd get it just for my impression.
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Post by CharleyNovember on Sept 24, 2009 15:07:27 GMT -5
Very very cool may have to put this on the xmas list.
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WhiteRook
Private
Unofficial Awesome
Posts: 39
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Post by WhiteRook on Sept 25, 2009 12:10:55 GMT -5
Very, very nice. If I ever get the money I'm going to get one, since my field requires radio, and my Motorola doesn't match the kit.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Sept 25, 2009 12:27:44 GMT -5
I like your moniker. "White Rook" it takes me back.
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WhiteRook
Private
Unofficial Awesome
Posts: 39
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Post by WhiteRook on Sept 25, 2009 13:44:14 GMT -5
Really? I don't know it means anything, somebody else I know uses it and I thought it was cool.
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Sgt_Tom
Technical Sgt.
Combat!
Posts: 3,580
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Post by Sgt_Tom on Sept 25, 2009 13:52:50 GMT -5
Sgt. Saunders uses it in the TV series Combat sometimes if that's what 2nd Bat is referring too. I love that show, I guess knows that already though. ;D
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Cpl. Hicks
Sergeant
Unofficial Flaggrantly Wrong Weapons Policeman
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Post by Cpl. Hicks on Sept 25, 2009 16:03:30 GMT -5
"Checkmate King-2, this is White Rook, over…"
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WhiteRook
Private
Unofficial Awesome
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Post by WhiteRook on Sept 25, 2009 18:38:23 GMT -5
That's funny, because on other sites I go by King Five. I heard it used in Call of Duty. ;D
/offtopic
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Sept 26, 2009 0:20:41 GMT -5
All the radio callsigns on the TV show COMBAT were Chess monikers. ROOK, KNIGHTS, BISHOP etc. I'm probably the only one old enough on this web site to have been an original viewer of the show. (Jr high and HS at the time) Vic Morrow was the star as Sgt Saunders, Kirby was the skinny BAR gunner and Gage was the Louisianna French speaking private. When they had radios they were a later (Korean War and VN ) version of the BC 611 handy talkie. It was Black and White which made it easier to slide in actual footage and color TV was quite unusual at the time (Bonanza and Disney being two rare exceptions) There were only three network channels to watch and The Gallant Men was a WW2 combat competitor but never caught on to the extent that COMBAT did. It was my favorite show growing up. The groups rarely operated in a unit above the four or five men linked to the squad and they always seemed to somehow end up behind enemy lines or interacting with French civilians. The village seens were always the same hollywood lot set and the Germans always ran around in Grey US Dodge command cars. If there was a tank and it was german it was always a M47 Patton tank with iron crosses. Sgt S wearing a Pacific Theater helmet cover never quite made sense for the ETO (I know some guys wore camo parachute fabric but his was a Marine Cover. My Dad said it was Hollywood theatric liscense to honor the guys who fought in the Pacific.
I have fond memories sitting on the sofa with my dad and four brothers watching the show.
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Post by bizcuits on Sept 29, 2009 20:28:19 GMT -5
Any idea on the price of these?
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Post by airbornerocks on Sept 29, 2009 20:42:19 GMT -5
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Post by CharleyNovember on Sept 30, 2009 15:58:15 GMT -5
150 bucks for a plastic box seems a little much. I would rather have the handi talkie that you can plug a FRS radio into. I think they sell those for about 190.00. Seems more worth it to me.
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Post by airbornerocks on Sept 30, 2009 16:37:31 GMT -5
Well it might be a good use for movies, or loner gear. It could maybe change the way we communicate like radio in airsoft.
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Post by jedburgh on Oct 4, 2009 10:05:03 GMT -5
No 2d batt, I remember Combat as well, every Tuesday night it was in my area. Vic Morrow would still be alive today (chances are, or at least he would've lived longer) had it not been for a helicopter crash on the set of the Twilight Zone movie.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 4, 2009 12:41:38 GMT -5
That's right! The chopper blades decapitated him and two Vietnamese children as I recall. One of the worst film accidents on record.
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Post by sarge12 on Oct 10, 2009 9:48:18 GMT -5
I know a man who has a BC-611 and I heard that some people make conversion batteries for them
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 11, 2009 19:56:43 GMT -5
There are conversion battery packs for virtually all of the old military radios and depending on how well they are designed and put together work every where from horrible to pretty good. In the case of the BC-611 the challenge is the radio itself (even when working perfectly) isn't very good. Radio technology has come a long way in 60 years as you might imagine and these replicas with modern GMRS are way way more practical and effective. He used an original radio when he made his mold and they look and feel great
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Post by tw4449 on Mar 22, 2010 0:00:33 GMT -5
Umm... spamming AND necroposting? Ouch...
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Adler69
Master sergeant
Legio Patria Nostra
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Post by Adler69 on Mar 22, 2010 0:04:18 GMT -5
Posts deleted , bot banned. move along nothing to see here , that's my Cop impersonation by the way ;D
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 27, 2010 19:09:27 GMT -5
I've been getting a lot of PMs regarding the radios. The fellow has dropped out of production for about a year now but apparently is ramping back up. He does mostly Nam era radios with the PRC 25-77 radios and also the man portable rescue radios. In addition he has molds for the WW2 BC 1000 man pack (Walkie Talkie) and the smaller hand held BC-611 "Handie talkie" They are all pre-wired and set up to plug in your GMRS modern radio so the handsets and push to talk buttons work. I have a half dozen of the PRC 77s and a pair of the BC-611 handy talkies and I like them a lot. As soon as I know that he is back up and cranking them out and what the pricing is I'll post a link. I know there is a lot of pent up demand and I'm delighted to see him talking about doing it again. I know I'll order a pair of the BC 1000s. They add a lot to event atmosphere. With the GMRS radios they actually function beter and more reliably than the actual FM radios ever did.
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Post by hairy apple on Mar 27, 2010 23:50:39 GMT -5
I would love to get a pair of the BC1000s as well, it would really add a lot to the overall look of an event. Also, it would be a cool thing to have hanging out in the back of the dodge.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 29, 2010 2:01:42 GMT -5
It would be perfect. You could attach a military speaker box (which was often done) and play fake radio traffic through it. I know if he gets back into it the military vehicle people would be all over them as the WW2 radios are rare and rediculously expensive.
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Post by whiterook on Sept 27, 2010 17:14:07 GMT -5
All the radio callsigns on the TV show COMBAT were Chess monikers. ROOK, KNIGHTS, BISHOP etc. I'm probably the only one old enough on this web site to have been an original viewer of the show. (Jr high and HS at the time) Vic Morrow was the star as Sgt Saunders, Kirby was the skinny BAR gunner and Gage was the Louisianna French speaking private. When they had radios they were a later (Korean War and VN ) version of the BC 611 handy talkie. It was Black and White which made it easier to slide in actual footage and color TV was quite unusual at the time (Bonanza and Disney being two rare exceptions) There were only three network channels to watch and The Gallant Men was a WW2 combat competitor but never caught on to the extent that COMBAT did. It was my favorite show growing up. The groups rarely operated in a unit above the four or five men linked to the squad and they always seemed to somehow end up behind enemy lines or interacting with French civilians. The village seens were always the same hollywood lot set and the Germans always ran around in Grey US Dodge command cars. If there was a tank and it was german it was always a M47 Patton tank with iron crosses. Sgt S wearing a Pacific Theater helmet cover never quite made sense for the ETO (I know some guys wore camo parachute fabric but his was a Marine Cover. My Dad said it was Hollywood theatric liscense to honor the guys who fought in the Pacific. I have fond memories sitting on the sofa with my dad and four brothers watching the show. me too ... my Dad and I never missed a episode of Combat! We didn't have another show in common until The Waltons ... funny when we watched Combat! I was about 10 and when The Walton's was on I was in my 20's ... I missed 10 years with my Dad being a stupid teenager ... makes wish I had those years back ...
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 4, 2010 20:27:05 GMT -5
The fellow who made the radios has completely dropped out of it. One reason is another outfit has come out with BC611s and makes them and the BC 1000s required so much materials that his production cost in materials alone was 100.00 + and there just wasn't sufficient market to justify the expense. I offered to buy the molds but nothing as yet has come of the offer. Doubtful it would make finacial sense unless I could acquire them cheap enough and if they are decently enough designed to hold up for a lot of pours.
I had an earlier set of molds for the Garands that failed after very few parts were extracted. Major financial bust on my part. The good news is I've gotten better at it.
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Post by tomsawyer on Oct 9, 2010 17:43:40 GMT -5
That's a shame. I own one of his PRC-77s and it is outstanding.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 10, 2010 14:26:58 GMT -5
He invested a lot in the enterprise in both time and money and never realized sufficient return on the effort to continue. The challenge with low production scales is so much set up costs that have to be funneled in small production numbers. It's a vicious cycle because few sales means the items have to be priced failry expensively and if too expensive there is no market.
I researched perhaps doing the BC1000s and the pour cost alone in materials was slightly under 100.00 The cost on the molds was close to a grand so if you tried to recoup that cost even with 20 units sold $150.00 becoems your pure cost without time energy and marketing costs. What therefore would be a reasonable selling price? Probably greater than people would pay. I'm glad I bought a couple while they were available. I love them.
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