Clansman gear, anybody running this stuff and is there any interoperability with the US stuff?

[teletech]

I've got one vehicle that was Belgian/British, so has a couple bits of VIC-1 looking gear left and then my Ferret was in service in Canada and I know some of them ran British radio gear and some ran British. So, how is the Clansman stuff? It looks like a pretty decent system and with fewer different cables than the US stuff.
Is there an adapter for, say, running a US headset with British comms?

 

[M813rc]

I have several Clansman radios and think they are a really good bit of gear. They are fully interoperable with US radios, as they were designed to be, and are (well, at least were when I bought in several years ago) a lot less expensive than comparable US radios. There is all sorts of kit available to use them as either backpack or vehicle mounted setups.
Reloader64 and Pawnshop also run these radios.

As regards connecting them to US intercoms, I have not looked into compatibility or adapters so can't offer any advice there.

Cheers

 

[Mogman]

I have several VRM-5080 radios, they are much superior to the US stuff of the same era , they are compatible with the US gear but can also do narrow (+-5kc) so they can be used as is on 6M ham, there is a way to disable the tone that is transmitted along with voice.
They can be programmed +- 1kc unlike the 50kc for the RT-524 etc.
I have not been able to find any mounts so I am planning to build my own.
And they are cheap!!!
Edit, the 5080 automatically selects the last digits to comply with 25kc channel spacing, so no on the 1Kc programming, it has been a while!

 

[teletech]

I have several VRM-5080 radios, they are much superior to the US stuff of the same era , they are compatible with the US gear but can also do narrow (+-5kc) so they can be used as is on 6M ham, there is a way to disable the tone that is transmitted along with voice.
They can be programmed +- 1kc unlike the 50kc for the RT-524 etc.
I have not been able to find any mounts so I am planning to build my own.
And they are cheap!!!
Edit, the 5080 automatically selects the last digits to comply with 25kc channel spacing, so no on the 1Kc programming, it has been a while!

Any suggestions for where to find the 5080 on the cheap? Best I've seen is about $500/ea. It's not high, but not quite "cheap!!!" for a band nobody much uses and I'd need to upgrade my lic. anyway.

The 5080 does look like a "better" radio than the VRC-353 they basically replaced and those also wind up being about $500/ea.
The 353 has a power tube, but is very serviceable, where the VRM-5080 is solid-state, lower power draw for the some output, has a better feature set, but also isn't going to last forever, so there's that.

 

[Mogman]

Any suggestions for where to find the 5080 on the cheap? Best I've seen is about $500/ea. It's not high, but not quite "cheap!!!" for a band nobody much uses and I'd need to upgrade my lic. anyway.

The 5080 does look like a "better" radio than the VRC-353 they basically replaced and those also wind up being about $500/ea.
The 353 has a power tube, but is very serviceable, where the VRM-5080 is solid-state, lower power draw for the some output, has a better feature set, but also isn't going to last forever, so there's that.

I am pretty sure I got them from TDM electronics in Poland, I see they have some on Fleabay.
But the shipping at the time, less than 2 years ago was only about $120ea. (two at a time) and they were cheaper so they were under $300 ea. shipped, I am thinking about $275 ea.
Dang inflation!

 

[Mogman]

All this got me looking around and I picked up 3, BCC-543 AATUs for about $150 shipped!
I am having some trouble finding a manual but there is enough information out there to build the control cable.

 

[teletech]

Might be some help for your ARFAT /TUAAM situation here?

https://radionerds.com/images/4/40/UK-PRC320_Infantry_Signal_Training.pdf

There are several outfits that will just sell you the needed cable(s)
SeriesLR has deep stocks and well organized, also prompt shipping, though I admit to not liking their customer service much.
https://armyradio.com/Radios-and-Equipment/ might be able to help.
https://www.sema4radios.com/index.php/2/ seem to know their stuff.

 

[Bulldogger]

I have the PRC-320, if memory serves, and it's a fine radio. Got the vehicle charging power supply and some other bits for mounting from a British seller. Last I looked his inventory was very depleted, but yes there are other EU sellers with plenty of these radios. My challenge has been adapting the connectors to use US MIL speakers and handsets for the vehicle. I would have ordered those from my supplier too, if he had them, but I decided to try to adapt them.
Have been too busy with other things to play with the PRC much lately, but anyway, yes I think they are good radios.
BDGR

 

[patracy]

I have a PRC-320. It's a great radio. But lacks LSB. Also some of the dials are kinda a pain to use. And if you're using it for HF, they're not fun to browse a band.

 

[Mogman]

I have a PRC-320. It's a great radio. But lacks LSB. Also some of the dials are kinda a pain to use. And if you're using it for HF, they're not fun to browse a band.

I read there are kits from the UK to make LSB available, I would think changing the filter like on my PCR-47 might be possible but am not familiar with the 320

 

[teletech]

Well, my 5080 arrived yesterday, now I have to source a power cable.
For initial test, it would be great to know if the top or bottom pin was hot.
I'll check both pins for continuity to ground, it might be just that easy!
I've got the antenna ARFAT and TUUAM coming in a shipment next week, so it's time to look for the mounting plate. Is it the same as the 353?

 

[Mogman]

Well, my 5080 arrived yesterday, now I have to source a power cable.
For initial test, it would be great to know if the top or bottom pin was hot.
I'll check both pins for continuity to ground, it might be just that easy!
I've got the antenna ARFAT and TUUAM coming in a shipment next week, so it's time to look for the mounting plate. Is it the same as the 353?

On mine the bottom pin is hot, the top is connected to ground so you can ohm it out.
EDIT, to confirm.

 

[Mogman]

If you want to run an external speaker, you will need one that is amplified and has a volume control (pot) the radio only has a three step volume control, not a pot

 

[patracy]

I read there are kits from the UK to make LSB available, I would think changing the filter like on my PCR-47 might be possible but am not familiar with the 320

I actually just got another PRC-320. This time with the LSB mod to it.



I need to figure out a means to patch it into my VIC-1 intercom setup. Also I need to build a loudspeaker setup and a mic.

 

[teletech]

If you want to run an external speaker, you will need one that is amplified and has a volume control (pot) the radio only has a three step volume control, not a pot

Longer term, it integrates with my Clansman intercom system, but for now just a basic verification of function is all I'm after.

 

[Mogman]

Longer term, it integrates with my Clansman intercom system, but for now just a basic verification of function is all I'm after.

Do you have the basic "technical" manual, I use that word lightly as it is only a basic operation manual.
I have a couple manuals coming, over 800 pages total, hopefully there will be some useful information in there.

 

[teletech]

Do you have the basic "technical" manual, I use that word lightly as it is only a basic operation manual.
I have a couple manuals coming, over 800 pages total, hopefully there will be some useful information in there.

Yes, that's the same manual I've got, so a more complete manual would be very welcome.
That outfit in Poland seems out of the tested-good radios, but they still have plenty of as-is units. Pity they are so expensive to ship. Having a good manual makes one tempted to bring a pallet over and try to make good ones!

 

[teletech]

I actually just got another PRC-320. This time with the LSB mod to it.

View attachment 896133

I need to figure out a means to patch it into my VIC-1 intercom setup. Also I need to build a loudspeaker setup and a mic.

I wonder if what you need is one of these:

Army Radio Sales Co. :: Radios and Equipment :: Clansman Adapter Unit

 

[Mogman]

I wonder if what you need is one of these:
View attachment 896142

Army Radio Sales Co. :: Radios and Equipment :: Clansman Adapter Unit

What does it adapt to? Never heard of a VID

 

[teletech]

What does it adapt to? Never heard of a VID

All I know is what's in the description on the website:
"Converts 7 pin Clansman audio to US style audio equipment. Has 5 pin US U-229/U style Connector."