Do Canadian soldiers use the PRC 117 radio?

[HItorMiss]

You did not offend anyone...

However you are stuck on out dated equipment I wont say it was bad equipment it has simply been out done by a better piece of kit.

Your logic is flawed and has been proven such, I cannot for the life of me see the reason to carry 3 radios when 1 radio will do it all...

Let alone the secondary comms options brought by all teams in the field.

 

[Recon 3690]

MOC 011 RCD, LdSH, 1970 & early 80s & civilian consultant 163 Inf Bat MNG US Army late 80s

 

[RCR Grunt]

my mistake I thought this was a discussion forum sorry if I have offeded anyone

You did not offend anyone...

However you are stuck on out dated equipment I wont say it was bad equipment it has simply been out done by a better piece of kit.

Your logic is flawed and has been proven such, I cannot for the life of me see the reason to carry 3 radios when 1 radio will do it all...

Let alone the secondary comms options brought by all teams in the field.

You were trying to espouse the benefits of the steam powered horseless carriage vice the latest modern automobile.  It was kinda silly really.

 

[Michael OLeary]

MOC 011 RCD, LdSH, 1970 & early 80s & civilian consultant 163 Inf Bat MNG US Army late 80s

Thank you.  The soldiers who have posted above have captured the contrast between your experience and theirs.

 

[Recon 3690]

no I have no faith in super systems which are usually deficient as opposed to purpose built equipment and has no redundancy when they break and a 25/77 set while old is not ancient it just does not have on board encryption or frequency hopping abilities just using them as a base line add those and its ohh a PRC 119 or a PRC 117 add HF, UHF, & Satcom its a PRC 117F weight is lower on the new stuff + some additional or classified features

 

[Michael OLeary]

no I have no faith in super systems which are usually deficient as opposed to purpose built equipment and has no redundancy when they break and a 25/77 set while old is not ancient it just does not have on board encryption or frequency hopping abilities just using them as a base line add those and its ohh a PRC 119 or a PRC 117 add HF, UHF, & Satcom its a PRC 117F weight is lower on the new stuff + some additional or classified features

Do you have any personal operational experience with the new family of radios used by the CF?

 

[Recon 3690]

I just think dedicated radios at about the 3rd the size & weight would ease the burdon carried  by leaving unneeded stuff plus add in redundancy

 

[Recon 3690]

the newest radio I have even touched was a brand new (then) 119 with no letter designation in the US

 

[Michael OLeary]

Well, since RCR Grunt and Bulletmagnet have weighed in, why don't we ask them what they'd leave behind next time if they had the choice, based on their recent combat experiences.

 

[RCR Grunt]

No question.  I'm leaving behind the antiques.  I'd have better luck bringing my cell phone on patrol than the antiques he's talking about.

The 117F is superior in all ways and shapes.

YOU GET 3 FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!  HOW CAN YOU NOT LIKE THAT DEAL?!

 

[HItorMiss]

I as a Coy signaler would take the 117F with an Iridium phone full stop!

I never once had a single issue requiring a Tech with the 117F, I get all the capabilities plus the encryption (which by the way is so dirt simple to load into it even Wonderbread does it) SATCOM on demand and better LOS TX capability.

Should (and it never happened while I was working it) the 117F fail me I have Iridium to contact any and all I have numbers for including my QRF and the TOC back at any FOB and my point of origin.

 

[Fusaki]

I just think dedicated radios at about the 3rd the size & weight would ease the burdon carried  by leaving unneeded stuff plus add in redundancy

Huh?

A 117 weighs approximately the same, if not slightly less then a 77 Set (and a 522 for that matter).

If you want a smaller radio, both the PRC-148 MBITR and PRC-152 are a fraction of the weight but maintain the same range as a 77 Set. But then again they both go all the way up to 512Mhz, so they must not be reliable... :

The fact of the matter is that the radios of today are better then the ones from 25 years ago. They're smaller, lighter, more reliable, more powerful, and more capable. Why is that so hard to understand?

 

[HItorMiss]

PRC-148=$$$

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

Recon 3690-

I've used every radio mentioned in this discussion, and the 117 is by far the most capable and easy to use.  Wonderbread and Bullet Magnet are 100% correct, and if you retired in the '80s then I don't know where you get off trying to argue with them.

Maybe you didn't see any Sigs past the FEBA in the 70's or 80's-- I don't know, I wasn't in the Army then, so I definitely won't argue with you or tell you that you're wrong.  What I will tell you is that here in Afghanistan in 2009 we don't have a place called a "FEBA".  We have a place called "outside the wire" instead.  I go "outside the wire" quite frequently, usually carrying a 117, and I don't believe I've ever seen you out there.  So let's make a deal: I won't talk about things that I know nothing about, like the '80s, and you extend the same courtesy to those of us who are currently serving.

 

[buzgo]

PRC-148=$$$

117f = $$$ x 2

148 is only 5 watts, you need an amp to give it any range... extra weight, extra batteries to run the amp.  117f is the way to go...

 

[Good2Golf]

117F may be more $$$ than the 148 but they do different things, so not really fair to compare them together.

 

[rampage800]

G2G

Although I've stated alot earlier in this thread as to what I think when it comes to comparing different radios I'm not really sure I understand what you mean when comparing the 148 and 117F, the only difference I can see really is besides weight the 117F is a lot more capable(UHF,VHF SATCOM vs UHF, VHF)not to mention user friendly(IMO) Not calling you out but just for PD can you elaborate ?

 

[COBRA-6]

117 is a manpack-sized radio, 148 is walkie-talkie sized.

If you have a freq-cut UHF antenna for the 148 you'd be surprised the range you can get from it...

 

[Good2Golf]

Like COBRA-6 mentioned for the size, there is employment of the 148 that is ideally suited to the user for exactly the spectrum the user needs.  Yes, 117F is more expensive, heavier, larger, but in the specific role I was thinking of, all the user needs is the 148, thus no need to spend the extra $$$ to equip each operator (inappropriately) with the additional capabilities of a more complex radio.  Note, this is clearly task-specific, hence my original take on it not really being fair to compare the two radios.

cheers
G2G