[Milsurplus] Thought on the 348 and SSB

[Ray Fantini]

I have never shied away from modifications of equipment but always try to keep the radio somewhat in line with the items original function. The BC-348 is a good receiver for band cursing or operating  AM, I have used my 348 on 7.29 several times and it not a bad performer for high powered AM copy, but trying to use that receiver for SSB is like putting a saddle on a cow. Yes you can do it but what's the point? In a world with no shortage of good SSB radios what advantage would there be in trying to modify a BC-348 for SSB? What's the next step, to modify the audio stages of an ART-13 to only transmit positive or negative audio with reduced carrier for transmitting sideband?
Although the ARC-8 system was used and supported well into the sixties cannot imagine the government would have wasted any money or time developing field modifications or consider retrofitting such a primitive design. ARC-21, ARC-38 and all the other automatic series of transceivers were already the future before AM was dead, if anything that's were modifications and changes were happening and not in WW2 technology.  I love the old ARC-8 but think it was way obsolete by 1949/50 compared with what was being developed and being fielded way before side band deployment.
RF