[Milsurplus] RBZ vs RBZ Special? Info From A Complete RBZ Special Manual - Addition

[John Vendely]

Mike,

Other than tuning dial markings, there's not much that would show up in 
a photograph that would visually distinguish the two RBZ versions.  They 
look virtually identical on the inside, as well.

Relatively little seems to be known about the use of these sets. 
However, the few authoritative writings about the RBZ indicate that the 
"special" was used mainly for high-power HF broadcast reception by 
clandestine groups listening for the appearance of certain code words or 
phrases inserted into programs.  The wider 5-13 Mc range would have 
contained more broadcast bands and afforded both medium and long range 
propagation. Perhaps this was its advantage.  I suspect the user simply 
connected some additional antenna wire to the same antenna lead-in clamp 
supplied with a standard RBZ.  It doesn't take much--the receivers are 
surprisingly sensitive.  The standard, lower frequency version was 
intended primarily for receiving tactical military communications at 
relatively short range, probably 5-30 miles or so, though it could 
obviously have received signals from considerably greater ranges.  It's 
frequency range was commonly used for this kind of communications, and 
it would have netted conveniently with various HF sets used in surface 
craft and land vehicles.

73,

John K9WT

On 9/18/2013 11:50 AM, Mike Morrow wrote:
> Bruce wrote:
>
>> In his book "The Clandestine Radio Operators" Jean-Louis Perquin
>> documents its use by French resistance networks and SAS from June to
>> September 1944.
>> There is a photo in the book of an RBZ special being used by a member of
>> the Free French 4 SAS.
> The real question is...how do you know from a photo that the set is
> a RBZ (Special) and not just a RBZ?  That's almost a hard as it is to
> distinguish a RT-505/PRC-25 from a RT-841/PRC-77 visually...you can't
> without being able to read some small detail that will not be shown in
> any photo.  It is not apparent to me what the advantage would be for
> clandestine operations to have the RBZ (Special) rather than the RBZ.
> The RBZ comes with an antenna cord that clips to a metal helmet, as
> apparently the essentially identical RBZ (Special) did.  Obviously
> some other sort of antenna would be used for clandestine ops.
>
> Mike / KK5F
> ______________________________________________________________
> Milsurplus mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/milsurplus
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>