6 Challenge
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Military Electronics in Twilight
Paul T. Riegel
Players and gamemasters often use a greater variety
of weapons and vehicles at the expense of other types of equipment.
This article highlights military electronic, radio, mine detection,
and other equipment—items which are in service
or are natural extensions of equipment in service.
ANIPRS-7A MINE DETECTION UNIT (NONMETALLIC)
The AN/PRS-7A is a backpack-mounted, manportable,
battery-operated, mine detection unit. It consists of a
headset, a backpack unit, and a telescoping mine detection
wand (one meter in length, fully extended). In the hands of
‘an experienced combat engineer, this unit is effective in
detecting all kinds of mines, both metallic and nonmetallic.
Detecting normally emplaced mines is a CBE:ESY task for
metallic mines and a CBEAAVG task for nonmetallic ones.
ach battery lasts for 60 hours of operation. A man can use
this unit and walk at one-half his normal rate. Wt: 15 kg Cost:
‘$2500 (R/R); Battery, $50 (S/R)
$B-22/PT FIELD SWITCHBOARD.
This switchboard is designed to be a compact, rugged,
battery-operated, self-contained unit capable of handling up
to 22 separate telephone lines. Setting up the unit requires
WD-1 to be run to serviced telephones and a successful
ELCEESY task completion. A COM:ESY task is necessary each
period to successfully operate this unit. Wt:7.5 kg Cost: $600
(IR)
ANIPRS-3 MINE DETECTING UNIT (METALLIO)
‘The AN/PRS-3 is virtually identical to the AN/PRS-7A except
that itis effective in finding metallic mines only~a CBE:AVG
task. Wt: 13 kg Cost: $1500 (S/R)
Mines can stil be detected through the old probing
method. This is done by a character crawling at up to one~
thied his normal rate and probing around himself with a knife
Or similar object. It is a RAN:AVG task to do successfully;
failure may result in missing a mine.
The removal of detected mines may take anywhere from
five to 30 minutes per mine, depending upon any anti-
handling devices and how well the character passes a
BE:EASY task check. Task check failure may result in the
mine’s detonation.
WD-1 TELEPHONE LINE
This line is highly useful for a wide variety of purposes,
including, but not limited to, the laying of telephone lines.
It is also used in wiring remote electronic detonators,
claymore mines, or trip wires—or simply stringing something,
up. The cost of the wire includes a linesman set—a leather
belt pouch containing a set of wire cutters/strippers, a roll
of electrical tape, and a pocket knife. The WD-1 comes in
three size reels—one mile, one-half mile, and one-quarter
mile. For information on the reel unit, see page 7. We:(1 mile)
22 kg (1/2 mile) 10 kg (1/4 mile) 5 kg Cost: (1 mile) $200 (1/2
smile) $75 (1/4 mile) $35 (all) (VIC)
‘TA-312/PT FIELD TELEPHONE
This small, rugged, battery-operated, field telephone is
quite common in U.S. Army field organizations, It is used,
for the most part, in areas where units are planning to stay
for an extended period of time. The field telephone unit con-
sists of a handset, as well as a boxslike base which has a hand
crank,
To set the unit up requires WD-1 telephone line, run to
a switchboard or destination phone, and an ELC:ESY task
completion. We: 2.5 kg Cost: $250 (CIS)
ANIGRA-39A RADIO SET CONTROL GROUP
‘A normal radio transmitter must be located within a few
‘meters of its antenna; the antenna, the actual source of the
broadcasts, is easily located. Thus develops a major problem
for radio operators—keep moving, requiring a short anten-
nna and reduced range, or take the chance of having an enemy
antllery barrage sent your way, ruining your whole day. The
U.S. Army came up with a solution—the AN/GRA39A,
This unit consists of two pieces: one is attached to the
antenna and the other to the radio, connected by WD-1. This
system allows both the radio and its human operator to be
Lup to one mile from the antenna, thus removing them from
danger.
To set up the AN/GRA-39A requires WD-1 along with a suc-
cessful ELC:ESY task completion. Use of this device is a
COM&ESY task. We: 7.5 kg Cost: $1000 (R/R)cow
ANITLG-17B RADIO JAMMING SYSTEM.
The AN/TLG-178 is a high-powered radio and radar jam-
ming system. Its capable of jamming multiple frequencies
of radio waves. In order to successfully use this equipment,
the operator is required to pass a COM:AVG task check. The
‘operator of the jammed radio or radar must then pass a
COM:DIF task in order to continue operating on the same
frequency. This unit requires 550 watts of power to operate
and has the effective range of 50 kilometers. We: 100 kg (in-
cluding generator) Cost: $25,000 (R/R)
‘AN/GRC-17-2 GROUND RADAR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM
The AN/GRC-17-2 is a very advanced, ground-based,
surveillance radar system. This unit consists of three pieces:
the antenna, the power unit, and the radar receiver-transmit-
ter.
The unit is capable of picking up the motion of a ground
vehicle at 10 kilometers, an aircraft at 25 kilometers, or aman
at four kilometers.
It requires the successful passing of a ELC:ESY task check
to set up the unit and a COM:AVG task to operate it. We:
total, 32 kg; antenna, 10 kg power unit, 12 kg; radar unit,
10 kg Cost: $20,000 (R/R)
Challenge
PRD-303/SV SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM
The PRD-303/SV is a small motion sensor with 120 degrees
of covered arc. It detects the motion of solid objects between
one and two meters off the ground. Several PRD-303/Ss are
usually tied into a single PRD-303/V. Effective range of the
sensor is about 250 meters in open terrain.
The PRD-303/V can receive signals from up to 10 different
PRD-303/Ss, tell which one has been tripped, and inform the
‘operator of the motion. The PRD-303/V can be located up
10 two kilometers away from the sensors, as long as It has
‘an unobstructed line of sight.
Setting up the PRD-303/V is a COM:ESY task. Implanting
‘the PRD-303/Ss is an ELC:AVG task, Operation of the unit
Isa COM:AVG task. Wt: sensor, .75 kg; receiver, 3.3 kg Cost:
sensor, $700; receiver, $1800; both, (R/R)
RL-37 REEL UNIT
‘This sawhorse-looking device allows the rapid and mobile
deployment of the one-mile reel of WD-1. This unit can be
stationary mounted, drawing the wire out from the central
location, or mounted on the back of an open vehicle, allow-
ing the laying of lengthy segments of wire rapidly. We: 8 kg
Cost: $100 (S/S)
MARK 31 TRIP FLARE
Another item I have elected to include in this article is not
a piece of electronics but a piece of equipment, the Mark
31 Trip Flare,
The Mark 31 consists of a small metal tube with a two-
meter-iong trip line. When the trip line is broken, the tube
launches a magnesium flare, which flies 200 feet high and.
takes 90 seconds to two minutes to descend, illuminating.
an area the size of a football field. This piece of equipment
is invaluable in setting up defensive perimeters. WE: .5 kg,
Cost: $30 (VIC)
RC-292 ANTENNA SYSTEM
The RC-282 is a 10-metersall radio antenna. The radio at-
tached to this antenna has its broadcast range tripled in nor-
‘mal mode or multiplied by six in high-power—thus highly
detectable—mode. The antenna is nonmobile and takes one
rman-hour to assemble (Le., one man takes one hour, two
men take one-half hour, four men take one-quarter hour,
etc. In addition, it takes one-half man-hour to disassemble.
Both assembly and disassembly require a. successful
COM:ESY task completion. This antenna broadcasts in 360
degrees for purposes of reception and detection. Wi: 10 kg
Cost: $1000 (S/R)
RC-585 ANTENNA SYSTEM.
The RC-585 is identical to the RC-292 except the RC-585 only
broadcasts on a 90-degree arc—thus making it harder to
detect. Ittakes an additional one-half man-hour to erect. We:
13 kg Cost: $1500 (R/R) 2