Yugoslavian RUP-12, Manpack, VHF -- On the air!

[Andy]

What started off as a Get On The Air (GOTA) 6 meter net turned into getting out my Yugoslavian RUP-12 Manpack VHF radio out and filming  a little park QSOin the style of Gil!  Now no way as professional or as polished as Gil's videos, but I had a lot of FUN! 

Check it out https://youtu.be/-9gUC7tU69w and let me know what

[gil]

Very nice, how much do they go for? What battery did you use?

Gil.

[Andy]

Hi ya Gil,

If I remember they were affordable at the time.  Looking on ebay now, they are costing about $135 shipped to the US, and that sounds about right for what I am remembering.

Look at this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/Military-VHF-Radio-RU-2/283423457872?hash=item41fd5ac250:g:gssAAOSwfiZckTGj

Here in the States we have a discount tool store known as Harbor Freight. It is an emporium of their own branded inexpensive Chinese tools.  Harbor Freight is always upgrading the type of cordless drills they are selling, and almost always they have a 9v, 12v or 18v NiCad discontinued battery pack on sale.  While not "top of the line" in amp hours as after market NiCad, and no where near as efficient as Julian's OH8STN LiPo packs(!), they are inexpensive to disassemble, make into a custom voltage pack, light weight, and easy to charge with a dedicated NiCd charger, or generic bench power supply in constant current mode. 

You can make a pack of cells up with just standard hook up wire of the correct gauge, easy solder tabs and wrap the whole thing in a roll of inexpensive electrical tape (from Harbor Freight for 69 ¢!) and you have a battery pack!.  I will get some more pictures this weekend, as I need to take it out of the RUP-12 and recharge it, and test some more voltages and current draw!

[gil]

Oh I know Harbor Freight, used to spend a lot in there when I lived in Florida ;-)
Well, that's a bit much, 135... I can buy a PRC-351 for that price, or an RF-10.
Any specific reason to get a RUP-12 other than collecting?
Thanks!

Gil.