[ARC5] Usage of large command set racks?

[Mike Morrow]

Jack wrote:

>In a similar vein, I'd like to see documentation or
>photographs of usage of the smaller racks. I know
>that single receiver installations werr pretty common,
>especially postwar to hold a BC-453, but what of two receiver
>one transmitter combinations and the like?


Hi Jack,

If you go to the ebay URL below, you'll see a completed auction for the
flight manual for a 1947 Fairchild XNQ-1 (later a.k.a. T-31):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6540319794

Wait for all the images to load.  You'll see a pretty good picture of an
AN/ARC-5 one-transmitter, two-receiver installation near the bottom.  The
manual says that the transmitter is a T-19, and the receivers are an R-23
and an R-26.  Just exactly what you'd need for 278 kc tower-to-air and 3105
kc air-to-tower and air-to-air communications.  On the right side of the
cockpit are two C-125/ARC-5 remote tunable control panels for the receivers.
There is NO transmitter control box.  With only one transmitter always in
voice mode, that would be unneccessary.  A "RADIO - ICS" microphone selector
switch on the left side of the cockpit is the only transmitter control.

The picture of the radio rack also shows an AM-40/AIC interphone left of the
T-19.  The MD-7, a junction box, and an instrument power inverter are on the
lower rack.  Note that the antenna relay is unpainted and has no
"REMOTE-LOCAL" meter switch...undoubtedly a SCR-274-N BC-442 unit mixed into
an AN/ARC-5 installation.  Unusual!

In the picture of the radio rack, the A.R.C. 6151 (MC-215) tuning shafts are
not shown connected to the receivers.

The seller makes a very high quality reproduction of this manual, and also
has a early version of the TM 11-227 Signal Corps equipment book that still
shows such antiquities as the SCR-178/179 and -131.

73,
Mike / KK5F