[ARC5] AN/ARN-11...Anyone seen one?

[Mike Morrow]

The AN/ARN-11 is the official JAN nomenclature for the Bendix MN-26 RDF, but not just any MN-26.  It applies to a special model of the MN-26 that in 40 years of collecting this type of stuff I've never seen, or heard of anyone having...the MN-26LB.

The frequency coverage of the three bands on the "LB" model are unlike that of any other MN-26 models.
Band 1:    200 to   410 kc
Band 2:    550 to 1200 kc
Band 3:  2900 to 6000 kc.

Apparently the person specifying the coverage didn't see any value to being able to monitor or home in on any coastal maritime Morse stations (which would require 420 to 520 kc coverage).

Band 3 coverage might be useful for HF monitoring.  I believe that USAAF aircraft which likely carried the AN/ARN-11 also likely used SCR-522 VHF command sets.  No HF gear was on board other than the AN/ARN-11. 

Has anyone on the list ever actually run across such an animal? 

Mike / KK5F