[ARC5] R23A Sets (Was:Command Set Construction)

[David Stinson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <MillerKE6F at aol.com>
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Command Set Construction


> Hi
>
>    I've been going through my Command Set collection  and came upon an Old
> 190-550 KC unit with an MFP date of 1952.  But the odd  part of the unit 
> is
> that all the metal work has welded corners instead of the  die formed 
> units...

Very likely a Korea-era  Lewyt Sewing Machine Company built unit.
They produced some R-23A/ARC-5 units under contract
NOas 51-434.  Maker's nomenclature ID code was CLP.
Don't know the number built, but I've never seen a serial over 2000.
Rather than mica insulation in the rear and dyno connectors,
they used a brown fiber-board substance.
Lewyt bought some componants from A.R.C.
Lewyt couldn't make the stamped chassis,
so went with bent metal, which still met the specifications.
A.R.C. and Stromburg  were both busy using
their supply for their own R23As:

NOas 51-621 CCT
NOas 52-354 CCT
NOa(s)-9578 CBY
NOa(s)-10546 CBY Accp't Test date Sept 1949

as well as for the up-n-coming Type-12 sets.
I believe the "s" in NOas means "supplimental.

When Korea started, the Navy needed LF Range sets operational
right now.  Wholesale replacement of the AN/ARC-5 equipment
with something new would have been time-consuming and costly.
Production of these sets was quickly ramped-up so they could
pull the aging WW-II sets that had rolled-over while in
mothballs, pop one of these in the rack and go.

I never thought the Lewyt sets were so bad.
We just got spoiled by all that ruby Mica A.R.C. used ;-).

73 Dave S.