[ARC5] History and Context of the ARC-5 sets

[Leslie Smith]

Hello Group,

First, I would like to thank everyone that has replied to my question about the History of the ARC-5 sets.  I will take several days to digest, collate and understand the various points mentioned.  Some posts go into detail, while others give tantalising hints suspended on ropes of anticipation.  I read Dave Stinson's post about history as a continuum - in contrast to history as a series of connected points with surprise.  His point is most reasonable, and well understood - but surprised me, just the same.  That point was probably the best over-all response to my question - context, context, context - but lacks detail.  (I know you have the detail, Dave, except I suspect Michael T's evil twin brother stole probably it ...)

My interested in the ARC-5 sets began at a Wyong, Australia - the Central Coast Amateur Radio Field Day, held in February every year.  I bought an R-25, and put it in the cupboard.  (A "future" project.)  Then I gave it to a friend, a university student (probably high school student then) who had an interest in electronics and radio.  (Hello Jim Thompson.)  

Later I bought a very nice R-23.  It has a knob to tune the set.  I found a circuit for my R23. I built a power supply, running my lovely little set from a single 24V AC supply by doubling the filament supply.  I could hear LOTS of strange MCW stations, as well as the weather local airfield weather report - every minute, on the minute.

I built a a xtal locked converter (xtal at 3200kHz) and made a dual conversion receiver for 80m.  My R-23 was VERY stable, and HOT.   I found I could hear stations from New Zealand that others couldn't - and they had a BIG dipole, not a random wire aerial.  (This is Aus, where we have valves and aerials, not "toobs" and antenna.)  

This was my introduction to the "command" sets.  Then I discovered the ARC-5 group, and saw three receivers in a rack.  I saw someone who owned and operated a BC-946.  (Ray Robinson.)  Gosh!  I discovered the 250 odd page manual (AN 16-30). Double gosh!  All the time I saw various references to the history of these sets; (thank you Gordon White & others).  I saw occasional references to sets in combat - for example there is an allusion to "changing coil boxes" (or not being able to change coil boxes due to the tail gunner being shot) in the battle of Midway.  (From this, I infer SCR-183 was in use in that particular aircraft.)  

Over a period of time my interest has grown from buying an rather unknown radio (the R-25 mentioned above) to a broader perspective of history, and not just the history of these radios, but history on a broader scale.

I thank the group, and look forward to more interesting posts on the "command" sets, in context of course.  

Les Smith

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