[ARC5] Late ARA/ATA vs. AN/ARC-5

[Mike Morrow]

Gordon wrote:

>The R-148...has the loop antenna connections and the front panel switch.
>The ARA-2 does not.

Interesting.  I've never seen much hard information about the ARA-1, -2,
and ATA-1 immediate predecessors (prototypes) to the AN/ARC-5.  What I
had heard is that these late ARA/ATA sets were very close to the final
AN/ARC-5 configuration.

The loop antenna connections first appeared on the RAV CBY-46102 beacon
band and the CBY-46103 BC band receivers.  The ARA CBY-46129 and CBY-46145
equivalents eliminated the loop connection.  The R-23 and R-24/ARC-5
restored the loop connection.

On wonders why this outdated feature was put on the AN/ARC-5 units.  It
wasn't too useful by the time the AN/ARC-5 rolled out, not even for use
of the R-24 with the ZB homing adapter.

Mike / KK5F