[ARC5] X-1 Radios and the AN/ARC-7

[Robert Eleazer]

Mike:  

 

Fascinating!  I have never heard of the ARC-7, but it makes perfect sense that you would use one in the X-1.  Most X-1 flights were only 30 min long or so and even battery power would not be a serious limitation under those circumstances.  An X-1 could be limited to a single frequency with no problem.

 

I have often wondered why we did not develop a portable VHF walkie talkie.  It should have been well within our capabilities and there would have been many uses for it.  I recall seeing a wartime issue of QST that had a 140 MHZ handie talkie smaller than a BC-611.  For that matter the CRC-7 was pretty much that, if rather crude.  A superhet receiver and matching transmitter, crystal controlled, should not have been that hard to do.

 

For decades now I have been intrigued with the RT-53/TRC-7, a 1.5W output crystal controlled 100-156 MHZ 2 channel set that ran on 90 VDC, 60 VDC, and 4.5 VDC.  It used a total of 16 tubes with 1 volt and 3 volt filaments.  It's in the 1973 Fair Radio catalog.  Size and weight are given as 11.5 X 5.5 X 13.25 and 15 lb.  Based on the picture in the catalog it is obviously meant for vehicle or ground mounting.

 

Looking at the early versus the late X-1's the later ones were built in three sections, and it is clear that much if not all of the radio installation was done before the aircraft was put together.    

 

Very interesting!

 

Wayne