[ARC5] Strange But Very Interesting Receiver

[Roy Morgan]

On Jun 4, 2014, at 4:56 PM, Robert Eleazer <releazer at earthlink.net> wrote:

> TMC FRR Receiver  Ebay:  181423885475
> 
> Reminds me of a test range TM receiver but it is HF.  Looks interesting and the price seems cheap.  How about one of y'all buy it and let the rest of us know about it.
> 
> Wayne

I own one and can tell you a little bit about them - in bullet form

The one offered on ebay now:
- somewhat beat up
- has three tuning units
- the tuning units shown use normal HC-6 crystals (SOME tuning units were made or modified to accept an octal crystal oven for extra stability)
- apparently it is working, this is good.
- correct nomenclature is FFR-49, I think, though I remain in confusion unless I look up the manuals,
- the four-pin jones connector on the back supplies +150v and filament - handy for converters.

Impressions about my receiver:
- tuning it up is pretty straightforward
- the thing is fairly easy to troubleshoot and service
- mine failed after I’d done a tuneup some years ago (I suspect a failed capacitor)
- the tuning units are quite crude for tuning - dial is small and NOT easy to read or set.  There is a tuning knob lock.
- changing a tuning unit means you have to let it warm up, unless you have the seldom found tuning unit warming accessory rack mount panel(s) that keeps the filaments running.
- not stable enough for RTTY without the crystal or oven-crystal
- audio is sufficient (6AQ5) and they sound ok
- these things are set up for remote BFO tuning, and remote gain control
- has outputs for line and local audio
- made in rack mount form only as far as I know
- the receiver technology involved is only modest, later tube type receivers were better (the same has been said for the GPR-90)
- pre- SSB era
- tuning units were made to cover from MF up to  HF.  One is for 500 kc +/- a modest amount


Known as the AN/FRR-49(V) and AN/FRR-502
The FRR-502 was the FRR-49(V) with three tuning units and the keep-warm plug-in holding rack according to:
http://www.virhistory.com/navy/rcvr-fixed.htm
The civilian name may have been FFR.
Also known as R-5007 (difference not known here)
From Andy Moorer’s page:
http://www.jamminpower.com/main/R5007.html
"This was part of what they called the "Remote Control Receiver System, Model RCR" that was built for the US Navy."

Summary: an interesting receiver, TMC quality of course, but not a treasure like some radios.

Roy

Roy Morgan
RoyMorgan at alum.mit.edu
K1LKY Since 1958