[ARC5] AN/ARC-5 support for CW (and SCR-AA-183 info)

[Mike Morrow]

Brian wrote:

> I think you need to specify to whose intention you refer. When Dr Drake was 
> designing these sets in the early 1930s to assist the US post to get air 
> mail through reliably, he probably had no idea of military intentions. It is 
> so easy to slip from what we see to claiming that is what it ought to have 
> been. Ain't necessarily so.

I believe the set to which you refer is what became the USAAC SCR-AA-183.  Certainly it was NOT the AN/ARC-5 (the specific set being discussed), or even its parent 1940 USN ARA/ATA set, whose design proceeded directly from the 1938 A.R.C. Type K that was *definitely* made for the US Navy.

BTW, the 1932 SCR-AA-183 (BC-AA-179 receiver, BC-AA-180 transmitter) is rather interesting because:
1.  It is the first of 21 models of SCR-A*-183/-283 and 14 models of GF-*/RU-* command sets that appeared between 1932 and 1942.
2.  It offers CW (A1) mode for NEITHER receive or transmit.  Only KEY (A2) or MIC (A3) mode is available.
3.  There is no PTT capability.  There are no relays in the system.  A manually-operated REC-KEY-MIC switch controls all such switching.
4.  KEY (A2) is the preferred mode, with the pilot switching between adjacent REC and KEY positions on the transmitter control box.  The control box also contains the key.
5.  Separate antennas are required for receiver and transmitter.
6.  Rated power out is 1.5 watts.
7.  Receive:  224-448 kHz, 4150-7850 kHz (two coil sets),
    Transmit:  6200-7700 kHz (coil set is NOT changeable by pilot).

So...it was primative, yet better than any earlier small aircraft set.  And it has nothing to do with the AN/ARC-5 Support of AM thread.  :-)

Mike / KK5F