[ARC5] value of art-13 LF VFO

[Mike Morrow]

Bill, today I doubt you could get $25 at a hamfest.  On ebay, who knows.

There are four LF/MF oscillator units:

1.  LF/MF Oscillator, no separate USN nomenclature - Covers 200 to 1500 kHz
in six bands.  Used by the USN in their COL-52286, part of ATC.

2.  O-16/ART-13 - Covers 200 to 1500 kHz in six bands.  Used primarily by
the USNin their T-47/ART-13, part of AN/ART-13.  (Often re-nomenclatured
ATC units.)

3.  O-17/ART-13A - Covers 200 to 600 kHz in three bands.  Used primarily by
the USAAF/USAF in their T-47A/ART-13, part of AN/ART-13A.

4.  CDA-T MF/HF Crystal Control (20 Channels) and LF/MF Crystal Control
(4 Channels).  Used primarily by USAF in the T-412/ART-13, part of
AN/ART-13B.

Items 1 and 2 *might* have greater value because of the larger frequency coverage.  But it is doubtful.  I select the appropriate unit based on historical context.  I have an O-16 for my USN AN/ARC-25 (AN/ART-13 plus AN/ARR-15 and R-23A/ARC-5).  I have an O-17 for my USAF AN/ARC-8 (AN/ART-13A plus AN/ARR-11 a.k.a. BC-348-R).  History is all that matters to me, because in reality that's the only value this stuff has e en though few care about that.

To get full 200 to 1500 kHz coverage, the USN transmitters require the
CU-25/ART-13 and CU-26/ART-13 (or ATC equivalent).  The USAF (and later
USN) used the CU-32/ART-13A for 200 to 600 kHz.  The CU-32 is as almost
as large as the T-47A. There is no PA tank circuit inside the transmitter
for the frequencies covered by the LF/MF oscillator units.  The external
coupling unit is the PA tank circuit for LF/MF operation.

The AN/ART-13A (T-47A) with the AN/ARR-11 (BC-348-R) are IMO the high point for WWII-era airborne LF/MF/HF radio systems (as AN/ARC-8) anywhere in the world.  I saw such a set still flying on an active-duty USAF C-131 in late 1970.

Mike / KK5F

-----Original Message-----
From: "Fuqua, William" 
Sent: Dec 9, 2018 8:46 PM
To: "ARC5 at mailman.qth.net" 
Subject: [ARC5] value of art-13 LF VFO

Some ART-13s and ART-13 LF and HF VFOs have been donated to our club.
Does any one have any idea of value of the LF VFO.  If you have a ART-13 you can transmit down as low as 200kHZ with the LF VFO and a LF antenna coupler. I found it interesting.

When you switch to the LF VFO the other stages are bypassed and it feeds the 813 directly.

73
Bill wa4lav