[Boatanchors] ARC-5 on Wikipedia

[Kludge]

-----Original Message-----
From: boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bruce
> Perhaps you are unaware, but Michael WH7HG is quite
> knowledgeable on the subject, and the author of a
> book about it, bootleg copies of which can be found
> on the net.

Thanks, Bruce.  A second book's coming (with no known date) so the bootleg
copies are of interest to me only for their advertising value.

Okay, admission time.  I was being funny.  I chose that particular entry
because I know it is an excellent overview as John pointed out.  There are a
few omissions in the component matrix and some insignificant errors due to
discrepancies in the source documents etc but nothing that would make it
anything less than what it is, a well researched and written document.  

Let's see ... off the top of my head: 

The unused radios weren't stowed aboard the aircraft except when they were
being ferried but rather were kept on the ground (radio shop?).  

While the Army started off with high impedance audio output, later SCR-274-N
equipment had a tap so the output impedance could be changed inside the
receivers.  Without looking at my manuals which are currently in storage, I
think all Navy receivers had that option although, by and large, they did
use low impedance audio.  

The Type K, which was the root system from which the rest were derived, was
developed for the Army but the Navy had deeper pockets at the time so were
first up to actually buy equipment, first receivers for the RAT(-1) and RAV
systems then the full ARA/ATA.  

The '-N' in SCR-274-N stands for Navy, a reminder (to someone) that it
started off as Navy equipment.  (There were an SCR-274-A and -B made by
Bendix, I think, but they didn't work well.)  The Army was rushed by FDR
demanding a 50,000 plane air force so went with the Navy equipment rather
than having something made for them.

While the SCR-274-N and ARA receivers (as well as RAT(-1) and RAV receivers)
were derived from the same design and are definitely interchangeable in
every way, the AN/ARC-5 receivers can also be used in the same racks without
problems.  The AN/ARC-5 transmitters, on the other hand, will not work in
the earlier Tx racks & vice versa.  

None of the 12v equipment is shown in the matrix nor are the R-20, -21 and
-22/ARC-5 which were originally ARA-3 equipment.  While not built in any
quantity beyond the initial receivers used for testing etc, they are still
part of the matrix.  Likewise, the BC-942 and BC-950 - the SCR-274-N
versions of the R-28 and T-23/ARC-5 respectively - are missing even though
they did go into limited production before the Army decided to stick with
the SCR-522.  

Aircraft Radio Corporation produced a set of VHF transmitters & receivers
but they lost out to the Western Electric designs.  They did, however,
provide a basis for the postwar Type 12 equipment.  In fact, the Type 12
owes a lot of its heritage to the wartime equipment.  

And, while not pertinent to the article, the prewar Model D derived sets -
the Army SCR-A*-183 (12v) and -283 (24v) and the Navy GF/RU - soldiered on
through the war although moved from frontline to training units as the war
progressed.  There were exceptions but that was the rule.

There's more, I'm sure but those are the discrepancies that come to mind. 

Best regards,
 
Michael, WH7HG BL01xh
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NTH/index.aspx 
http://wh7hg.blogspot.com/ 
http://kludges-other-blog.blogspot.com 
Hiki Nô!