[Boatanchors] Wanted

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

I don't have any paper on any of them but things to watch for as you search 
are that the Navy REK  (several versions) may be the single receiver 
version of AR-88 and CR-88(*).  RDM is a triple diversity version.  RDQ may be 
another diversity version.  

CRV-46246 is at least one basic type number for some of the receivers 
themselves.  Details as to which are sketchy and suspect.

In a message dated 04/13/2014 10:17:13 AM Central Daylight Time, 
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com writes: 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "GARY BROWN" <XFRMRS at ROADRUNNER.COM>
> To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 5:03 AM
> Subject: [Boatanchors] Wanted
> 
> 
> >Looking for a manual for the RCA, CR-88A. The BAMA site 
> >has one for the CR-88 and the schematic is way to small 
> >for my eyes.
> >Regards,
> >Gary
> 
>      There may be a link from the Western Historic Radio 
> Museum site  http://www.radioblvd.com/index.html
>      There is more information including a chart showing the 
> various versions at:
> http://www.qsl.net/w2vtm/AR88_Information_Page.html
> 
>    This site also has a very extensive section on the AR-88 
> series.
>    The schematic and general details of the CR-88 are 
> identical to the AR-88, the main difference is that a 
> control for the crystal filter phasing capacitor is brought 
> out the front panel. There are no details about the 
> mechanical changes anywhere that I've been able to find. 
> There were some later versions of the CR-88 with a mask for 
> the main dial and some other changes but these receivers are 
> extremely rare.
>    The CR-88A is modified for use in the RCA triple 
> diversity receiver DR-89, it is virtually identical to the 
> AR-88F except for the phasing control as mentioned above.
>    Also see:
> http://www.radiomuseum.org/m/rca_usa_en_1.html
> 
> And;
> http://www.qsl.net/w2vtm/rca_equip.html
> 
>     There is also an RCA equipment mailing list at:
> 
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/rca
> 
>     Much of the material in its archive concerns the AR-88.
> 
>     The AR-88 is a remarkable receiver, well worth the 
> effort of restoring. You will need to replace all the paper 
> capacitors. Early versions used RCA-made mica caps, these 
> are lozenge-shaped and of an odd pinkish purple color. They 
> are usually still good. In war-time receivers many of these 
> were replaced in production with flat Micamold or Solar 
> paper caps, probably because of a shortage of mica. All 
> these should be replaced. Also, the oil-filled bypass caps 
> often leak oil and must be replaced. I used modern film caps 
> mounted on terminal strips. Trying to clean out and restuff 
> the old tubs is too messy for me. The silver mica and 
> tubular ceramic caps used in the RF section will almost 
> always be good and should be left alone. The oil filled 
> paper filter caps in my AR-88F are still good.
>     The AR-88 was designed with no electrolytic caps and, 
> until the CR version nothing except the rare meter and 
> headphone jack was mounted directly on the front panel.
>     Note that on the diversity sets AR-88F and CR-88A there 
> are some mods to the AVC circuit. This is to allow a gain 
> trimmer control (mounted on the front) and to reduce the AVC 
> delay by introducing a small positive voltage at on the AVC 
> buss to reduce the normally negative voltage there from 
> about 1.2 volts to about 0.8 volts. This was apparently 
> necessary to improve the diversity action. Its easy to 
> return the AVC to original although it does not make a big 
> difference in performance as a stand-alone receiver.
> 
> 
> --
> Richard Knoppow
> Los Angeles
> WB6KBL
> dickburk at ix.netcom.com

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