[Collins] FW: AN/VRC-24 UHF radio

Marco marcocasagrande2407 at hotmail.com
Wed Jun 25 05:53:43 EDT 2014


They are definitely the two rf power tubes: Maybe they left in tx for days ... with the antenna in short!I mounted a 6263A in place of 6442 and in these conditions is able to get a couple of RF watt (14-15 rf volt) that decreasing during the seconds... 4x150 to! But works with a few of negative modulation, speaking into the carbon mike!Now a little bit of quiet for me to waiting the 7554 spare and close the screens for the cooling, hopes in a very cheep rf power replacement line-up to proceeding vs next step.I've found more infos about SRC-20 and URC-9 including traineer guide and schematics !Thank you again, I let you knowmarco
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 13:41:15 -0700
> From: antqradio at sbcglobal.net
> To: collins at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Collins] FW:  AN/VRC-24 UHF radio
> 
> Rob and Steve
> I just did the math, it was 45 years ago for me.  I worked mostly on UHF when I was stationed at Mactan AB, RPI.  GRA-53, GRA-54, TRC-68 and even ARC-27's which were installed in the MPN-13 RAPCON vans.  About half UHF and HF with the base public address audio system to round thing out when stationed at Zweibruken AB, Germany.  
> Seems like yesterday...
> Jim
> --------------------------------------------
> On Tue, 6/24/14, Rob Lee <rob at k7tgu.com> wrote:
> 
>  Subject: Re: [Collins] FW:  AN/VRC-24 UHF radio
>  To: collins at mailman.qth.net
>  Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2014, 3:17 PM
>  
>  
>  Like Steve, it has been a long time since working on one of
>  these, in my 
>  case the URC-9. I recall an intermittent/no power out
>  condition that was 
>  associated with a poor contact on the main tuning capacitor
>  grounding tabs. 
>  A small burnishing file took care of this issue.
>  
>  Rob K7TGU
>  
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: "The Rices" <srice3 at cfl.rr.com>
>  To: "Marco" <marcocasagrande2407 at hotmail.com>;
>  <collins at mailman.qth.net>
>  Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 11:47 AM
>  Subject: Re: [Collins] FW: AN/VRC-24 UHF radio
>  
>  
>  > Been too long since I worked on them (60's) so I would
>  have to claim 
>  > ignorance as Jim already had you check the relays and
>  the voltages I would 
>  > suspect in transmitting. As for the tubes well a 6442
>  is nos on ebay at 
>  > the moment for 34.00 . Course nos is not new by any
>  means. Also the 7554 
>  > tube is available but from what I saw on a quick search
>  over 100.00.
>  > Anyway I will let Jim continue as he seems very
>  knowledgeable and has a 
>  > manual by the sounds of it or good memory.
>  >
>  > Let me know how you make out
>  > Steve N4YZA
>  >
>  > -----Original Message----- 
>  > From: Marco
>  > Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 1:36 PM
>  > To: collins at mailman.qth.net
>  > Subject: [Collins] FW: AN/VRC-24 UHF radio
>  >
>  > I've pushed reply... 73' Marco
>  >
>  > From: marcocasagrande2407 at hotmail.com
>  > To: antqradio at sbcglobal.net
>  > Subject: RE: [Collins] AN/VRC-24 UHF radio
>  > Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 19:34:18 +0200
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Dear jim and Steve,Many thank's for Yr prompt
>  replies:I've checked the 
>  > K-101 and carefully cleaned the long ball end contact
>  of K-102 relays, the 
>  > 20 ohm resistor so all the rf connectors and checked
>  all low power tubes, 
>  > including the three 6j4WA. All tubes exibit more of
>  140-150% of 
>  > efficiency!! From mine old box 6AK5,2C51 ecc only
>  90-95.... ;-) As from 
>  > tech serv manual, I've checked all tube sockets dc
>  voltages so unworking 
>  > status resistance (pulling connectors) and retouched
>  the various 
>  > oscillators and relative tracking filters obtaining two
>  valuable RF 
>  > voltages at V-101 tx mixer (about 6-8 V rf up to dc, of
>  plate voltage and 
>  > 0.8-0.9 RF Volt to the catode)During signal tracing
>  (pulling the three 
>  > 6J4) have fused the 7554 (aghh!!) the filament is in
>  series/parallel to 
>  > 6442 and its filament adapter caps was leaking.. but
>  now waiting the spare 
>  > part, i've mounted a 5876 with similar gain and output
>  voltage at 7554 
>  > output (about 5 RF Volt to 6442 catode at 399.9 Mhz)
>  but only 1 R
>  > F Volt is measured to the 4x150 control grid with tube
>  pulled and max 
>  > retouching of various trimmers (C127-C141). Could be
>  out of minimum C 
>  > class drive RF voltage limits or... the 6442 is
>  Out?I've tried to test the 
>  > 6442 on the table at 160 vdc and -15 to -2V grid
>  biasing but only 5 mA 
>  > at -2V is been measured. UmmmhCiaoMarco
>  >
>  >> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 08:59:28 -0700
>  >> From: antqradio at sbcglobal.net
>  >> Subject: Re: [Collins] AN/VRC-24 UHF radio
>  >> To: marcocasagrande2407 at hotmail.com
>  >>
>  >> Marco
>  >> I am familiar with the other variations of this UHF
>  radio and there are 
>  >> many.  The VRC-24 was the first but I worked
>  on later versions like the 
>  >> GRA-53, GRA-54 and the TRC-68.  There is also
>  the Navy version, the 
>  >> URC-9. If RX seems to be working and TX isn't, then
>  there are only two 
>  >> tubes and associated circuits that  could be
>  the problem.  V-102, V-103 
>  >> and V-104 are used in both RX and TX.  V-105
>  is a 6442 and V-105 is the 
>  >> 4X150D, the D indicates a 24 volt filament. 
>  These two tubes are used in 
>  >> TX only.
>  >>
>  >> First, I would check K-101 and K-102 relay
>  contacts.  These two relays do 
>  >> the reconfiguration between RX and TX.  You
>  should be able to clean the 
>  >> relay contacts with alcohol and some paste board
>  like a match book cover. 
>  >> I would not use a file or any such rough
>  material.  If you have a 
>  >> burnishing tool, so much the better.  If you
>  still don't have TX at this 
>  >> point, I would suspect either the 6442 or the
>  4X150D or the B+ to these 
>  >> two tubes also check the fuses on the front panel.
>  >>
>  >> Once you get an indication of RF out in TX, then
>  let me know.  There is a 
>  >> trick to limit the need for tab bending when tuning
>  the RF and Power 
>  >> Amplifier for max output.
>  >> Jim
>  >> --------------------------------------------
>  >> On Tue, 6/24/14, Marco <marcocasagrande2407 at hotmail.com>
>  wrote:
>  >>
>  >>  Subject: [Collins] AN/VRC-24 UHF radio
>  >>  To: "collins at mailman.qth.net"
>  <collins at mailman.qth.net>
>  >>  Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2014, 8:51 AM
>  >>
>  >>  Hi guys, I'm a couple weeks that I'm
>  >>  going crazy to run this UHF radio in tx mode:
>  don't push
>  >>  enought driving signal in the rf power amp.
>  module (J104)
>  >>  but seems" receiving ok (no calibrated sign
>  gen.).I bought
>  >>  this "anvil to very little money but since it
>  is very well
>  >>  built, have motor, step actuators relays and
>  many gears so I
>  >>  would like her to sing her song. Is there
>  here any Collins
>  >>  wizard who has some additional tricks respect
>  to the service
>  >>  infos contained in its liberated" manual
>  >>  (TM-11-5820-222-35). Thanks and 73 'Marco
>  IZ0MFI
>  >>
>  >>
>  >>
>  >>
>  >> 
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