[GreenKeys] R-808 military receiver with built in TTY converter

[Scott Johnson]

The GRC-14 possesses what might be the closest thing to t Rube Goldberg
electrical contraption if there ever was one:

 

It uses an extremely LARGE dynamotor to supply the HV for the transmitter,
nothing really odd about that, but it will also run from mains power.  To do
that, there is a brute force 28VDC supply that turns this magnificent
dynamotor.  Hence, the 300#+ power supply.  The GRC-14 seems to be a bit
newer, and uses a clever frequency synthesis  system in the transmitter, and
the R-808 is a nice receiver, but the mass of the system (with two R-808
receivers), is about twice that of the GRC-19.  It also takes up about 75%
more volume.  No wonder there aren't too many around.

 

Scott W7SVJ

 

From: greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of WA5CAB at cs.com
Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2015 9:49 AM
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] R-808 military receiver with built in TTY converter

 

AN/GRC-14 was a USN/USMC competitor to AN/GRC-19 or more correctly to
AN/VRC-29 and AN/GRC-46.  Similar generic specs.  Differences are that FSK
capability was built into the transmitter and receivers. there were two
receivers in the sets. and theyt weigh far more.  AFAIK, the only manual
done was the 2" thick (in two volumes) NAVSHIPS 92911(A) on the AN/MRC-55
(AN/GRC-14 plus M38A1 with built-in auxiliary generator).  

The R-808 receivers are electrically and functionally similar to the R-392
(no HV) except that the FSK converters are built in.  They are a little
heavier but not too heavy for one person to move around.  They are reported
to work about as well as the R-392 but have analog dials.  The receiver is a
hybrid (mix of tubes and transistors).  The first 115 sets (according to the
manual - as there are two receivers per radio set it should have been the
first 114 or 116???) had audio discriminator type FSK converters.  The
balance had IF converters.

Due probably to the weight, very few complete AN/GRC-14 and AFAIK no
AN/MRC-55 sets have survived.  But a fair number of receivers have.  About a
dozen years ago, I extracted all of the R-808 information from the AN/MRC-55
manuals and called the resulting manual NAVSHIPS 92911(A) (R-808).
Reprints available for $30.60 plus shipping.  Heavy covers, 196 pages, 14
foldouts, screwpost bound.

Robert Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480

In a message dated 10/08/2015 09:57:31 AM Central Daylight Time,
zarco at sonic.net writes: 



Picked up one of these recently and have not been able to find out much.
Has anyone used one? From the same era as the R-392. 2 to 32 MC.
Google for pics.
                       Steve W6SSP

 

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