[Milsurplus] R-174 Puzzlement

Keith Densmore [email protected]
Mon, 28 Jan 2002 08:42:31 -0500


The set was probably used until it developed a problem and then was put on
the 'repair' list. Lack of spares or a lazy teck started pulling good tubes
from your  radio to replace bad ones from other sets. Seen it before, bought
an FRR-59 once, every module had a problem, ugh.

73, Keith, ve3gem
>
> Recently got an R-174, AN/GRR-5 -- not the first one, so I'm familiar with
> them.  This was known to some as a "gas radio" -- originally intented as a
> gen. coverage HF receiver to use for broadcast warnings of CBR attack.
> Mostly Korean War vintage.  It's the one with the "duplex" arrangement --
> receiver on top, ubiquitous, do-all power supply/speaker on the bottom,
that
> will run on 6, 12 and 24 vdc as well as 115 vac, when the wind's blowing
the
> right way.
>
> Anyhow, usually when you get a new old radio with tubes, a few tubes will
be
> bad, or sub par.  This one came in batting zero -- uses 8 tubes, 7 of them
> are 1.5 volt jobbies, like 1L4's, 1R5's, and a 1U5.  Also uses one 3V4 for
> audio output.  All very clean, bright and shiny -- all 8 NG.  Most seemed
to
> have burnt out filaments, others shorted and the 3V4 was extremely weak.
I
> took a chance and used spares on hand and a couple of "borrowed" tubes to
> test it out.  Works, on DC, anyway on three of four bands, so far.
>
> I've been through a lot of tube radios of various types and origins over
the
> past few years.  Never come across this.  Might be a couple or three bad,
> some weak, but not nada.  Tell me -- how can it be zero for 8?  Might be
> series filaments, if that's any clue. Power surge?
>
> TV-7 manual lists most of these tubes as "do not tap" when checking for
> shorts.  Do you think somebody tapped?  Or maybe (paranoia now) this rx
was
> used to park some pretty, but dead glassware?  Hmmmm?
>
> Barry
>
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