[Milsurplus] RE: Early WW-II ADF

[Robert W. Downs]

Mike & Group,

I have a manual here dated January 1940 on a Sperry Automatic Radio
Direction Finder Mark I.  I'd say that it looks more like the BC-433 than=

the Bendix sets.  Uses mostly double-ended metal octals.  Covers 200-1500=

KC and has an internal vibrator supply rather than a dynamotor.  It's als=
o
a 12 volt set, although reading between the lines, there might have been =
a
24 volt model.

I haven't read the entire manual carefully, but the manual seems to be
aimed at the then civil aviation market.  No mention that I see of either=

the Army or the Navy.


>What was used as the radio compass set?  I think it would be too early
for the AN/ARN-6 (which was just post-WWII, I think).  I know the
pre-WWII USN used the DU and DZ DF sets, but now that you mention it,
I've not seen much info on WWII-era USN radio compass sets.

>This is in contrast to the USAAF, where the SCR-269 (BC-433) dominated,
followed by lesser use of the SCR-280 (BC-431), the MN-26, and the
late-war AN/ARN-7.

>The SCR-269 seems to be quite an advanced set for its era.  I've been
studying the manual for mine and I'm quite impressed with it
technically.
<


73
Robert Downs
<RWDowns_WA5CAB@compuserve.com>
Houston