[Milsurplus] USN: ARB receiver used with GP-7 transmitter?

[Hue Miller]

Original Message from: "Mike Morrow" <kk5f at earthlink.net>
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 10:27 AM
Subject: [Milsurplus] USN: ARB receiver used with GP-7 transmitter?


> I have seen a number of pictures of WWII MF/HF GP-7 transmitters installed
> with some model of the RU as the associated receiver.  I suppose the RAX was
> another likely candidate too, but I don't think I've seen any photos of
> that.

-But, if you think about the role of the Jeep transmitter, that pretty much rules
out the RAX: it was too much a receiver for use in combat planes, i mean SB
and TB.

> Once the ARB was deployed, that seems to me to have been a much better and
> more compact receiver for a GP-7.  But, I've never seen any photos or other
> documentation showing that the GP-7 and ARB combo was ever actually used
> together in USN aircraft.

Yes- same here. But- i suppose the GP + RU became "limited standard" or whatever
the Navy called it,  both units at the same time, and then the standard installation for
 fighting aircraft  became  ARB + ATC.
> 
> Has any one on the list come across anything that would show an instance of
> the GP-7 being used with a ARB, or conversely, could speculate on why such a
> combo would not have been used?

Certainly once there was an alternative to the Jeep, the way to go was the multi
channel ATC. No more TUs to store, no more tuning up while on the flight.

Mike Hanz some time back quoted some material that said the ARB was intended as
a direct replacement for the RU, same size. What surprises me also, is that i don't 
see any evidence it was actually used with the GF transmitter, altho its design idea
would seem to envision this. Maybe it's that HF was pretty much on its way out, by
this time, anyway.

One thing i think is interesting, is that in (some) PBY boats, you see the radio op using
the big GO with the little RU, at his position; a few feet away is the ARB, ATB combo
for, apparently, pilot's voice radio. 

Jack Antonio gave me some idea of how broad the RU receiver really was, in AM mode.
While it maybe fit well the combat role in fighting planes with vfo controlled transmitters,
i think it maybe would have been a potential problem if say, approaching an airfield that
had several  closely spaced voice channels. I don't think voice channel spacing in the RU
could be closer than 150 kcs. at the minimum. On the other hand, Pete Peterson ( W7YZ ?? ),
who used the GO/ RU, told me he thought the RU was a pretty good cw receiver.

One thing that i wonder about, is that the ATB seems to have been so little deployed. I would
think it would have replaced the RU GF in SOC and other scout, observation planes. I'm not
sure what these planes carried, except apparentlly the Kingfisher SOC3, was it, carried RU GF.

Some years back i talked to a fellow in Seattle, Bob Power ( or Powers ?? ) who had flown as
radio-gunner in a 2 seat gunnery observation plane, i think SBC2, observing for ships 
pounding, i think it was, Midway. He said the plane had the GF with 2 RU receivers, one 
spare. Wish i could be sure of all the details now, but to the best of my recall, the above is
what he told me. Also, another fellow, who flew as radio-gunner on TBF aircraft in the Pacific
War, first on the Gambier Bay ( sunk, 1943? ), that they "hardly ever used HF", except for in-
air (morse) code practice - and "contact reports" (enemy sighted reports ) at long distance.

Interesting topic, i think.
-Hue Miller