[Milsurplus] Look what follewed me home

[Mike Morrow]

>Collins ? radio looks like a BC-348 except digital tune. Data plate
>gone.Whatsit?


Lloyd,

That no doubt is a Collins R-648/ARR-41.  It tunes 2 to 25 mc.  It needs
only 28 vdc coming through the four-pin connector on the front.  If it is
working, it should be usable without any modification.

It is a US Navy auxiliary HF receiver used with the Collins AN/ARC-38
or -38A system.  The AN/ARC-38 was AM/CW and replaced the T-47/ART-13 and
R-105/ARR-15 for long range USN aircraft comms in the 1950s.  The AN/ARC-38
frequency was set (awkwardly) with dials on the main control box according
to a code book in the control box.  The associated AN/ARR-41 tuned exactly
the same range, used exactly the same modes, and was usually installed near
the AN/ARC-38 set main control box.  At least the R-648 had direct frequency
readout and was easily tunable across the band.  The AN/ARC-38A was an
AN/ARC-38 modified in the early 1960s by RCA for USB operation, but the
AN/ARR-41 never was similarly upgraded.

I consider the AN/ARR-41 to be an integral part of the AN/ARC-38 or -38A.
One thing is definitely certain.  Regardless of what nonsense one reads on
the internet or in an old article in Electric Radio, the AN/ARR-41 was
certainly NOT a replacement for the USAF's BC-348 receivers.  The USAF
replaced their AN/ARC-8 HF sets with the AN/ARC-21, which also had an
auxiliary receiver called the AN/ARR-36.  Unfortunately, either could only
be tuned by moving pins on the main control box for a particular channel and
then selecting that channel.  The AN/ARR-41 was much better for tuning
around.

It's a pretty nice set.

73,
Mike / KK5F