[Milsurplus] Specs for Collins 618P-1 or P-6???

[Mike Morrow]

David Ross wrote:

>Searching for 618P radio I found:
>http://www.xs4all.nl/~aviation/TD/TD202929.HTM
>This page shows a pic of an ARC-51

Interesting info.  I didn't know there was a commercial name for the AN/ARC-51.  I wonder why they photo'd the unit shown at the website above upside down.  I seem to recall that was another set that was almost identical to the AN/ARC-51A and BX series, but had a completely different AN/ARC-?? nomenclature.

>Collins seems to reserve the 618 moniker for transceivers,
>and there are a lot of 'em, like:
>618C = ARC-58 & TRC-75 & 18Z-4 2-30 MHz receiver-exciter

The oddity there is two commercial (618C, 18Z) designations.

>618J = PRC-41 225-400 MHz AM manpack transceiver
>618K = PRC-38 20-70 MHz USB/FM manpack transceiver
>618M = VHF aircraft band AM transceiver
>618P = ARC-51 225-400 MHz AM transceiver
>618S = ARC-38 2-25 MHz AM/SSB transceiver

The 618S and the RT-311/ARC-38 are definitely NOT the same set, though they have most modules in common.  I have one of each.  The 618S is crystal controlled, while the RT-311/ARC-38 is frequency synthesized in 0.5 or 1.0 kHz increments (depending on frequency).

>618T = ARC-102 2-30 MHz SSB transceiver

Also the 618T was the basis of the AN/ARC-94, -105, and several other HF sets.

>618U = PRC-47 2-12 MHz USB transceiver
>618Z = URG-1 2-30 MHz receiver-exciter
>
> I bet the PRC-66 crosses over to a 618 name also.

Maybe, but I think all the AN/PRC-66 sets were made by Collins of Canada, if that makes any difference.

>Anyone know of any others?

I'd bet there's one for the AN/ARC-109.

Earlier Collins sets often used just "18."  Like the crystal-controlled 18S, which appeared in military form as the RT-380/AR, part of AN/ARC-59.

73,
Mike / KK5F