[Milsurplus] RT-196C/PRC-6

[Mike Morrow]

I've recently acquired a model of the AN/PRC-6 that I'd never heard of before...the "C" model of the RT-196/PRC-6.  Does anyone know what differences may exist in the "C" model compared to the common "A" model?  Internally, it looks like a "A" model, with the two contact sets on the PTT switch.   It was made by Dero Manufacturing and Research.  Judging from date codes on tubes and crystal, it appears to have been made after 1963.  It surprises me that the PRC-6 was still being manufactured at that late date, even though I saw the USMC still using the PRC-6 as late as 1972.

I've never seen a "B" model of this unit either.

It has been 35 years since I last tuned up a PRC-6 using a hi-z voltmeter.  I found the instructions in the manual for tuning the transmitter oscillator L22 (Adjustment No. 5) hard to follow.  But if this adjustment is not set fairly accurately, the frequency of transmitter operation may be way off.  I used instead a frequency counter and adjusted L22 to obtain the desired frequency of operation.  Prior to L22 adjustment, receive and transmit audio was poor.  After L22 adjustment, the audio sounds better that that of my PRC-77.

The PRC-6 is a wonder of miniaturization for an early-1950s design.  I wish that it had squelch and two channels instead of just one.  But then, it wouldn't have been foolproof.

Mike / KK5F