[Milsurplus] BC-348-Q questions

[Michael Tauson]

Hi, Mike,

Sorry about the delay.  Reality has a habit of becoming vague at times
so I had to sort out which was the generally accepted one.

On 1/18/07, Mike Morrow <kk5f at earthlink.net> wrote:

> There was a R-23(*)/ARC-5 on board the TS-2A aircraft at NAS Corpus Christi in
> which I flew in 1972, along with that wonderful old AN/ARC-2 HF set.

Training version of an S2F Tracker?

The ARC-2 was, indeed, a neat set.  THough I don't think it was ever
done in the Navy, I had an ARC-2A paired with an R-105A that I would
light up first just to noodle around the bands.  If I found something
interesting, I'd fire up the RT and have fun rattling my key.  This
was mostly on 40m which was and is kind of a favorite.

> >Aside from maybe an ARC-38 as an auxiliary receiver, I
> >can't think of anything it would go with them.

> You may be thinking of the AN/ARR-41, which was the auxiliary receiver for the
> AN/ARC-38 HF set.  This was Collins-made US Navy equipment that replaced
> the earlier AN/ARC-25 set.

No, I was just reaching for a reason for the SO-239.  That was a
really long stretch, I know, but it almost kind of maybe could have
fit.  Sort of.  Just a little bit. :)

> The AN/ARC-25 was the USN's combo of the T-47/ART-13 (not USAF T-47A or T-
> 412 units) and the R-105(*)/ARR-15.  The AN/ARC-25 was the closest USN
> equivalent to the USAAF/USAF AN/ARC-8.

Okay ... scribbling notes ... where did the C-131 equippped R-26s come
into this?  I have one and it came out of an airplane so I know it was
in service however it seems to be rather restrictive for use with the
T-47.

> The AN/ARR-41 would not have been used with the AN/ARC-8, or the AN/ARC-
> 25, or the AN/ART-13(*).  The web sites and "Electric Radio" magazine articles
> which state that the R-648/ARR-41 was a replacement for the BC-348 have
> absolutely no factual basis.

I think I knew that but thanks for the confirmation.

The AN/ARR-41 could be found on USN aircraft with the AN/ARC-38
> (AM/CW/RATT),

What did this use for a converter/modulator?

> AN/ARC-38A (AMe/USB/CW/RATT), and some later backfits of the AN/ARC-94
> (Collins 618T-2).

At some point, I'd like to find out which version of the 618T mapped
to which military system.  There seem to be so many to choose from.

> About the SO-239 on the BC-348,

> >Somewhere there is a document that may indicate the reason
> >for this.

> There is one other place in an AN/ARC-8 with a SO-239, the CU-32/ART-13A LF
> tank coil and antenna switch.  The CU-32 can select either a fixed or a trailing
> wire antenna for use by the T-47A and BC-348.  The SO-239 on the CU-32
> connects to the other antenna that is not selected.  It's intended to connect the
> standby antenna to receivers like the AN/APN-9 LORAN A receiver, but not to
> the communications receiver BC-348.

But it could go to a second communications receiver (building on the
two receiver concept in the ARC-38(*) & ARR-41 installations) instead
of or in addition to the LORAN receiver.  Again, I'm reaching but,
except for the possible ground installations, I'm kind of stuck for
any possiblities.

Best regards,

Michael