[Milsurplus] RE: 618T radio

[Mike Morrow]

Ray wrote:

>Starting to think my time may be better spent building
>up a 618T system rather then an ARC-58...

The AN/ARC-58 is a difficult system.  I have most of the main units, but none of the mounts.  I lusted after one the first time I saw it at a USAF field maintenance unit for B-52 and KC-135 aircraft, in the late 1960s.  But the techs said they were hell to maintain.  Supposedly, the inflation adjusted cost of the system would be equivalent to over $100,000 today.

>Have a couple questions about the 618T series, first
>is their just a 618T or just the 618T-2 and T-3?

The 618T-series is, IMHO, the greatest aircraft HF radio set of all time, and one which was used the world over by commercial and military craft from the very late 1950s to the late 1980s.  Doubtless many are flying today.  The AN/ARC-5 can't match that!

There are, AFAIK, "only" 618T-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, and -6 versions, and some "B" suffix models too.  There is no 618T.

>I know that the difference between a T-2 and T-3 is the
>DC vs. AC power, what was the 618T? 

Well, all 618T-models use both 400 Hz AC and 28 vdc.

The 618T-1 and T-2 models use a little 28 vdc, and a lot of 3-phase 400 hz power.

The 618T-3 uses a lot of 28 vdc, and a little 1-phase 400 Hz power.  So little in fact, that the military version mounting rack contains a solid state inverter to generate the AC power so that the aircraft needs only supply 28 vdc.

The military version of the 618T-2 is the AN/ARC-94.
The military version of the 618T-3 is the AN/ARC-102.  Its mount/inverter assembly is the PP-3702/ARC-102.  I'd almost do some dastardly deed to get one, which is the last thing I need for my AN/ARC-102.

See the following website for a Collins brochure describing in some detail all the various civilian and military versions of the T-1, -2, and -3 models.

http://web.tiscalinet.it/milradio73/radio_618T.html

See the following web site for many more technical details of the AN/ARC-102:

http://tsc-60.cellmail.com/tsc-60/other/618.html

All the 1, 2, 3 models tune only in 1 kHz intervals.  Some later versions tune in 0.1 kHz intervals.

Mike / KK5F