[Milsurplus] ARR-7 No Thanks

[Mike Hanz]

Hue Miller wrote:

>>The "standard"  HF ELINT receiver at the time was the 
>>Hallicrafters AN/ARR-7 (basically an SX-28A in a single ATR 
>>configuration), and IMO it was superior to the BC-348 in a number of 
>>ways...I prefer > it over the BC-348 for ham use, frankly.  
>>Mike
>>
>
>How about that dial non-resolution and the no-bandspread tuning?
>( i.e. like a 4-bander 2-dial set but without any bandspread tuning )
>When i read the old R E Goodheart ads talking about their modified
>ARR-7 as an ideal SSB receiver, i have to think about how much 
>real fun it would be tune tune in SSB on say, 15 meters.  
>

Those are fair criticisms, Hue, but I know of no other American WWII 
airborne sets that have bandspread, either.  I certainly wouldn't 
compare it with the SX-28, AR-88, etc. that have bandspread, but the 
dial is actually the same as the main dial on the SX-28, and a TS-164 
mounted next to it would eliminate any concern about the absolute 
frequency, as it does with a BC-348.  If you prefer better resolution, 
or significantly more spread on the dial, you would have to go to a 
non-airborne set. 

I should probably emphasize that I *prefer* it over the BC-348, not to 
the exclusion of the 348 - or any other receiver in the shack, for that 
matter.  (Well, the ARD is probably not high on my list, but then it 
doesn't tune ham bands, either...)  On any given day the choice of 
receivers to fiddle with varies all over the place, and you just put up 
with individual receiver idiosyncrasies as a delight rather than a 
drawback...it's all about patience and attitude.   :-)   The integral 
feed for the APA-10 panadapter makes it a little more fun to use 
compared to the BC-348, as well.

I particularly like the ARR-7 for its capability to select six different 
IF bandwidths for crowded band conditions.  I really haven't had any 
difficulty tuning in SSB signals, but perhaps the one I have is stable 
enough to not pose a problem.  Try tuning in 20M SSB signals with an RAT 
receiver if you want a challenge...heh.  I will have to admit that years 
ago I found a chopped up PP-32/AR for the ARR-7 - to which I 
subsequently added a 6080 series regulator circuit - so the B+ is more 
stable than that in an SX-28.  That may be a factor.

73,
Mike  KC4TOS