[Milsurplus] AN/APQ-1 Usage

[Mike Hanz]

On 5/29/2010 2:48 PM, J. Forster wrote:
> A few days ago, someone posted a link to an APQ-1 on fleaBay:  250623202824
> It was ID'd as a "Sandy" airborne jammer for German HF tank radios.
>
> I got to wondering how useful it'd really have been in practice, because
> it would have required the aircraft to orbit close to the battlefield with
> the related hazards of getting shot down. Also how long could a WW II
> plane have lingered over the target area.
>
> Was it only deployed after air supremacy had been achieved, or what?
>    

While it is true that an orbit would be desirable, it didn't need to be 
at a low level - 20,000 feet was often used to extend the coverage.  
Yes, it would be prudent to have air superiority, but orbiting at a high 
altitude tended not to get as much attention as the fast movers 
delivering ordinance on the fighting front.  The size and weight of the 
ARQ-1 was such that it could be put into any aircraft that had 400Hz 
power or an MG-149 inverter to supply its needs, so even transport 
aircraft could haul and use it.  It was part of a whole series of German 
ground communications jammers that included the AN/ARQ-8, AN/ART-7 
through 9, AN/ART-2, and the AN/ART-3, and as typical in wartime was 
simply one of the first deployed.  Its shortcomings, like receiver 
insensitivity and limited power output, almost immediately made it 
obsolete, which is why one sees them NIB fairly often.  A 500W amplifier 
(AM-66/ART) was developed for use with the ARQ-1 and ARQ-8, but wasn't 
deployed in any number like the lower powered (100W) AM-33/ART.  Radio 
Research Laboratory did an extensive study on the various comms jammers 
I mentioned above, and selected the AN/ART-3 as the most effective 
against German tank traffic.  That seems a bit strange, because besides 
a couple of tuning units, I have never heard of nor seen an ART-3 today.

For those with dogged patience, most of these except the ART-3 and AM-66 
are shown on my countermeasures page - 
http://aafradio.org/countermeasures/index.htm

73,
Mike