[Milsurplus] R648/ARR41 serial number 573

[Mike Morrow]

Jack wrote:

> ...was a CW key provided for the radio operator, and if so, what 
> type?

Yes.  I have a couple keys still with the cut wiring attached that were pulled from airframes about to be scrapped.  The USN standard aircraft Morse key was the common Navy Type-26003, equivalent to the original Bendix MT-11B.  It's a most excellent straight key, IMO. 
 I greatly prefer it over the Signal Corps J-37.

> I have the ARC-38 up and running, and am about halfway
> finished integrating it with the R-648.

Don't forget the essential CU-351/AR auto-tuner which is always an integral part of AN/ARC-38/-38A installations.  It's essentially a Collins 180L-3A with Amphenol connector instead of Cannon.

> ...what was the antenna system for the ARR-41? Was a separate
> antenna provided, or was there some kind of switching system
> to use the same antenna as the ARC-38?

I'm going on memory since I am 250 miles away from my manuals.

The manuals for the AN/ARC-38 and its antenna coupler CU-351/AR do not explicitly show interconnection of the AN/ARR-41 to the receiver output terminal of the CU-351/AR. But there is otherwise no provision for AN/ARR-41 antenna switching when the AN/ARC-38 transmits.  The AN/ARR-41 also lacks muting on transmit. 

I suspect that the AN/ARR-41 typically utilized a separate antenna. However, I believe that connecting the receiver output terminal of the CU-351/AR to both the R-641 and the RT-311/-594 would work acceptably if only one antenna was available.  But that's just my guess.

Mike / KK5F