[Milsurplus] ARQ-1

[Mike Morrow]

> YES WE HAVE  AN  ARQ 1
> IT  IS  SOME  SORT  OF  ANALOG  COMPUTER THING  IN  A  SUITCASE   
> ED SHARPE ARCHIVIST  FOR SMECC

No, that does not even remotely describe the RT-45/ARQ-1, which is a 20 watt 14 to 50 MHz AM broad-band noise-generating receiver-transmitter.  It is a countermeasures set that should probably have had an JAN nomenclature of ALQ instead of ARQ.

One is for sale ($995) on a website that has an excellent set of photos:

  https://www.surplussales.com/equipment/Close-ups/eqp-an-arq-1_L.html

Many of these sets were surplus almost 60 years ago, usually demilitarized with a cut made into the rear of the aluminum chassis frame.  Roy Pafenberg/W4WKM wrote a chop-up article on the RT-45/ARQ-1 in June 1963 73 Magazine.

Mike Hanz has historical information at AAFRadio.org.  Jack Antonio has put one in operation.  I got mine from August Link and it will remain in its original pristine condition as long as I have it.  The operating manual contains very minimum technical information.

Although it is said to have been designed to interrupt German ground communications, it also covers the frequency range (38 to 48 MHz AM) of the common four-channel German aircraft command radios like the FuG-16 and FuG-17 series.

It's a very interesting set that saw little military service.  It will be of no interest to those who value military surplus only for its ham radio yammering capability and not for its military technical, historical, and manufacturing significance.

It is no kind of a computer.

Mike / KK5F