[Milsurplus] ARR-15 IF bandwidth.

[Mike Morrow]

Jim wrote:

> IMHO, the ARR-15 is an under appreciated receiver.
> First Collins designed receiver to cover a large
> portion of the HF band. First Collins receiver using
> an autotune mechanical memory. Uses the second
> and third PTOs designed by Ted Hunter for Collins,
> one for RF and another for BFO, Both will hold a
> frequency setting to within 250 cycles after several
> autotune cycles. The RF and IF stages are
> permeability tuned. The variable IF allowed for the
> crystal calibrator to tune the receiver to any
> frequency covered by the receiver without auxiliary
> equipment.

I got my R-105/ARR-15 from Navy-Marine Corps MARS in 1969 while still in high school.  I had read about it in Roy Paffenberg's article in 73 Magazine.  I made no alterations...I even used the dynamotor for HV.  It was a magnificent receiver even for SSB as is.  I used it with an old AF-67 mobile transmitter at Georgia Tech the next year to check into the Georgia Navy MARS net (using CW) on 6970 kHz.  MARS dropped accountability on it in 1974, so I still have it 54 years after I got it.

I think the R-105A would have been the perfect aircraft HF liaison receiver of its era if it had included the 200 to 600 kHz band like the USAAF's AN/ARR-11 (a.k.a. BC-348-*) and the USN's R-105 successor R-648/ARR-41.

I acquired an R-105A/ARR-15 with rack and control box to go with my T-47/ART-13 for the AN/ARC-25 combo.

> I can see the heritage between the ARR-15 and the
> 51J. Everything is there in the ARR-15 except for
> double conversion and all was done by 1946.

The commercial designation is 51H-3 so the 51J connection is logical.  The 51H-3 went with the 17H-2, commercial designation of the T-47/ART-13.  I wonder how many 17H and 51H units were sold for commercial service.

Mike / KK5F