[MRCA] ARN-6 vs. 7

[D. Platt]

Ray Fantini wrote:
> Did the ARN-6 replace the ARN-7? Was the 6 a better or newer design? When were the last ARN-6 systems in use? Knew someone who found one lurking in the wheel well of a Pakistan C-130 back in the eighties. And what replaced them? There must have been some receiver between the old octal tube stuff and the ARN-59 series receivers, maybe something with seven and nine pin tubes. Looking for the ADF system to go with my ARC-38, ARC-55 and ARC-73 system and cannot imagine it would be an ARN-6, that would be the only radio with octals.
> Ray Fantini KA3EKH
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Ray, 
I can confirm that the ARN-6 was in use into the 70's, at least and was 
(I think) the later of the two.  The ARN-6 used the more compact AS-313 
loop antenna, the one in the glass jar, vice the football loop.  They 
were in the 3 T-33s in our squadron.  I did a couple of ferries of 
F-101B's and they had the ARN-6 with the smaller type control box.  The 
F-100 had the ARN-6 (DCANG).  I don't know if the F-102 did or not, but 
I suspect not?  Our F-106s had an integrated comm/nav/radar system from 
Hughes (MA-1/ASQ-25) so no oldies in that system.  Further, the few 1st 
Air Division HQ C-123's that puttered around the East Coast bases had 
the ARN-6.  The reason I can recall these facts are that at Dover AFB, 
some of the instrument non-precision approaches were predicated on an 
NDB over on Southern NJ, Wildwood or Cape May, maybe?  Maybe it was 
Millville... the VOR was there... and maybe the NDB, too.  At the risk 
of boring everyone... that NDB was one of the last 4-course A-N Radio 
Ranges!  Imaging that in the 60's!! What else..... Oh yeah... the 
EB-57's from the DEVRON had them, too.  I rode in the back seat during 
an electronic eval of our squadron in the mid 60's.  I can also say that 
the ADF being taught in the early 60's was the ARN-6.  I never came into 
contact, that I know of, with the ARN-7.  The smaller Collins or ARC 
ADFs were installed in the likes of the L-19 and other early FAC birds.  
I don't recall what was in the Tweet (T-37), though.  The T-34s had... 
what?  I simply do not recall?  I remember that they had the ARC Type 12 
VHF and UHF.  I am now looking at an ATC UPT manual and the diagrams 
pertaining to ADF procedures and usage are for the ARN-6.  The book is 
dated February 1962.  Any help, at all?

Regards   de Jeep/K3HVG