[MRCA] [Milsurplus] Working "Cold War " rellics, Addendum

[Scott Johnson]

The ARC-39 was used in training aircraft, I doubt it was used as a liaison
radio.  It was probably used to replace the whole rack and stack ARC-5
stuff, but would have had little utility as a command set, since by the time
it was produced VHF was in use, and UHF was coming on strong.
I have two sets, and they are cuter than a bugs ear! One even has a
transistor products solid state dynamotor replacement, so it had to be used
up until the late fifties, at least!  Bizarre.

As for the 618S-1 and 618s-1MC, the USAF C-130s used two (in A and B
models), but these were swapped for dual 618T-1 sets in the late sixties.
The 180L-3 couplers remained, but later (in the eighties), we swapped in
490T-9s when we could order them.  The C-130E/Hs were built with dual
618T-3s.

One of my favorite cold war HF sets is the ARC-80, which is a 618T on
steroids, with four 4CX250s in the final, the radio is distributed in three
boxes, plus the coupler/ antenna reel.  Uses a control similar to the 618T,
plus a larger control for the trailing wire reel.  It was apparently used on
the E-2, P-3, and S-3, maybe others, although it is about 250# full up.

Another interesting set is the ARC-123, this one has escaped my grip for
years, but I guess they are around.  Used in the C-141 and perhaps early on
in the C-5.

The King of the cold war HF sets, in my opinion, has to be the 1KW ARC-58
(civil 18Z-3/4).  This is the most expensively built HF set I have ever
seen, with a lot of machined parts, and chemically milled module housing for
weight savings.  This was part of the big three original sets Collins rolled
out around 1958 for the USAF big talk network- the ARC-58 (airborne), TRC-75
(Vehicular), and KWT-6/URC-32 (fixed/shipboard)  They all share some
modules, and they have KWS-1 DNA in them.  Their design influenced
subsequent Collins gear for thirty years.

Scott W7SVJ

-----Original Message-----
From: mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of Mike Morrow
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2012 6:11 PM
To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net; mrca at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [MRCA] [Milsurplus] Working "Cold War " rellics, Addendum


Ray:
> Not a word about the AN/ARC-39, maybe they never existed?

Jack:
> The AN/ARC-39 does exist, I have one. And I know of one other one in 
> captivity.

Of course they do.  Without trying, I acquired three
RT-427/ARC-39 units since I bought the first at Fair Radio in 1978 while
traveling between duty stations.  But I have only one that is complete with
mount, control box, and manual.

For a listing of US Cold War sets, I once again call attention to the USN
AN/ARC-25, which is the AN/ART-13 with AN/ARR-15.
Compare it to the familiar USAF AN/ARC-8, which is the AN/ART-13A with
AN/ARR-11.  (The AN/ARR-11 is the JAN nomenclature for the BC-348-*.)

The "AN/ARC-25" designation seems unknown to many for whom the "AN/ARC-8"
designation is very familiar.

I have both sets complete with mounts, dynamotors, control boxes, etc.
Unlike the AN/ARC-8, the AN/ARC-25 provides remote operation of the
R-105*/ARR-15.  However, the AN/ARR-15 provides no coverage for the 200 to
1500 kHz capability of the O-16/ART-13, while the AN/ARR-11 provides
coverage of
200 to 500 kHz of the 200 to 600 kHz capability of the O-17/ART-13A.

I'm pretty sure that other AN/ARC-25 sets must be held by other folks as
well.

FWIW, I think the importance of the AN/ARC-2 and
AN/ARC-39 as Cold War gear was very minimal.

The USAF bought a fair number of Collins commercial HF sets, namely the AM
18S-4 (as RT-380/AR, part of AN/ARC-59), and AM 618S-1 and USB 618S-1/MC.
These last two have no JAN designation.  They are rather different from the
two USN sets with which they are frequently confused...the RT-311/ARC-38 and
the RT-594/ARC-38A.

The USAF obviously needed some HF sets that were a lot lighter and much less
expensive than their AN/ARC-21, -65, and -58 for many of their aircraft.
(The cost of the
AN/ARC-21 set in 2012 dollars was apparently about
$180,000!)

Mike / KK5F
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