[MRCA] Working "Cold War " rellics, AN/ARC-58 and more!

[Ray Fantini]

The Survivors list:
This serves no other function then to see what others are doing and what's out there and maybe determine who's working on similar projects but as long as we are on the subject of Cold War era radios systems for HF lets do a attendance along the lines of who has what and what state it's in:

AN/ARC-8

Classic ART-13 and BC-348 combination, will assume that there has to be at least a fifty collectors who have operational ARC-8 systems on the air today with at least a ten that would be 100 % original including dynamotors.

AN/ARC-2

Don't know why but feel this belongs after the ARC-8, I have at one time owned a RT-91 myself and seen them at Hamfest and online so know they are around. I know of at least three operational and because the dynamotors were internal it's an easy radio to keep all original. I will say that maybe at least a dozen are operational and many more that are on the shelf as static displays.

AN/ARC-21 and 65

I know of maybe two or three of the ARC-65 that exist, none of the ARC-21 set in original condition, with none in operational condition.

AN/ARC-38 (38A, 618S)

Knowing this set well can say a lot. I have a RT-311 and 180L3 set up and have been using it for years now and have spoken with at least half a dozen who also say they have that or a RT-594 SSB operational. I will say there has to be at least ten systems operational, do not know if any are 100% original with dynamotor or how many did what I did and built a AC supply.

Also a special note for the 18S4

Do not know what the AN/ARC designate was for that radio or if there was one but know of two that are operational.

AN/ARC-39

Weird little set, assuming because of the size and what looks like an easy radio to work with there must be some but have never talked with anyone or know of one being operational, also myself have never seen one.

AN/ARC-58 (TRC-75)

AT least three examples of the ground version (TRC-75) of this radio are known to exist and be operational. Going to assume many of the radios are around but due to the complexity of installation do not know how many are operational.


AN/ARC-94 and ARC-102

The Collins 618T Maybe the longest production run and longest in service of all the SSB aircraft radios ever built. Know of at least half a dozen operational with the ARC-102 often run in all original configurations. Just like the ARC-58 would assume that at least a couple hundred of the 618T transceivers are around but because of the difficulty involved with getting the rack and powering the radio not more than a dozen or so on the air. The ones that I know of that are operational are all using the URM-157 test fixtures. I have one but am building it out the old fashion "stupid" way by building rack and cables, hope to have it operational someday. Also have to wonder if there are not a couple still around in commercial or military service somewhere in the third world.


This is not a scientific list and the numbers are biased on approximations or cases where I know of real examples of these systems in use. I am not taking into account what may be in museums or some mythical storage or warehouse somewhere, the intent is to get an idea of how many and who may be actually using these radios today. Please feel free to comment on examples or structure and please remember that I am at this point only dealing with HF airborne radios system of the Cold War.

RF