[Premium-Rx] Racal 1782, 178x series

[John Graham]

Hello Pat,

Thanks for the info. Yes, they are very rare: the only time I've ever seen anything about them was a passing mention in Technical Topics some years ago.
Both mine have single-digit serial numbers and are in good condition cosmetically.

Keith Thrower confirmed that they were "specials" for the ministry.

There are plenty of useful accessories for the 100kHz outputs: among other things, I have an MA1105 bargraph adapter and an MA2232R Tuning Aid [FFTs at an IF of 6.4kHz!] and a Redifon VTA-1. I still have an ancient Eddystone EP15 panadaptor, too, with dual inputs for 100kHz (fixed) and 400-800kHz tunable.

regards,

John RS86946


From: Pat1McA at aol.com 
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 11:38 AM
To: john.graham02 at btinternet.com 
Cc: premium-rx at mailman.qth.net 
Subject: Re: [Premium-Rx] Racal 1782, 178x series


Hello John,

I just knew someone would pop up with the pushbutton RA1772 version! We were only discussing them the other day.

It is a good few years since I last saw a couple of them but they were in poor shape frontpanelwise. The control logic had me intrigued and I tried to get some info. They both had  mostly CW filters fitted.

Not a chance - even Eddie Weaver at Bracknell said he had never heard of them and I suspect only a very few were made for the Big House in Glos.

The ergonomics were perfect. The illuminated pushbuttons reminded me of the LTV G-133, aka Collins 51S-1, receiver that I saw ages ago and again, like an idiot did not buy. Note: You are always broke when something really out of the ordinary comes up! 

The 100kHz IF output seems historical and I wondered if it went back to when Eddystone 830s and associated Panadaptors etc were used?

 Virtually all the Govt purchased Rxs had 100kHz outputs ( or the ability to install an expensive converter option) and maybe it was easy to convert down again for FFT analysis or bulk recording? Enough said.

Its nice to know that all the good stuff has not got skipped yet.

73 de Pat G3YFK