[TMC] TMC FRR-502 (R5007) Story and Manual Info

[G.White]

Here is my story on my TMC FR502 radio. Maybe it can be put into a file on
the TMC Vintage Website by someone for reference.  I purcahsed my TMC set
from a surplus electronics store in Toronto and it included one tuner
drawer, I bought a second tuner drawer. The units are labled as follows:

Royal Canadian Air Force R5007A/FRR502, s/n 642 (This is the Reciever Sub
Unit)
Royal Canadain Air Force TN5010A/FRR502, s/n 5591 (This is the 2-4.5MHz
Tuner)
Royal  Canadian Air Force TN5011A/FRR502, s/n 6968 (This is the 4-8MHz
Tuner)

Each unit is also labled with a "REF" number, which I can list, if
interested

Now here is the interseting part. I have 2 differnt manuals. One came with
the unit when I purchased it, the other I downloaded from the "James A.
Moore" TMC R5007 Site at: http://www.jamminpower.com/main/R5007.jsp
This is a good site with some info on the TMC rigs and other boatanchers.

The first manual, supplied by the vendor, is labled as "Technical Manual for
Radio Receiving Set AN/FRR-49(V)", Buro of Ships-Dept of Navy, July 1960.
This seems to be partially incomplete, as the pages are excerpts of complete
"chapters". It has only  20 pages of info in its current form but I susspect
it was originally much larger.

The complete one from James Moore is labled as "Instruction Book for
Communication Reciever Model FFR, Receiver Set, Radio AN/FFR-49(V)"
Technical Material Corporation
It is an 84 page manual,and is free to download from his site, but its 68
Megs and takes a few hours on dial-up. Be sure to use the " Save AS Target"
on right mouse click, when saving to your hard drive, or else it may
download as a .jps file rather than a .pdf file. He also has it available by
mail, for a modest price.

There are some minor differences in these two manuals,  when comparing the
two differnt manuals page to page.

Long time ago, I had obtained from the internet, a third manual, which I
have since lost. It too had some small differences from the "Navy" manual. I
noted the differnces on my copy of the Navy manual, and it seems, the manual
from James Mooore, is quite similar to the one I had, but still, there were
a few differences in the text lay-out.

All three manuals also included schematics. The third "lost" maunal, did
indicate some differnt tubes, as I recall. The TMC Units I have, do not use
the same tube set as discribed in the other two manuals. There is also a
schematic available from an Italian site, which shows the same schematic as
the 2 manuals in my posession. Again, this Italian schematic copy doesnt
reflect the tube layout in my set.

As I recall, after looking into this differnt tube lay-out, I came to the
conclusion that I have an early set, which was then replaced by the later
version which used the tube set as shown in most schematics. The tubes that
are differnent are as follows.;

In MY Receiver, FRR-502, the BFO Ocillator socket is factory engraved on the
chasiss as being a 7199. Most schematics show this as a 6AG5. The 6AL5 in
most sets schematics, is engraved on my chasiss as requiring a 6FM8. The 6T8
tube spot is engraved and supplied with a 6BE6 in my set.

In MY Tuner drawers, rather than having the "typical" 4- 6AG5 AND 1 6AU6, My
set has 2-6AG5 AND 1-6BZ6 AND 1-5842, and the 1-6AU6. The chasiss is
engraved with these different tube numbers and I THINK the lost manual I has
also showed the different tube complement. Now for the neat thing. I just
found out a fellow in our Radio Club,has the same set as me, and his set
uses the same tube compliment as mine. The best part is, he gave me a copy
of the factory schematic SHOWING the differnt tube complement, as found in
my set. The wiring around the tubes is also differnt.

So it appears, a TMC Factory revision was made at some time at, probabbly
from the 7199 to the cheaper 6AG5 etc. The schematic that shows the 7199
etc., is labeld as being for an "R-5007A/FRR-502A with TN-5010A/FRR-502A" So
perhaps the "A" suffex explains my revision. (Although the "A "would imply
the 7199 repaced the 6AG5 etc!)

With this schematic, my friend included  7 pages labled "Performance Checks,
AN/FRR502A-2". He has also come up with a modification to sub the expensive
7199 with a 6U8A, by reworking the tube pinouts.

So there you have it. If anyone has the "A" set and needs a cpoy of the
schematic of "performance check" info, or the 7199 fix, I can scan and send
to you. I hope this has provided some insight into this set and the apparent
2 versions of support documents that are available. If you have any further
info or questions, please contact me at my call sign at 'rac' dot ca. It
appears to me, that the two differnt tubed models would be to diffiecult to
rewire, in order to make them similar, or to do  the tube subsitution from
one to the other. I have to take a closer look hawever, as it may be
possible, with some thought.

(Also note in some places, reference to these units as TMC FFR not FRR. This
is not a typo. TMC used the factory model number FFR-3 to discribe the
receiver and FFRD-5A,-6A,-7B,-8B,-1,-2,-3,-3M. For the various Tuner Drawers
and FFRDP and FFRDP-H for the Cabinet warming unit.)

73 and keep it glowing.
Greg White
VA3VFO
Toronto, CANADA