[AMRadio] RCA AR-77 or RCAF GR-10 Receiver

[Ed Swynar]

Hi Dave,

I've seen a couple of these Royal Canadian Air Force versions of the AR-77
at Hamfests some years ago...back around the early 70's, QST used to
advertise some surplus outfit that had a quantity of them for sale (I could
never find the ad again after I got an AR-77 of my own in the early 90's ---
sold it it in 2000).

The military versions did NOT have the chrome dressing --- likewise, they
were a monotone colour..."RCAF blue", as I recall. I never did check the
calibration of the bandspread dials of those Hamfest receivers, & I wonder
to this day if the RCAF units had expanded AMATEUR radio bands, or some
other set of frequencies...?

Good luck finding a parts unit! Both versions of the receiver are pretty
rare in these parts, & the few that do turn up (years ago!) are pretty
rough. I liked the calibrated bandspread feature of mine, & the adjustable
crystal filter, but it suffered terribly from images on the high
frequencies, & the front-end tended to "take off" up in the higher regions
of the frequency range.

The full-page ads for it --- around 1940-41 in QST --- make for interesting
reading. One VERY rare option for it was a HUGE bass-reflex loudspeaker
assembly. Most impressive.

I'll wager that more than a few of these oldtimers still languish in
forgotten basement & attic locations of OT's who may well have themselves
forgotten they still have one in their possession! That's how long they've
been around...

Good luck in your search...persistance CAN pay off!

~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ




----- Original Message -----
From: "David Hollander" <n7rk at cox.net>
To: "Boatanchors" <boatanchors at sco.theporch.com>;
<BOATANCHORS at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>; <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>; "Discussion
of AM Radio" <amradio at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 6:34 PM
Subject: [AMRadio] RCA AR-77 or RCAF GR-10 Receiver


> Picked up a pathetic looking receiver which I though was an AR-77 at
> last weekend's hamfest. Turns out to be an RCAF Type GR-10 which appears
> to be the same radio. The label under the hood says that it is a GR-10
> built at an RCA plant in Montreal. Despite looks, the radio works quite
> well after I brought it up on a variac and I am going to restore it.
> This receiver is not a hernia generator like the big brother AR-88.
>
> The issues. The cabinet has been painted. I have no idea as to what the
> correct color might be. The photos I have found show a two tone gray
> with chrome strip dividers and one with strips that go partially across
> the front. Mine has no strips of any kind an no holes indicating that
> they were once there. Anybody know the color of this radio? My radio
> looks like the top one in this photo without the trim strips.
>
> http://www.w9wze.org/Equipment/Photos/ZOther/rca_ar-77.jpg
>
> Here is the two tone version:
>
> http://www.radiomilitari.com/ar77.html
>
> Bigger issue. The S-Meter and the RCA logo that goes right below the
> s-meter is missing.
>
> I am probably dreaming but does any one have a parts unit? I need the
> logo and the s-meter. Other than those two parts, the radio is complete
> and playing. Does anyone know what kind of movement this meter is? The
> manual I downloaded just say "s-meter" in the parts list.
>
> Anyone have either of these receivers and have any interesting comments?
>
> I have several 1930's RCA communications/ham receivers and thy are all
> very well built and good performers for their time. My understanding is
> that they were not that popular as RCA with their licensing at that time
> was like Microsoft is today and many simply avoided RCA for that reason.
>
> Thanks in advance for any comments or assistance.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave N7RK
> --
> ***********************************************************
> Dave  N7RK          Boatanchors Home Page: http://members.cox.net/n7rk
> Phoenix, Arizona         *DXCC Honor Roll*    *WAZ#22 - 75 Meter SSB*
>
> ex-XE2/N7RK, N7RK/ZB2, VK2ERK, ZM0AJN, WB6NRK, WN6IWX
>
> Boatanchor and Antique Radio Collector
>
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