The collection of BoatAnchor Receivers
RCA BC-224 and BC-348 WW2 HF Aircraft Receivers
I have a BC-224 and the remains of a BC-348. The BC-348 is the 28 vdc powered version of the 14 vdc powered BC-224. The first version, the BC-224-A, was produced in 1936. Installed in almost all USAAF (and some USN, some British and some Canadian) multi-engined transports and bombers used during the fifteen year period from before World War II through the Korean War, BC-348 radio receivers were easy to operate and reliable. Designed as LF/MF/HF receivers for use in larger aircraft (B-17, B-24, B-25, B-26, B-29, C-47, etc.), they were initially paired with a BC-375 transmitter in the SCR-287-A system.
They were also used in some ground and mobile installations such as the AN/MRC-20.[1] The BC-348 series ran to several variations during its long production history, which included the BC-224. More than 100,000 of these receivers were produced, 80 percent by Belmont Radio and Wells-Gardner and the balance by RCA and Stromberg-Carlson. BC-348 receivers were copied and manufactured by the U.S.S.R. following War II by the Russian Vefon Works and labeled ??-9 (US-9 in English, US as Universal Superheterodyne, not United States.) The ??-9 continued to be produced in the Soviet Union through the 1970s, with such improvements as a solid state inverter to replace the dynamotor.
The 224 had a very dodgy 240 Volt power supply in place of the original dynamotor, the power supply was just wired up in space with sticky tape insulating even the high voltage wires. The 80 rectifier did not even gave a socket, it was just soldered to the pins. The 348 was even more butchered but the power supply did at least have a chassis.The two 6SH7 were the audio output stage relocated from somewhere else.
Stromberg Carlson 5V15 Services Amenity Receiver
Nems Clarke Type 1671 Special Purpose Receiver
This one turned up at a North East Radio Club meeting and of course as I collect boat anchors I guess I was destined to take it home.
Built for the US ARMY as this sticker shows, it covers a frequency range of 170MHz to 260MHz and as our old analog Television Stations are situated in this part of the RF spectrum, I was soon able to proove it was still working well by listening to the sound from three of the stations. This source of "test signal" will go away in a couple of years when all the analog stations are turned off but for now I can make use of it. The power supply is 110 Volt AC as can be expected by its origin.
The B28 / CR100 Receivers
The AR7 Receivers
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Written by and Copyright, Phil. Storr © Last updated 9th Spetember 2013
