Racal RA153 information - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

deliverance · 13th Jul 2015, 5:49 pm

Hi All, I have just acquired a Racal RA153 dual receiver, and I can't find anything on the web about it. No manuals or anything for that matter.
If anyone has any information regarding this receiver I would be very grateful, thanks.

G8BBZ · 19th Jul 2015, 8:00 pm

Hi,
You obviously like really big toys!!
Do you just have the receiver or do you also have the matching power supply?
The receiver is effectively 2x RA117 sharing common 1st and 2nd local oscillators so that the two receivers are tuned to the same frequency. The gain distribution and phase shift is made the same in both receive chains and there is a rather complicated RF/IF gain control which ensures that the overall gain in the two receive chains remains equal at all settings of the gain control and AGC.
If you have the RA153A it will have a single audio output switchable between the two receive chains, the RA153B has two audio outputs one for each receive chain.
The receiver was designed for use in Direction Finding installations and there is a range of additional units which make up ma complete DF system.
I have some very limited information (spec and block diagram) which I can let you have if you PM me your email address.
cheers
Peter G8BBZ

deliverance · 19th Jul 2015, 8:05 pm

Hi Peter , Thanks for your reply pm on its way ..

13th Jul 2015, 5:49 pm	#1
deliverance Heptode Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 711	Racal RA153 information Hi All, I have just acquired a Racal RA153 dual receiver, and I can't find anything on the web about it. No manuals or anything for that matter. If anyone has any information regarding this receiver I would be very grateful, thanks.

19th Jul 2015, 8:00 pm	#2
G8BBZ Pentode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 200	Re: Racal RA153 information Hi, You obviously like really big toys!! Do you just have the receiver or do you also have the matching power supply? The receiver is effectively 2x RA117 sharing common 1st and 2nd local oscillators so that the two receivers are tuned to the same frequency. The gain distribution and phase shift is made the same in both receive chains and there is a rather complicated RF/IF gain control which ensures that the overall gain in the two receive chains remains equal at all settings of the gain control and AGC. If you have the RA153A it will have a single audio output switchable between the two receive chains, the RA153B has two audio outputs one for each receive chain. The receiver was designed for use in Direction Finding installations and there is a range of additional units which make up ma complete DF system. I have some very limited information (spec and block diagram) which I can let you have if you PM me your email address. cheers Peter G8BBZ __________________ Peter G8BBZ

19th Jul 2015, 8:05 pm	#3
deliverance Heptode Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 711	Re: Racal RA153 information Hi Peter , Thanks for your reply pm on its way ..