Racal RA17 receiver with various rack mount modules

[high_vacuum_house]

Good afternoon,
I am selling this Racal RA17 receiver complete with various rack mounted modules which were all linked together in a rack frame. This includes all of the interconnect cables, a dual attenuator unit and power supply. The steel rack which they were mounted was disposed of due to weight and space.

The RA17 receiver has a loudspeaker mounted on the side in place of the meter which takes up its space.

The 19" rack mount modules that come with it are the following

Converter, Frequency Electrical.
Power supply made by STC,
De channelling unit
Panadaptor unit
Converter to RS232, TTL or tone. Probably for teleprinter interface
SSB unit
An unknown function unit Possibly an IF/VFO unit with crystal selector

The equipment is dusty, but all in good condition cosmetically and is far as known complete and most likely working, though would obviously need a check over first.
I can supply more pictures if necessary.

This I am hoping to go as one lot and I am looking for £250 which I think is a reasonable cost as this is for a S/K sale and has the modules which are not usually easily available.
I am selling another Racal RA17 and another more vintage Panadaptor type unit as well separately.

It is in Belper, Derbyshire, Collection only (!) We are at home most afternoons and my wife during the day so collection should not be a problem.

Many thanks,
Christopher Capener

[m0cemdave]

The green unit at the bottom looks like part of a Marconi R234 system.

[Draker4c]

Christopher (or anyone!) do you have any idea how the units would have been configured together in use and what the function of the extra meters on the RA17 were? Multi channel ISB rtty perhaps?
Hugh G1AUR

[high_vacuum_house]

Good evening,
I would have really liked to see the setup working whilst it was still intact, though this was part of a S/K disposal and therefore unfortunately no one to talk to about the setup. We were not in a position to test it due to almost no space, no time and unknown condition of capacitors in the equipment ECT. The whole lot was all still connected together and still attached to the mains though thankfully not left switched on….

I presume that it was configured to do a variety of things including RTTY. CW and video signals though I don’t have much experience of communications receivers, teleprinters and the various interface modules

The RA17 states that it is a “metering unit” so may be part of a monitoring system or set up to start teleprinters?

Christopher Capener

[high_vacuum_house]

Good evening,
Now reduced to £200
Many thanks,
Christopher Capener

[Jez1234]

An amazing set up of Racal gear and looks in good condition externally. I'm amazed it hasn't gone. If I was a driver I'd be negotiating with you! You don't have any really really big Jiffy bags then?

GLWS

[Radio Wrangler]

In most areas you'll find adverts for 'Man with a van'.
David

[Jez1234]

Not on my budget!

[Draker4c]

Christopher any chance you could post a photo of the rear connectors of the RA17 monitor unit? It give clues as to its function.
Hugh G1AUR

[Draker4c]

Or might do

[high_vacuum_house]

Good evening,
As requested, Here is a picture of the rear of the Racal receiver.
A fan has been added in the probably recent past and one of the 100KC sockets has been changed to a PL259 type.

Christopher Capener

[high_vacuum_house]

Good evening,
Now reduced to £180
Many thanks,
Christopher Capener

[Craig Sawyers]

Christopher

I'm astonished that this has not gone! Alas I have a boatload of RA17's and adaptors. My wife would not be my friend if I hauled back another rack load.

The panadaptor is interesting - unlike any Racal panadaptor I've seen. What is under the hatch on the right hand side of the display? It could be a strip printer, or a cassette recorder?

Craig

[Stockden]

Originally Posted by m0cemdave

The green unit at the bottom looks like part of a Marconi R234 system.

Yes, it's the SSB unit from a Reception Set R234. In essence it demodulates a 100kHz IF (actually 97-103kHz), with separate chains for upper and lower sidebands. In its original application it also provided AGC, AFC and tuning indication.

Hugh

[high_vacuum_house]

Good evening,
Oh dear, no interest? Now reduced to £150 and there is a knobless Halicrafters set FOC if wanted!!
Many thanks,
Christopher Capener

[AnalogueMan]

I'll have a look when I'm over. Don't really have room for two RA-17s but I might be able to offer a home to some of the other bits and pieces

[dave walsh]

Hello Christopher. Did you miss my pm yesterday? Looks like I might have been right What's the Hallicrafter?

Dave Bexhill

[HamishBoxer]

Personally, I think it is an insult having to come so low a price. Worth a lot more, if I was younger I would have jumped as soon as it came up for sale.

[turretslug]

Could the 2U unit with two square meters and two tuning cranks be a VHF receiver, as hinted at by the 50/300kHz bandwidth switch and the 37,38 in the scale window? It's slightly reminiscent of NEMS-Clarke or Watkins-Johnson stuff but with a British flavour. Just in case that jogs memories or tempts anyone. I expect that I'm in the same position as many here in that space and domestic harmony would be the objection!

[turretslug]

Hmm- I wonder if the way that the scale on the "possible wideband IF VHF receiver" is set part way between '37' and '38' has anything to do with the RA17`s IF arrangements? Should have spotted that earlier, really.