RT-1319B/URC VHF & UHF AM Radio

Background
Operation
    Setting Frequency
    Keypad
    Display
Versions
Configurations
DC Power
Antenna
Connectors
    Remote
    Audio
    Antenna
Manuals
Maintenance
Word Of the Day (WOD)
What Goes Wrong
    Pot
Related
Links

Background

This is a radio designed to allow ground forces to communicate with aircraft on either the VHF AM aircraft band (116.000 to 149.975 MHz) or the UHF AM aircraft band (225.000 to 399.975 MHz) in 25 kHz steps. It's first use may have been for the GRC-206 Program Pacer Speak used by Forward Air Controllers (FAC). Also see my MT-6250B web page for the components of the GRC-206 system.

This particular radio came from the UK as "repairable". The stick-on paper label shows the NSN to be 5820-01-393-5937 which may be a special version of the RT-1319B that's different from the U.S. version which has NSN 5820-01-286-8792. The difference may be "Includes Telemetering Equipment". Let me know if you have any details on this particular version.

Contains a "Guard Receiver" tuned to the military rescue/survival frequency of 243 MHz but not to the civilian counterpart frequency of 121.5 MHz. As of Feb 1 2009 the SARSAT system no longer monitors 121.5 and 243 MHz, the analog distress frequencies and instead is monitorning frequencies in the 406 MHz area that contain digital data. It's not clear what the need is now in terms of "Guard Receivers"?

This manpack RT has been replaced (2009) by the newer hand held radios that cover everything between 2 and 512 MHz.

Press the digit keys for the frequency, being sure to add any zeros to the end so that the frequency display blinks. Then press ENT.
If you try to enter a frequency that's outside the range of the radio the digit will not change or the whole frequency will not blink.

Possible 2 meter AM ham frequencys are: 14.45 or 145.550 MHz.

Keypad

1	2	3
4 LPR	5 ACT	6 GD
7 SQL	8 TOD	9 DF
CLR HWT	0 PST	ENT

4/LPR

Low Power (2W) not 10 Watts normal power. Press and hold button and LPR appears in display just before PT (Plain Text)

5/ACT

ACTive Mode, i.e. Have Quick Frequency hopping on the UHF band.

6/GD

Press and hold to enable the guard receiver (243 MHz). Press again to disable.
When guard receiver is active "GD" appears on the right bottom row in front of SQL.

7/SQL

Pressing and holding SQL turns off (or on) the Squelch so you don't need to change the squelch knob setting.

8/TOD

When pressed and held the frequency display left two characters change to:
RT-1319B TOD Time Of Day Display

Note: LPR PT GD SQL are turned on in the display

Time Of Day is needed for frequency hopping and can be manually set or set using a Have Quick time fill from a GPS receiver or other source.

9/DF

Pressing and holding DF turns on the transmitter and Direction Finding tone (1000 Hz) on the current frequency. "DF" appears just to the right of the rightmost frequency digit and centered top of bottom when it's on.

CLR/HWT

CLeaR or Hard Wire Transfer (remote)

0/PST

Pressing and holding PST begins the process of working with PReseTs. The display changes to P-n. Where n is the current preset. Pressing a number key from 1 to 8 sets the value. Pressing ENT goes to that frequency. The radio came with the following. They must be stored in non volitle memory since the radio came without main batteries installed.

PR-n	Freq MHz
1	268.725
2	127.45
3	283.500
4	246.050
5	238.850
6	277.025
7	253.900
8	315.775

Word Of the Day (WOD)

The Word-Of-Day gets loaded starting with channel (preset) 20 and working down to chan 14. It can be loaded manually by entering numbers that look like frequencies then pressing 0/PST instead of ENT. It can be entered using the KOI-18 paper tape crypto fill device with a tape that has this apparance (Thanks to C.W.):

Tactical Have Quick Tape Format

Training Have Quick Tape Format

ENT

Press ENTer to complete other actions.
Press ENT to turn off the display (there is a battery saver timer on the display that turns it off).

The display is:

DDD.DDD	LPR PT
	DF AM FM
	GD SQL

DDD.DDD is the frequency in MHz
LPR when showing is 2 watts, 10 watts when not showing
PT when showing is Plain Text - when external KY-57 is being used it does not show.
DF when Direction Finding tone is on.
AM - not sure since it does not normally show
FM - not sure
GD - Guard receiver (243 MHz) is on when showing
SQL when the squelch knob setting is active, when off no squelch is being used.

RT-1319

The original version did not support Have Quick frequency hopping.
NSN: 5820-01-112-0050
This version is also known as (V)1.

RT-1319A

The second version supported the first version of Have Quick in the UHF band.

RT-1319B

The latest version supports Have Quick II in the UHF band that adds more to the message.
RT-6608 p/n: 914858-804 AN/GRC 206 (V) 3 NSN: 5820-01-286-8792
5820-01-393-5937 RT-1319B/URC RECEIVER-TRANSMITTER SET,RADIO, Includes Telemetering Equipment.

Manpack. Powered by two BA-5590/U batteries. Uses stubby dual band antenna.
AN/PRC-113(V)1 is part number 706738-801
AN/PRC-113(V)2 is part number 706738-802
AN/PRC-113(V)3 is part number 706738-803 NSN: 5820-01-136-1519

VRC-83()

Vehicle system composed of RT-1319(), AM-7176 RF amp, MT-____ Mount
The VRC-83() is part of the GRC-206 Program Pacer Speak FAC system.
Components of the GRC-206 on the MT-6250 page.

TRC-176()

Jane's says "The AN/TRC-176 is a member of the AN/GRC-206 family and forms part of the Pacer Speak programme of the three US military services. The TRC-176 consists of the RT-1319 transmitter/receiver, an equipment case, and a remote-control unit. It is tailored for either desktop or rack-mounted installations."
31R2-2TRC176-8-1 AN/TRC-176 OPER TEST PROCEDURES, AUTO TES
31R2-2TRC176-2 AN/TRC-176 MAINT INSTR WITH IPB (INTERMED
31R2-2TRC176-2 AN/TRC-176 MAINT INSTR WITH IPB (INTERMED
31R2-2TRC176-1 AN/TRC-176 OPERATORS MNL -- RADIO SET, TY
31R2-2TRC176-1 AN/TRC-176 OPERATORS MNL -- RADIO SET, TY
31R2-2TRC176-3 AN/TRC-176(V) MAINT INSTR WITH IPB (DEPOT) -
31R2-2TRC176-3 AN/TRC-176(V) MAINT INSTR WITH IPB (DEPOT) -
31R2-2TRC176-6WC-1 AN/TRC-176(V)1 SCHEDULED PERIODIC INSPECTION
31R2-2TRC176-6WC-1AN/TRC-176(V)1 SCHEDULED PERIODIC INSPECTION
31R2-2TRC176-6WC-1-1 AN/TRC-176(V)2 SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULED PERIODI
31R2-2TRC176-6WC-1-1 AN/TRC-176(V)2 SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULED PERIODI
31R2-2TRC176-3-1 AN/TRC-176(V)2 SUPPLEMENTAL MAINT INSTR W/IPB
31R2-2TRC176-3-1 AN/TRC-176(V)2 SUPPLEMENTAL MAINT INSTR W/IPB
31R2-2TRC176-2-1 AN/TRC-176(V)2 SUPPLEMENTAL MAINT W/IPB -- IN
31R2-2TRC176-1-1 AN/TRC-176(V)2 SUPL OPR MNL -- RADIO SET, TYP

The AN/TRC-176... - The PRC-113 is mounted on a Power Supply/Audio Amplifier that accepts "12 Volts". The seperate remote looke like the MX-211 (See below) but it has the U-183 connector on the lower left of the front panel instead of on the rear panel.

The PRC-113 is powered by two BB-590 or BA-5590/U batteries connected in parallel and delivering "24 Volts". The 5590BA Battery Adapter works.

The PRC-113 uses a single antenna that covers both the VHF and UHF aircraft bands. It's a foot long and 1 1/4" is diameter. There's a ball joint at the base with a threaded clamp ring to allow positioning the antenna vertically when the RT is either vertical or horizontal. NSN 5985-01-184-0035 Markings:
V/UHF 37695ASSY 8121059-1 63747 10047-1

37695 is the CAGE for RAYTHEON CO, 8121059-1 looks like a Magnavox p/n (they were acquired by Raytheon)
63747 is the CAGE for RADIALL INCORPORATED, 10047-1 is the Radiall p/n.

The GRC-206 uses a different vehicle mounted antenna that has two type-N connectors.

A nice feature is that when any of the dust caps are removed there is a place on the side of the radio to anchor them unlike other radios where the cap dangles on the end of it's teather.

Standard U-183 (U-229 type) and uses the H-250 handset.

The electrical connector is a standard BNC-f panel jack. It's surrounded by a 3/4-16 threaded sleeve that mechanically supports the stubby antenna.
A standard BNC cable or BNC based antenna can be used.

31R2-2PRC-113-1
31R2-2PRC-173-1-1
31R2-2URC-62
31R2-2URC-62-1
31R2-2URC-63 Maint. Inst w/Ill Parts Breakdown

Assy	Assy #	Test Fix	T.F p/n	T.F. Man
Data Conv	A1A1A1	ATE	ATE	??
Tx	A1A1A2	TS-4093/URC	812542-801	TO 33D7-33-191-1
Mod	A1A1A3	TS-4092/URC	812544-801	TO 33DA48-25-1
Main Rx	A1A1A4	TS-4091/URC	812539-801	TO 33D7-36-51-1
Guard Rx	A1A1A5	TS-4091/URC	812539-801	TO 33D7-36-51-1
Synth	A1A1A6	TS-4141/URC	815155-801	TO 33A1-5-497-1
Pwr Reg	A1A1A7	TS-4090/GRC-206	812540-801	TO 33DA7-17-1
Chassis	A1A1A8	na	na	na
Pwr Sw	A1A1A9	TS-4094/URC	812541-801	TO 33D7-33-190-1

The eBay seller advertised that the Volume control was broken and needed replacement and even better found a source for the control in a gutted RT-1319. When a single 5590BA battery adapter is connected (the battery box holds two BA-5590 type batteries each connected as a "24 Volt" battery) the radio turns on and after a few minutes the backlight turns off.

	The radio is modular with each slice fitting left to right and nomenclatured A1 at the front to A6 near the back and the The battery connector at the left is A9J4 and the one at the right is A9J5. A9J4 appears on the 2x6 header socket just beside it on pins 9 & 10. A9J5 appears on the 2x6 header socket on pins 3 & 4. The OFF-VOLUME control is marked: 228115-1 25KP/M 10% 50516 8348 The On-Off switch is marked: CLARO TYPE B-15 1/8" shaft x 0.213" above sleeve 1 A. 125VAC. DC. UND. LAB. INC. LIST Back of knob marked: 37695-145131-6 MFR99813 101909-3 0.050" allen wrench This pot has no detent when turned off but does have a click when turned on. So it may also be ready to fail.
Pot	Removed from stripped chassis shown above. 5/16" nut driver is needed for recessed nut. State Electrictronics stocks the Honeywell 381NS25K pot which may be the replacement part.
	RT-1319B Top Rear Inside View A1 is a set of four boards just behind the front panel and includes the Data Converter. (this may be what's special about this particular unit?) A2 is the transmitter. A3 is the Modulator. A4 is the Main Receiver. A5 is the Guard Receiver. A6 is the Synthesizer A7 is the Power Regulator on the back. A8 might be the chassis. A9 is the small PCB for the Power Switch.
	RT-1319B Bottom Inside
05-33-C32CA01A PROD: 05-38-5820 01 393 5937	REPAIRABLE 12 JUN 2003 FSL LOGISTICS HM NAVAL BASE PORTSMOUTH
Stickers from RT-1319B
	MX-211 UHF AM Aircraft remote Got this also as a possible source of spare parts. It's OFF-Volume switch has nice clicks going off and coming on. It also appears to be the same size and has the same markings as the one in the stripped chassis. The labels on the keypad of this remote, the stripped chassis above and the RT-1319B are all the same. I think that means that they are for version A or B, but not the no change UHF AM aircraft radios (without Have Quick). The artistic pattern shown on the LCD is not a reflection, it's the LCD pealing internally. This happened to early LCD panels for a year or two because they were not well sealed. Note: MX- means Magnavox Special
	The remote used with the TRC-176 hs the Audio connector on the front panel (where the hole filler is in the lower left corner above). The note "HV supply removed 12 Jun 99" is reffering to the high voltage module used for back lighting the keypad. The connector on the box is a MS 3112E14-19P w/ date code 8417