General Dynamics (Stromberg-Carlson) SC Series Radio Equipment

History

  • Which came first? This SC-series or the Navy's RT-618, etc.? - the SC-901X, etc. manuals are copyright 1961
    The SC-series tunes in 1 kc increments, but the Navy equipment tuned in 500cps (later 100 cps) increments
  • Aha! - a patent case shows that in June 1959 the Navy contracted with Stromberg-Carlson (General Dynamics) "to design and furnish experimental, mock-up, and developmental models of a single sideband radio set and a single sideband portable transceiver." (NObsr-77628, dated 16 June 1959 for AN/WRC-1 and AN/URC-35). The Navy had rights to patents developed during the contract, but General Dynamics claimed some of the inventions "were conceived and reduced to practice during plaintiff's own, independent project to develop a single sideband transceiver, called the SC900A, prior to the award of contract NObsr-77628" See here for the SC-900A development background.
  • Trivia - the original Navy contract referred to the AN/PRC-45 portable transceiver and AN/URC-35 fixed transceiver. The names were later changed to AN/URC-35 portable transceiver and AN/WRC-1 fixed transceiver. The URC-35 is portable - HA!
    See here for some WRC-1 procurement background

March 1959 Stromberg-Carlson Advertisement -

  • A new approach to Single-Sideband radio by Stromberg-Carlson...... greater power output, less power input with a smaller volume.
  • The SC-900A digit-tuned Single-Sideband transceiver marks a significant advance in the state of the art.
  • The SC-900A is designed for both vehicular and fixed point-to-point communications adaptable to rack mounting and back-pack meets full military requirements.
  • Provides 28,000 stabilized channels from 2 to 30 megacycles, with a transmitted peak envelope power output of 100 watts.
  • Receive input power : 50 watts.
  • Average transmit input power for voice: 150 watts.
  • Available soon.

SC-901X and SC-901X-A Receiver-Exciter (comparable to RT-618/URC) - manual
SC-901S Power Supply 

Used by USAF with SC-908 amp at Atlas, Minuteman, and Titan missile sites
 - Titan site radio rack photo

Also see June 1992 Electric Radio magazine

Electronics - March 1962
SC900-USAF-ad-6203.jpg (137641 bytes)
eBay 4/19 photos

sc901x-1904-01.jpg (40555 bytes)

sc901x-1904-02.jpg (57217 bytes)
This one has been modified to provide some incremental tuning. Standard units tuned in 1kc increments only.
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SC-901X-A Fair Radio 5/19
sc901xa-1905-01.jpg (610594 bytes)
SC-901X-A Fair Radio 5/18
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SC-901S power supply - Fair Radio 5/19
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SC-905C Semi-Automatic Antenna Coupler - manual copyright October 1961 - no other info yet

SC-907 Amplifier & Power Supply - manual copyright October 1961 - no other info yet

SC-908A Amplifier (comparable to AM-3924/URT)
SC-908S Power Supply

eBay 3/17 photos
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amp-sc908a-1703-11.JPG (301285 bytes) amp-sc908a-1703-05.JPG (351379 bytes) Tubes

Pusher = ?
Driver = 8117 (DX195)
PA = PL-8295

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Fair Radio 5/22 photos
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SC-908S Power Supply
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SC-910 Transmitter-Receiver System (Comparable to AN/WRC-1)

May 1961 Announcement
wpeA2.gif (250037 bytes)
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SC-910A 100w Amplifier (comparable to AM-3007/URC)

sc910a-2209-03.jpg (102564 bytes) sc910a-2209-01.jpg (110272 bytes) sc910a-2209-02.jpg (95565 bytes) sc910a-2209-04.jpg (144441 bytes)
sc910a-2209-06.jpg (87128 bytes) sc901-amp-2401-01.jpg (73735 bytes) sc901-amp-2401-02.jpg (59014 bytes) Parts unit
sc901-amp-2401-03.jpg (387888 bytes)

SC-910E Exciter (Comparable to T-827/URT)

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SC-910R Receiver (Comparable to R-1051/URR) - Manual copyright Sept 1961 - 1963 spec sheet - no other info yet.

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SC-940F Auxiliary Unit

Titan installation photo

Wattmeter, 28vdc p/s == ==