Racal RA17 Specification & Performance
When it was launched the Racal RA17 offered a level of drift & frequency stability unparalleled by any other radio - other performance specifications were also impressive.
Racal RA17 Includes:
Racal RA17
How the RA17 was developed
RA17 technical description
RA17 specification
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The performance specification of the Racal RA17 was very impressive for its time. The low level of drift was paricularly impressive, but so too were the other RA17 specification parameters.
Brief Racal RA17 Specification | |
---|---|
Parameter | RA17 Specification Details |
Frequency range | 980kc/s - - 30 Mc/s (down to 500kc/s with degraded performance). |
Frequency stability | Typically within 50 c/s after 1 hour warm up |
Input impedance | 75Ω unbalanced |
Tuning | Effective scale length 145 feet (44.2m), 1.5 cm = 10 kc/s |
Calibration | Crystal controlled in 100kc/s increments. Stability 5 parts in 106. |
Sensitivity and S/N ratio | 1µV for 18dB S/N (AM) 3µV for 18dB S/N (MCW) |
Intermodulation | >100dB down for interfering signal >10kc/s off tune. |
Cross modulation | For a wanted signal between 3µV and 1mV, an interfering signal 10kc/s off tune and modulated at 30% must have a level >50dB (>30dB) above the wanted signal to produce cross modulation of 3% (1%). The ratio of wanted to unwanted signal is improved up to 10% off tune by 3%. |
Blocking | With similar conditions to those for cross modulation, an unwanted signal must be 60dB greater before the audio output of the wanted signal is reduced by 3dB from blocking. |
Local oscillator technology | Wadley Loop |
Conversions | Triple conversion superhet |
Reception modes | AM & CW - SSB adaptor became available |
Antenna input impedance | 75Ω |
Output impedance | 3Ω and 600Ω |
Gain controls | RF & AF |
AGC | Long and short |
Dimensions | Width: 19 in (48.3 cm) Height: 10 ½ in (26.7 cm) Overall depth: 20 ⅛ in (51 cm) Depth behind panel: 18 ¾ in (47.6 cm) |
Weight | 67lb (30.5kg) |
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