Eastern Portables
DH4PY

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      R-126
   R-143
      R-147

 

 

 

 

 

  R-143 , also called "Bagulnik"

comes from the former USSR. It is a modern, solid state portable HF transceiver, used in many ways- also by special forces and as spyradio. There are R-143 with foreign lettering.

Handbooks are only found in Cyrillic language. The radio was used in the former GDR only for testing purposes, in very small numbers. The GDR became obsolete, befor the R-143 could be introduced. The radios that turn up now, come from other countries of the Eastern Block. .

This radio, too, was used in "Operation Desert Storm" .

For "Operation Desert Storm" you may look at :

PRC-638 PRC-439 BCC-349 TRA-906 TRA-967

Batteries:

  • Two separate batteries, 12V each, are used to power it up. For reception, 12V are used, to transmit, 24V are needed. When the PTT is pressed, the relais also changes the voltage.
    • Battery connections
    [ < click ]

  • The on/off- switch is at the small side of the battery box.

    Operation:

    operational elements
    [ < click ]

  • The Frequency is selected by four decade switches. The black knob 0/1 left to the frequency switches changes between 0 .. 10 MHz and 10 .. 20 MHz.

  • The HF output can be switched to 1 or 10 Watts.

  • The CW- Tone can be regulated.

  • Loudness and HF can be switched between manual and automatic control.

  • Tuning: The antenna is tuned manually by two turning switches and one continuous control.

  • The four "Dipole" - connectors are puzzling. Bruno from Italy found out what the four pins are used for (see picture "operational elements" :)

    "The R-143 has a built- in balun.
    Pin 1 is the output of the internal ATU.
    Pin 4 is the input of the internal balun.
    Pins 2 and 3 output to the symmetrical feeder to the dipole.
    To use the internal balun, you need to link pin 1 and pin 4, and connect the dipole feeder to pins 2 and 3
    Please note:
    the whip antenna connector is stil in service, and alive... Don't touch it when transmitting, or you may get some painful RF burns !
    The link being "diagonal" allows the dipole connector to be inserted upside down with the same fonctionality... Clever design."
  • The instrument shows the battery voltage when receiving, and the relative HF output when transmitting. There is no reading of other values.
  • "Frequency shift" (middle position of the mode switch) is possible only with external equipment.
  • The headset is a special edition only for the R-143.
  • The Kulikoff- antenna has a base that can be pointed to different angles, so that also a horizontal radio can have a vertical antenna. besides, the tip can be pulled out. The antenna, too, is meant especially for the R-143.
    Frequency range:
    1.5 ... 19.999 MHz

     

    Technical data:
    Modulation:
    AM, CW, SSB
    HF output:
    10 W
    Channel spacing:
    1 KHz
    Frequency control:
    Synthesizer
    Sensitivity:
    2 µV / 20 db
    Powered by:
    12 or 24 V
    Measuremants and weight:
    350 x 310 x 105 mm; 11 kg
    Issued:
    in the late 70s