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Delco 5300 A and AN/PRC-64:
Delco 5300 A (Serial No: 24)
is a Spy Radio, like its predecessor GRC-109 : It was developed from DELCO for the CIA and has a very compact size.
It works from 3.0 to 8.0 MHZ.
The solid state radio has a watertight housing , the operational elements, however, are not watertight.
It is switched on by opening the lid. A Morse key is built in; it operates a microswitch below the front panel.
Transmitter and receiver have separated crystals of the CR-78/U- type, four channels can be switched separately for the
transmitter as well as for the receiver.
The antenna is tuned with the help of a small bulb, a whisper- function can be switched on.
It can be operated in CW and AM modes, AM being not common for a spy radio.
It is solid state, small and battery operated, and is a real portable radio, even though it uses wire antennas.
The antenna is wrapped around a spool and kept in a canvas carrying case. It is compact and can be strung up and taken down quickly.
It might not be easy to do in an open environment but in wooded and jungle environments it would be possible to string up the
antenna in such a way as to be hidden while using the radio and antenna.
The problem was that batteries might last about two weeks depending on use so if the users could not carry enough for the amount
of time they were needed the users would have to be resupplied by parachute drop.
Obviously, the HT-2 comes into play as an
air to ground radio if resupply of batteries for it (D cells) and the Delco 5300 (specially made battery) are needed and
sent by parachute drop.
- Frequency range:
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- Channel 1: 3.0 ... 3.9 MHz
- Channel 2: 3.8 ... 4.9 MHz
- Channel 3: 4.8 ... 6.3 MHz
- Channel 4: 6.2 ... 8.0 MHz
AN/PRC-64
was developed from the DELCO 5300 A for the US Army. Except the frequency range, the technical data are the same as the data of the DELCO 5300 A.
It works from 2.2 ... 6.0 MHz
It was developed in the USA, but was used in great numbers by Australia and its allies during the Vietnam War period.
All PRC-64 are said to be modified to the improved model PRC-64A (for use of a burst code keyer GRA-71), but unmodified radios still can be found.
- Frequency range:
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- Channel 1: 2.2 ... 2.85 MHz
- Channel 2: 2.8 ... 3.65 MHz
- Channel 3: 3.6 ... 4.7 MHz
- Channel 4: 4.6 ... 6.0 MHz
Visible differences (also see the Picture gallery):
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Delco 5300
[<= click]
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AN-PRC-64
[click =>]
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Delco 5300A has no name on the outside, AN/PRC-64 has.
Delco 5300A mentiones 5 antenna lenghts, AN/PRC-64 mentiones 7.
Delco 5300A has the serial number printed on the front panel;
AN/PRC-64 has a nameplate (missing here).
Connectors for ANT and GND are different.
Batterytest-knob and -bulb changed their places.
(The version Delco 5300 -not in the collection- has no bandwidth-
switch for the receiver)
Technical data:
- Channels:
- 4 for transmitter as well as receiver, crystal controlled
- Mode:
- CW, AM
- HF output:
- CW: 5W; AM: 1.5 W
- Sensitivity:
- CW: 2 µV
- AM: 5 µV
- CW- speed:
- up to 300 wpm with burst code keyer GRA-71
- Battery:
- BA-1509/Prc64: 4V, 12V, 24V
- Date of issue:
- 1965
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RS-6
R-129)
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