Note
QST, Nov 1935, back cover.
The RCA AR-60 (also coded as the ER44A-1) is a short-wave HF communications receiver designed and produced by the RCA Manufacturing Company of Camden, New Jersey. Announced in November 1935, it was engineered as a premium, top-of-the-line receiver for affluent radio amateurs and for high-reliability commercial use at the shore stations of the Radiomarine Corporation of America.
Because it was released during the Great Depression at a price of $495—when the average U.S. per-capita income was only $474—and was later succeeded by models like the AR-77 and AR-88, it was produced in very limited quantities (roughly 200 to 300 units), making it a rare collector's item today.
Specifications & Architecture
– Frequency Coverage: 1.5 to 25 MHz across six bands.
– Circuit Design: A high-selectivity superheterodyne design featuring a 750 kHz IF.
– RF Front End: Incorporates two 6D6 tuned RF stages, a 6C6 mixer (first detector), and a 6C6 high-frequency oscillator. An electrostatic shielding feature on the antenna coupling unit contributes to an excellent signal-to-noise ratio.
– Tuning Assembly: Utilizes a custom-built, integrated assembly combining a four-gang main tuning capacitor and a lower-capacity four-gang variable capacitor for bandspread tuning. Both main controls feature simple 0–100 dial scales.
– Shielding & Stability: Features extensive heavy shielding, including a ceramic-insulated bandswitch to isolate the RF amplifiers. The power supply utilizes a 991 gas voltage regulator to enhance the frequency stability of the HF oscillator—a highly novel design feature for its era.
Tube Lineup
– RF Amplifiers: (2) 6D6
– Mixer / HF Oscillator: (2) 6C6
– IF Amplifiers: Three stages utilizing 6D6s and 1/2 of a 6B7
– Beat-Frequency Oscillator (BFO) & First Audio Amp: Shared across a 6F7; 1/2 for BFO, 1/2 for audio)
– Second Detector: 1/2 of a 6B7
– Audio Output: (1) 41 output stage with an available low-pass audio filter for added selectivity
Power Supply: Operates from a 115V AC line with an internal power transformer, an 84 rectifier tube, and the 991 voltage regulator.
The AR-60 exists in two primary visual configurations known to collectors:
– Black dial scales with black crackle finish
– Silver dial scales with smooth two-tone gray or black ripple-finish
Depending on the configuration, the unit was sold as a rack-mounted chassis for $475 or housed in a black ripple-finished cabinet for $485 to $495.
References
Review: Radio, Nov 1935, p. 20.
Review: Radio, Jan 1936, p. 44.
Brief description. Radio News, Feb 1936, p. 472.
