AR88/CR88 Information Page

AR88/CR88 Information Page

AR–88 Family
Model	Freq Range	Manual	S–meter?	Front Panel Controls	Notes	Output Tube	Power	Mfg Country	Qty. Mfg.
AR–88	535 kHz – 32 MHz	IB–25927–2	Y			6K6
AR–88D	535 kHz – 32 MHz	TM11-880 (11 Dec 1945)	N			6K6
AR–88F	535 kHz – 32 MHz	TM11-880 (11 Dec 1945)	N	Diversity IF Gain	Three units used in the DR–89 triple–diversity set	6K6
AR–88LF	73 – 550 kHz 1.48 – 30.5 MHz	113995-1	N		(Info from Communications receivers, 3^rd Edition, R. Moore)	6V6	25-60 Hz
ER–88	535 kHz – 32 MHz				AR–88 with 10–watt audio output Mentioned in "Radio Corporation of America, A Synopsis of its Products both Present and Planned and its Services – Ca. 1944–45 (This was a sales pitch to the Russian government)	6K6
R1556A					AR88D modified by the British

CR–88 Family
Model	Freq Range	Manual	S–meter?	Front Panel Controls	Notes	Output Tube	Power	Mfg Country	Qty. Mfg.
CR–88	535 kHz – 32 MHz	IB–31014 (25 Jul 1946), IB–2018 (1 Oct 1951)	Y (Tuning Meter)	Crystal Phasing Blocked–off front–panel hole for Diversity Gain control		6K6
CR–88A	535 kHz – 32 MHz				CR–88 configured a component of the DR–89A triple diversity receiver unit" – Moore	6K6
CR–88B	535 kHz – 32 MHz				"Built for RCA Radio Marine Corp. Single band–in–use dial, provisions for crystal control, 500 kHz crystal calibrator, 3–position selectivity control" – Moore	6K6
SC–88					"AR–88 series with black crackle panel, crystal phasing, single band–in–use dial, some with diversity control" – Moore

Other Variants
Model	Freq Range	Manual	S–meter?	Front Panel Controls	Notes	Output Tube	Power	Mfg Country	Qty. Mfg.
CR–91	73 – 550 kHz 1.48 – 30.5 MHz	IB–25974–1 (with July 1944 Addenda), IB–31017	N			6V6
CR–91A	73 – 550 kHz 1.48 – 30.5 MHz			Crystal Phasing Blocked–off front–panel hole for Diversity Gain control		6V6

NOTES:

Radios with the Crystal Phasing control have small knobs on the Antenna Trimmer and BFO; all the others have larger knobs there
The low range radios use a 6V6 output tube, while the others use 6K6s
The CR-91 manual quotes a frequency range of 73-550 kc, and 1.48 to 30.5 Mc, while the window says 75 to 550 and 1.5 to 30; but the front panel drawing, Fig. 3 in the manual, shows in the meter window: "CR-91, Frequency 540 kc to 32 Mc"

Documentation:

AR88 Instruction Manual – IB–25927–2 (3.0 MB)

AR88-LF Instruction Manual – 113995-1 (1.4 MB)

CR-91 Instruction Manual with July '44 Addenda – IB-25974-1 (8.1 MB)

Getting the Most From Your AR–88 – by D.M. Gill, 4S7MG (3.9 MB)
The Short Wave Magazine, August 1958

Getting the Utmost From Your AR–88 – by W.K. Miller, G6QF (2.5 MB)
The Short Wave Magazine, April 1953

AR–88 / CR–88 Pictures (3.4 MB)

The AR88 Again – by Tom Bloxham, GW3LJS, October 2001 (0.3 MB)

RCA DB Tuning Meter Kit (MI–17210) for AR–88D, CR–91 (1.2 MB)

Links to AR88 Web Pages

http://www.armyradio.co.uk/publish/Articles/AR–88_Receiver/AR–88LF_Receiver.htm

http://www.jvgavila.com/ar88.htm

http://www.ling.mq.edu.au/~robinson/museum/AR88

Tuning Bands	AR–88LF Frequency Coverage	AR–88D Frequency Coverage
Band 1	73 – 205 kHz	535 – 1600 kHz
Band 2	195 – 550 kHz	1.57 – 4.55 MHz
Band 3	1.48 – 4.4 MHz	4.45 – 12.15 MHz
Band 4	4.25 – 12.15 MHz	11.9 –16.6 MHz
Band 5	11.9 – 19.5 MHz	16.1 –22.7 MHz
Band 6	19.0 – 30.5 MHz	22.0 –32.0 MHz
Source: Ray Robinson, VK2ILV

Credits:

Al Klase, N3FRQ, Jersey City, NJ, USA
John Phillips,VE6XI, High River, AB, Canada
Ray Robinson, VK2NO, Wahroonga, NSW, Australia
George Munsch, W5VPQ, San Antonio, TX, USA

Page Maintained by: Pete Greene, N2LVI
Last Updated: 25 Feb 2010