AN/PRC-77 Portable Transceiver

AN/PRC 77 radio and handset

AN/PRC 77 Radio Set is a manpack, portable VHF FM combat-net radio transceiver manufactured by Associated Industries[1] and used to provide short-range, two-way radiotelephone voice communication.[2] In the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), AN/PRC translates to "Army/Navy, Portable, Radio, Communication."

History

The AN/PRC 77 entered service in 1968 during the Vietnam War as an upgrade to the earlier AN/PRC 25. It differs from its predecessor mainly in that its final power amplifier stage is made up of solid state components and does not use vacuum tubes. The AN/PRC-77 can use voice encryption devices which the AN/PRC-25 cannot. Today the AN/PRC-77 has largely been replaced by SINCGARS radios, but it is still capable of inter-operating with most VHF FM radios used by U.S. and allied ground forces.[3] It was commonly nicknamed the "prick-77" by U.S. military forces.[4]

Technical characteristics

The AN/PRC 77 consists of the RT-841 transceiver and minor components. It can provide secure voice (X-mode) transmission with the TSEC/KY-57 voice encryption device, but is not compatible with the SINCGARS frequency hopping mode.[3]

[5]
Channels: 920 channels across two bands using 50 kHz steps
Frequency Ranges: 30.00 to 52.95 MHz (Low Channel);
53.00 to 75.95 MHz (High Channel)
Estimated Range: 8 km (5 mi) Dependent on conditions
Power Output: 1.5 W to 2.0 W ttt
Power Source: BA-386/U, BA-398/U or BA-55984
or a nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery cassette.
Antenna: AT-271A/PRC 10 ft (3.0 m) multi-section whip "Static" Whip-a-way, or
AT-892/PRL-24 3 ft semi-rigid steel tape "Bush-whip",
Type of Service: 30K0F3E (FM)
Manpack field radio
Weight: 13.75 lb (6.2 kg)
Note: A modified version of the AN/PRC-77 is available and is designated
AN/PRC-1177. This version has been enhanced to allow a smaller
channel step of 25 kHz and to reduce voice bandwidth to 6 kHz. These
features combine to double the number of available channels to 1840.

Users

Control Panel of a PRC-77

The AN/PRC-77 set is used by the Australian Army Cadets and the Australian Air Force Cadets. The Australian Army is phasing out the AN/PRC-77, which is being superseded by the RAVEN series. Because of a shortage of the Raven sets due to the extensive overseas commitments, the Australian Army still has AN/PRC-77 sets in service. Eventually, both the AN/PRC-77 and RAVEN will be completely replaced by the Thales MBITR in active service.

The AN/PRC-77 has been replaced, as a main source of radio communication for regular forces of the Norwegian Army by indigenously developed radio sets called MRR (Multi Role Radio) and LFR (Lett Flerbruks Radio) (Norwegian for Light Multi Role Radio), and a number of other modern radios. However the Norwegian Army did not throw these radio sets away. Instead many of them were handed over to the Home Guard which now uses it as their backup radio in most of their troops as there is only a limited supply of MRR sets for their 43000 soldiers.

The Austrian Army still uses the AN/PRC-77, though it seems as if it is only used for training cadets in radio communications. For border patrol the Austrian Army now uses a new device called "TFF-41", which is capable of frequency-hopping and digital encryption. The Austrian Army also uses the AN/PRC-1177 for example the Austrian AN/PRC-77 have a special switch for a 25 kHz mode, which reduces the bandwidth of the selected channel by 25 kHz and therefore doubles the number of available channels.

In the Brazil used by Brazilian Army It was nicknamed EB-11 RY-20/ERC-110 manufactured by Associated Industries U.S.A and manufactured by AEG Telefunken do Brasil S/A, São Paulo 1970 the radio is used today but is now being replaced but still the PRC-77 remains stored in military units also used for training of technicians in military communications sergeants communications.

Radio AN/PRC-77 / EB-11 RY-20/ERC-110 of the Telefunken do Brasil S/A.

In the Swedish Army the radio system goes under the name Radio 145 and Radio 146 (Ra145/146), predominantly the Homeguard (National Guard) is issued the Ra145/146.

The Swiss Army used the radio as SE-227.

The Pakistani Army has also used the set for the past 25+ years. Purchased from different sources including the US, Brazil and Spain, it is scheduled to be replaced in the next 5 years.

The Finnish army uses this radio as a "battalion radio", using it as a common training device. The radio is designated LV 217 'Ventti-seiska' ("ventti" being the Finnish for 21).

The Bangladesh Army use this radio as a section level communication equipment.In Chittagong Hill Tracts area the operations are still conducted with this radio.Some modified/improvised local antenna concepts often increase the communication range up to 15–20 km.

The Philippine Army uses this radio as their communication device in their military operations.

Photo gallery

See also

References

  1. ↑ , Manufacturer's website.
  2. ↑ Mark Francis, KI0PF (2005). Mil Spec radio gear - Korean War to present day. Hicksville, NY: CW Communications, Inc. pp. 171–176. ISBN 0-943016-33-9.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.olive-drab.com/od_electronics_anprc25.php AN/PRC-25 and AN/PRC-77, Olive-drab.com
  4. ↑ Paul Dickson (2011). War Slang: American Fighting Words & Phrases Since the Civil War. Dover Publications. pp. 425–. ISBN 978-0-486-47750-3.
  5. ↑ , Manufacturer Datasheet.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to PRC-77.