AN/GRC-106 tactical military HF transceiver US army

This is the AN/GRC-106A military transceiver. It consists of the RT-834/GRC receiver-exciter, followed by the AM-3349 RF power amplifier. The radio you see in the video is a very late model that is equipped with the 100 Hz synthesizer (earlier versions only could handle 1 kHz frequency increments).
The transceiver covers 2 MHz to 29.999.9 MHz in 100 Hz increments. There are no lockouts, it can cover any frequency in between these boundaries.
The radio is USB, AM. FSK and CW capable. Output power is around 500 watts peak. It runs of 28 V DC and will draw close to 40 amps at peak power.
The military used these transceivers mostly for data traffic (encrypted RTTY) in radio shelters, as well as armored vehicles and Jeeps. But the radio also is phone capable.
The radio is of modular construction, as you can see in the video. The quality of build is exceptional, just like any tactical military radio that was designed and built in the US.
The radio was designed in the mid-Sixties, and was used by the US military all the way into the Eighties after which it was replaced with frequency hopping capable HF radios. The radio is a hybrid; the RT-834 receiver/exciter uses two tubes in the RF front-end (RF and mixer), the rest is solid-state. Same for the AM-3349 power amplifier, there is one driver tube, which is followed by two 4CX250 ceramic power tubes in parallel. The rest is solid-state, including the RF pre-drivers and the control circuitry.
MHz band changes are done with a motor drive system, that drives a turret containing individual coil elements for each MHz segment. Both the receiver/exciter as well as the power amplifier have such a turret. See the video for the details.

[@shooter86-uw8ce]

Trained on these radios at Fort Gordon while going through AIT for MOS31C (Single Channel Radio Operator-Maintainer) Delta-447 Hard to imagine its been 31 years

[@peterladner801]

Thank you for this video. I trained to work on these back in 1985 while I was in AIT (MOS 31V10) at Ft Sill Oklahoma. You brought back many great memories.

[@FireandFrostHVAC]

Amazing. Any time that I have had a chance to look at military grade electronics I was impressed by the build standards and quality. Thanks for the tour.

[@electrolytics]

The history speaks for itself. I've listened to several first hand accounts of various servicemen talking about different military radios still functioning with fresh bullet/shrapnel holes in them. There's an interview with a Special Forces SOG Team member who said their PRC-25( I believe it was a PRC 25) got shot with holes, the radio still functioned and saved their asses for an extraction. The next time out the team leader asked the radio guy in the field if he switched radios and the radioman said no, I kept this one with the bullet holes. He didn't want to jinx them.

[@DucatiMTS1200]

Perfection in a box. Great review. Thank you for taking time out to let us see the radio sir. Most appreciated.

[@w7wv73]

I was a radio operator (05b20) instructor in 1967-8 at Ford Huachuca, AZ. We had the GRC-19 on the bench for training until the summer of '68 when we got some mid 20 count GRC-106 sets to start teaching. I helped set up the lab but transferred out of instructor duty before it was complete. I thought his was was much better than the GRC-19 in my experience.

[@schlempy]

That is really neat, I'm about 30 minutes north of Cincinnati, Ohio.

[@BGTech1]

Very cool! Thanks for showing the insides too

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

You bet!

[@TerryMcKean]

That rig ls utterly gorgeous inside ...

[@GroundControl204]

Very cool video, this milspec system is nice

[@swagmanexplores7472]

Fantastic radio with a supposed 400w pep output. I have one I started restoring a few years ago. Still need to sort out a fault in the antenna input

[@Petromaxer117]

Mine is an AN/ GRC 106 -G4 , ex ‘ Bundeswehr ‘ from Germany and I did find a maintenance stamp of 1992 (!) inside the amplifier. The radio was used as a ‘forward air controler radio ‘ inside a M 113 ‘ Kettenpanzer ‘ ( tracks ! ) PIcture at my QRZ callsign. Build by Tadiran Israël in licence and phased out in Germany around 1996 Given it 2 new amplifier Eimac 350 F ( 24 V ) tubes , not Eimac 250 F as the autor mentioned here , and it is a heavy and sturdy machine. Very well build, all connectors silver plated etc , It only tranmit USB with a nice 400 W PEP , 40 an 80 are used receive using the BFO by me . As a collector I will not modify it with an extra filter for LSB Needs a PSU of 50 Amps at 24-27 V ! This rig ( have also the TTY unit ) is one of my favorites ! Have put some registrations posted on KZbin from this rig . Also some pictures you will find at my callsign on QRZ. Found all manuals on the internet . Enjoy this ‘ beast ‘ ! And.. It is not for sale ..😊 73’ from the Netherlands, Tjerk Polee, PE1IOC

[@cipherthedemonlord8057]

Kind of stuff that makes me want to get a HAM license.

[@billloveless6869]

Many years I would fix this!!! Late 70's.

[@adidoron5080]

Back in the early 80's I made a 4X-ZL QSO with this radio using just the whip antenna.

[@user4574-METAL]

Had one of these in Captain's track in Vietnam. A great piece of equipment. F-Troop 17th Armored Cav 68/69

[@robertrockwell7581]

nice radio.

[@danbradley6696]

I used the 106 up until 1992, while in the Army 20 years.

[@wiisad]

Trained on that rig in 1984 at Ft Gordon.

[@mattottie6410]

Beautiful build quality, must of cost the U S gov. Lots of money. Thanks for the vid. Matt

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

Thanks for watching!

[@allenmiddendorff2068]

Nice!

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

Thanks!

[@OregonDX]

Who needs a waterfall! N7ORG

[@didierstarkeundehre4027]

Magnifique Transceiver militaire!!!!!

[@davidsonkofi858]

How are you

[@arildoaparecidocosta5729]

Gualidade total parabéns guerreiros bazuka Foz do Iguaçu pr Brasil 🇧🇷🦈 73 🇧🇷

[@rfdave3980]

Life is too short for 100 Watts.

[@mikem5043]

I want one!

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

www.ebay.com/itm/134041243904

[@francoispf3418]

Magnifique trx militaire une belle pièce de collection. Il monte jusqu'à combien de MHz ? Et power HF ?

[@didierstarkeundehre4027]

de 2 a 30 Mhz et avec l'ampli 500 watts crête de sortie HF.

[@francoispf3418]

@@didierstarkeundehre4027 effectivement ça commence à devenir intéressant 500 Watt HF en sortie du linéaire. Très bon pour les concours Ham.

[@KarlKrogmann]

Love your videos! de KD9LTQ

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

Thanks!

[@wernervanschie]

I hear a Dutch accent. Ben je Nederlands?

[@florisb690]

Zit jij in Nederland? En repareer jij ook radio's? Wil. Graag contact opnemen met je als misschien onze dodge radio wil en kunt maken?? Wil ik heel graag contact met je opnemen

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

No, sorry, Florida.