AN/PRC 77 Radio Set is a manpack, portable
VHF
Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter.
Frequencies immediately below VHF ...
FM combat-net radio
In telecommunication, a combat-net radio (CNR) is a radio operating in a network that (a) provides a half-duplex circuit and (b) uses either a single radio frequency or a discrete set of radio frequencies when in a frequency hopping mode.
CNRs a ...
transceiver
In radio communication, a transceiver is an electronic device which is a combination of a radio ''trans''mitter and a re''ceiver'', hence the name. It can both transmit and receive radio waves using an antenna, for communication purposes. The ...
manufactured by Associated Industries
Manufacturer's website. and used to provide short-range, two-way
radiotelephone
A radiotelephone (or radiophone), abbreviated RT, is a radio communication system for conducting a conversation; radiotelephony means telephony by radio. It is in contrast to '' radiotelegraphy'', which is radio transmission of telegrams (mes ...
voice communication. In the
Joint Electronics Type Designation System
The Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), which was previously known as the Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System (AN System. JAN) and the Joint Communications-Electronics Nomenclature System, is a method developed by the U.S. War Depar ...
(JETDS), AN/PRC translates to "Army/Navy, Portable, Radio, Communication."
History
The AN/PRC-77 entered service in 1968 during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
as an upgrade to the earlier AN/PRC-25. It differs from its predecessor mainly in that the PRC-77's final power amplifier stage is made with a transistor, eliminating the only vacuum tube in the PRC-25 and the DC-DC voltage converter used to create the high plate voltage for the tube from the 15 V battery. These were not the only changes. The PRC-77 transmitter audio bandwidth was widened to give it the ability to use
voice encryption
Secure voice (alternatively secure speech or ciphony) is a term in cryptography for the encryption of voice communication over a range of communication types such as radio, telephone or IP.
History
The implementation of voice encryption date ...
devices, while the PRC-25 could not. These include the TSEC/KY-38
NESTOR
Nestor may refer to:
* Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology
Arts and entertainment
* "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses''
* Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, L ...
equipment used in Vietnam and the later KY-57
VINSON
VINSON is a family of voice encryption devices used by U.S. and allied military and law enforcement, based on the National Security Agency, NSA's classified NSA Suite A Cryptography, Suite A Saville (cipher), SAVILLE encryption algorithm and 16 ...
family. Problems were encountered in Vietnam with the combination as described in the NESTOR article. The transmitter spurious emissions were cleaned up to create less interference to nearby receivers. The receiver's performance was also hardened in the PRC-77 to enable it to better reject interference suffered from nearby transmitters, a common operating set up that reduced the effectiveness of the PRC-25. The receiver audio bandwidth was also increased to operate with the encryption equipment.
There were no changes to the external controls or looks, so the two radios looked and the operating controls were the same. The equipment tag glued to the edge of the front panel being the only (external) way to tell the difference. The original batteries had a 3 V tap (series diode-reduced to 2.4 V) for the PRC-25's tube filament. This remained unchanged so the batteries could operate either radio it was placed in, but the PRC-77 did not use the 3 V tap at all. With the more efficient all-transistorized circuitry, and without the DC-DC step-up voltage converter for the tube, the common battery lasted longer in the PRC-77 under the same conditions. "OF THE TWENTY-FIVE (25) ELECTRONIC MODULES ORIGINALLY USED IN BOTH THE TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER PORTIONS OF THE AN/PRC-25, ONLY EIGHT (8) OF THE MODULES USED IN THE AN/PRC-77 ARE INTERCHANGEABLE WITH THE AN/PRC-25.'"
Today the AN/PRC-77 has largely been replaced by
SINCGARS
Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) is a Combat-net radio (CNR) used by U.S. and allied military forces. The CNR network is designed around three systems: SINCGARS, the high frequency (HF) radio, and the SC tactical satel ...
radios, but it is still capable of inter-operating with most VHF FM radios used by U.S. and allied ground forces.
[http://www.olive-drab.com/od_electronics_anprc25.php AN/PRC-25 and AN/PRC-77, Olive-drab.com] It was commonly nicknamed the "prick-77" by U.S. military forces.
Technical details
The AN/PRC 77 consists of the
RT-841 transceiver and minor components. It can provide
secure voice
Secure voice (alternatively secure speech or ciphony) is a term in cryptography for the encryption of voice communication over a range of communication types such as radio, telephone or IP.
History
The implementation of voice encryption date ...
(X-mode) transmission with the TSEC/KY-57
VINSON
VINSON is a family of voice encryption devices used by U.S. and allied military and law enforcement, based on the National Security Agency, NSA's classified NSA Suite A Cryptography, Suite A Saville (cipher), SAVILLE encryption algorithm and 16 ...
voice
encryption
In cryptography, encryption is the process of encoding information. This process converts the original representation of the information, known as plaintext, into an alternative form known as ciphertext. Ideally, only authorized parties can decip ...
device, but is not compatible with the SINCGARS
frequency hopping mode.
During the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, the PRC-77 used the earlier TSEC/KY-38
NESTOR
Nestor may refer to:
* Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology
Arts and entertainment
* "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses''
* Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, L ...
voice encryption system.
Major components:
*Transmitter/Receiver unit
*Battery
Minor components - CES (Complete Equipment Schedule):
*3 ft antenna - 'bush/battle whip'
*10 ft antenna
*3 ft antenna base - 'gooseneck'
*10 ft antenna base
*Handset
*Harness
Users
*: The
Austrian Army
The Austrian Armed Forces (german: Bundesheer, lit=Federal Army) are the combined military forces of the Republic of Austria.
The military consists of 22,050 active-duty personnel and 125,600 reservists. The military budget is 0.74% of natio ...
still uses the AN/PRC-77, though in a limited capacity such as training cadets in radio communications. For border patrol the Austrian Army now uses a new device called "TFF-41" (Pentacom RT-405), 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.
*: The
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and def ...
use the AN/PRC-77 as a section level communication equipment. In Chittagong Hill Tracts area it is still used for operations. Some modified/improvised local antenna concepts often increase the communication range up to 15–20 km. Now being phased out by far superior Q-MAC's VHF-90M
*: In Brazil it is 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
Telefunken was a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the '' Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft'' (AEG) ('General electricity company').
The name "Telefunken" ap ...
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.
*: The Telecomm Regiments in the
Chilean Army
The Chilean Army ( es, Ejército de Chile) is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 80,000-person army (9,200 of which are conscripts) is organized into six divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade.
In recent years, and a ...
still using the PRC - 77. (In process of modernization).
*: Salvadoran military and security forces used both American and Israeli-manufactured versions during the civil war.
*: The
Finnish army
The Finnish Army (Finnish: ''Maavoimat'', Swedish: ''Armén'') is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Finnish Army is divided into six branches: the infantry (which includes armoured units), field artillery, anti-aircraft ...
uses this radio as a "battalion radio", using it as a common training device. The radio is designated LV 217 'Ventti-seiska' ('ventti' is Finnish slang for '21', from the Finnish variant of
blackjack
Blackjack (formerly Black Jack and Vingt-Un) is a casino banking game. The most widely played casino banking game in the world, it uses decks of 52 cards and descends from a global family of casino banking games known as Twenty-One. This fami ...
).
*: The
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
used this radio extensively from the early 1970s to the late 1990s, when it was gradually replaced by modern digital devices. However, it can still be found in some units, mostly in stationary temporary posts.
*: The
New Zealand Defence Force
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; mi, Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa, "Line of Defence of New Zealand") are the armed forces of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and her realm, prom ...
used the '77 set' as its VHF combat arms communications equipment, both manpack and vehicle-mounted
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...
'fitted for radio' (FFR) variants, from the late 1960s until the 1990s. It came into New Zealand service with a lot of other US equipment during New Zealand's contribution to the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, replacing the New Zealand-built ZC-1 and British equipment dating back to the Second World War.
*: The AN/PRC-77 has been replaced as a main source of radio communication for regular forces of the
Norwegian Army
The Norwegian Army ( no, Hæren) is the land warfare service branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Army is the oldest of the Norwegian service branches, established as a modern military organization under the command of the King of Norway ...
by indigenously developed radio sets called
MRR (Multi Role Radio) and LFR (Lett Flerbruks Radio) (Norwegian for Light Multi Role Radio), and 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 still uses it as their backup radio as there is a limited supply of MRR sets for the force totalling 40 000 soldiers.
*: The
Pakistani Army
The Pakistan Army (, ) is the land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the Partition of British India, which occurred as a result ...
has 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
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) ( Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...
made extensive use of the AN/PRC-77 for several decades until they were phased out of service with the introduction of newer manpack radios such as the Harris Falcon II during the 2000s.
*: The Spanish Army, Spanish Navy (Armada Española), Spanish Marines and Spanish Air Force formerly used the AN/PRC-77. It was replaced by the French PR4G since 2002
*: In the
Swedish Army
The Swedish Army ( sv, svenska armén) is the land force of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1521, when the men of Dalarna chose 16 young able men as body guards for the insurgent nobleman Gustav Vas ...
the radio system goes under the name Radio 145 and Radio 146 (Ra145/146), predominately the Homeguard (National Guard) is issued the Ra145/146.
*: The
Swiss Army
The Swiss Armed Forces (german: Schweizer Armee, french: Armée suisse, it, Esercito svizzero, rm, Armada svizra; ) operates on land and in the air, serving as the primary armed forces of Switzerland. Under the country's militia system, re ...
used the radio as SE-227.
*: The
Republic of China (Taiwan) Army
The Republic of China Army (ROCA), previously known as the Chinese Nationalist Army or Nationalist Revolutionary Army and unofficially as the Taiwanese Army, is the largest branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. An estimated 80% of the ...
nicknamed the radio as "77", and had used it for over 40 years when AN/PRC-77, along with AN/VRC-12, were replaced by indigenous radio systems in 2010s.
Photo gallery
Image:EB-11 RY-20.ERC-110 of the Telefunken do Brasil S.A,DSCF69200.JPG
Image:EB-11 RY-20.ERC-110 of the Telefunken do Brasil S.A,DSCF6920.JPG
Image:EB-11 RY-20.ERC-110 of the Telefunken do Brasil S.A,DSCF6922.JPG
Image:EB-11 RY-20.ERC-110 of the Telefunken do Brasil S.A,DSCF6924.JPG
Image:EB-11 RY-20.ERC-110 of the Telefunken do Brasil S.A,DSCF6923 - Cópia.JPG
Image:Conjunto ERC 202 30Watts.DSCF6919.JPG
See also
*
List of military electronics of the United States
This article lists types of American military electronic instruments along with brief descriptions of them. Electronic items of this sort are assigned designations according to the Joint Electronics Type Designation System, beginning with the AN/ ...
References
External links
AN/PRC-25 and AN/PRC-77 at Olive-drab.comPRC-77 Back Pack Squad Radio
{{DEFAULTSORT:AN PRC-77 Portable Transceiver
Military radio systems of the United States
Military electronics of the United States
Military equipment of the Vietnam War
Military equipment introduced in the 1960s