AN/FRD-10 Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA) Receiving System

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Note 1 - While the AN/FRD-10 was primarily used by NAVSECGRU activities for DF, several were also used for general service communications. Two FRD-10's were installed for communications use at Sugar Grove, WV without the DF goniometer. The Imperial Beach, CA and Skaggs Island, CA FRD-10's were shared by SECGRU and COMMSTA (GENSER) activities.

Note 2 - The CDAA is also known as a Wullenweber antenna. The basic principle is that signals from a circular array of antenna elements can be combined with proper phasing to create a high-gain directional antenna which is electrically steerable. The FRD-10 had two sets of elements, 120 high band and 40 low band.

There are lots of photos of FRD-10 antenna systems on the web, but not much info about the inner workings and equipment. 
Please send me e-mail with any photos, diagrams, additional info, corrections, etc.

• 1972 Maintenance Manual for Antenna Groups OA-3967(XN-1)/FRD-10(V) and OA-3967/FRD-10(V) - Download 15 MB pdf
• 1987 Technical Manual CDAA Electronic Maintenance (AN/FRD-10) - Download 20 MB pdf
• 1987 Operation & Maintenance Manual for Automated AN/FRM-19(V) Test System - Download 11 MB pdf

AN/FRD-10 Imperial Beach thanks to Wullenweber/CDAA home page AN/FRD-10's Sugar Grove	CDAA Major Antenna Components	CDAA Element Rosette
RF Signal Path of One Antenna Element to Various Receivers	Typical CDAA RF Output Capabilities	AN/FRD-10 RF Path

AN/FRD-10 versions AN/FRD-10(V) manual is NAVSHIPS 94555 - Manufacturer - ITT Federal AN/FRD-10(XN-2) manual is NAVSHIPS 94593 - Manufacturer - ITT Federal AN/FRD-10A manual is NAVSHIPS 95744 - Manufacturer - Sylvania
Some AN/FRD-10 COMPONENTS -
CU-872/U			2-32mc 8 outputs - tube Diagram and Circuit Description manual avail from Fair Radio
CU-1280/FRD-10A		Multicoupler - 32 output HF for CDAA use	manuf Sylvania
CU-2282/FRD-10A	need photo	Omnidirectional Combiner	-
CU-5069/FRD-10A		Multicoupler - 32 output HF for CDAA use	manuf by TMC for RCA article with photos - link
GO-16/FRD-10(V)	need photo	Goniometer	-
GO-17/FRD-10(V)	need photo	Goniometer	-
GO-18/FRD-10(V)	need photo	Goniometer	-
GO-19/FRD-10(V)	need photo	Goniometer	-
GO-34/FRD-10(V)	need photo	Goniometer	-
GO-35/FRD-10(V)	need photo	Goniometer	-
GO-44/FRD-10(V)	need photo	Goniometer	-
PP-3949/FRD-10A	need photo	Power supply  ?	-
PP-3950/FRD-10A	need photo	Power supply  -24vdc, +/- 10vdc	manuf General Dynamics
PP-3951/FRD-10A	need photo	Power supply  +/- 30vdc	manuf General Dynamics
SB-2186/FRD-10A	need photo	Patching Panel, Comm	manuf MVP Micro
SB-2187/FRD-10A	need photo	Patching Panel, Antenna	-
SB-2188/FRD-10A	need photo	Patching Panel, Antenna	-
SB-2202/FRD-10A	need photo	Patching Panel, Comm	manuf MVP Micro

References

• Mar. 1992 NPS Thesis on performance evaluation of AN/FRD-10 systems (download 3.9 MB pdf file)
• Feb. 1994 NPS Thesis on comparison of AN/FRD-10 and AN/AX-10 Pusher CDAA systems (download 0.6 MB pdf file)
• June 1976 TM 32-5985-217-15 Operator's & Maintenance Manual for the AN/FLR-9 CDAA (download 3.8 MB pdf file)
• Report and photos of Waihawa FRD-10 - download 2.9 MB pdf
• Technical Info on AN/FRD-10 antenna system - link
• Navy CDAA History - link, another link
• Sugar Grove CDAA history - link