R2502

The R2502 is a microprocessor-controlled LW, MW and short-wave communications and surveillance receiver, made by IEI in Bucharest and designed at the ICE research institute in Bucharest [1]. Designed from 1984 to replace the R2500, it kept its modular structure but was fully programmable, run by a built-in microcomputer and controllable from another R2502, a video terminal or a PC; up to 40 receivers could be linked in an RS485 network into an automatic receiving system for monitoring [2]. It had self-diagnosis and an FSK demodulator using statistical estimation of the signal period; an active antenna, an amplifier-distributor and an antenna switch were developed for receiving centres [2]. Two prototypes were approved in 1986, and IEI started series production in 1988 [2].

ICE’s short-wave professional radio communications laboratory took over in 1966 the staff and work of Electronica in this field; it designed radio stations, first-class receivers and accessories such as antennas and relays, mainly for the army, with civilian versions for the oil and forestry industries, building sites and agriculture; they were made at IEMI and IEI [1].

Chapter V of the book gives its range as starting at 14 Hz (14 kHz elsewhere) and says it was produced until 1988 [3].

Its prospectus confirms the range of 14 kHz – 30 MHz, tuned by keyboard, quasi-continuously in 10 Hz, 100 Hz or 1 kHz steps, or on 40 programmed channels, with 1–5 µV sensitivity, 60 dB adjacent-channel selectivity, filters of 0.1–12 kHz and memory retention after a power failure; it weighed about 50 kg with accessories [4].