[ARC5] Re: BC-616 Relay Box Oddity

[Michael Hanz]

Lenox Carruth wrote:
> 
> The Relay Box BC-616 is a component of Contactor Equipment RC-96-A.  The
> other major component is Contactor Unit BC-608-A.
> The obvious questions are:
> 
> What was it used for?

Part of the "Pipsqueak" air-sea rescue operation.  The Brits were
enormously successful at retrieving downed airmen from the English
Channel and North Sea - in part because of this system.  The Americans
just simply joined in the fun.  The timing was an indication to the
ELINT system that the signal was from a pilot in distress, and it was
only a matter of seconds before the sophisticated British HFDF
capability could zero in on the signal's location.  The later SHF radar
coverage of the North Sea and English Channel, with its much more
sophisticated IFF and location capability, rendered it increasingly
obsolete.  

> Was it actually used and, if so, when and where?

Of course!  But only in the ETO mid-war, as far as I have been able to
determine.  It was designed more for fighters than multiplace aircraft
because a fighter pilot normally had his hands full trying to keep the
aircraft in the air when it was needed.  An interesting twist is the
persistent belief on the part of some American veterans that it was an
IFF system.  While it doesn't pass the common sense test (and the
Germans were demonstrably no dummies when it came to electronic
countermeasures), various AAF veterans sincerely believed it was used as
a "secret" identification technology - but perhaps they were gunners or
navigators.  :-)  If it was truly an IFF device, I wonder how quickly
the Germans would have figured it out and exploited it?  As Homer
Simpson is fond of saying, "Doh!"

> If you find a manual for this stuff, I would like a copy.  

No manual, but I put the schematic for connecting the BC-608/616 pair at
http://users.erols.com/aafradio/Pipsqueak/.  This is a temporary
posting, so copy it while you can if you have any interest.

> Also, if you find a surplus of Contactor Units BC-608-A, I need one.

I hear that one needs to be considered by the select group of RC-96
owners to obtain one, and be nominated and voted on for membership,
before being eligible to look for a BC-608.  :-)  More seriously, I have
seen a number of them on ebay.  I think they normally get listed as a
contactor.

73,
Mike Hanz  KC4TOS