[ARC5] TBS Radios (VHF for PT Boats)

Fri Dec 10 19:39:59 EST 2010

I have a book with photoes showing the TCS and AN/ARC-4 along with a radar in the PT's. One is a side by side TCS and the other is a verticly arrainged TCS. I do not know whether they were Higgins or ELCO boats.There may have been installation differences due to different boat builders.
 My uncle Richard Lamborn was a PT commander and I think his was a Higgins but I was too young when he passed to know what he was talking about when he "got going". I do know his boat (and many others) was burned at war's end to clear it from the inventory.It's all a coral reef by now.
 Jay

-----Original Message-----
From: J. Forster <jfor at quik.com>
To: Mike Morrow <kk5f at arrl.net>
Cc: arc5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Fri, Dec 10, 2010 3:01 pm
Subject: Re: [ARC5] TBS Radios (VHF for PT Boats)

I'm not do sure about TBS on PT boats. One reason is the Tx HV came from a
everal hundred pound MG set that ran on 115 VDC. The receiver runs of 115
 60 Hz.
FWIW,
-John
================

> Dennis wrote:

>Hmmm...  The account relates "excited chatter of the Martinis (PT
>boats) on the TBS tactical radio...."  PT boats carried TCS radios.
>Were they equipped with the TBS also?

 The following is from a 1945 USN publication "Know Your PT Boat" found
 at http://www.hnsa.org/doc/pt/know/index.htm .

 ----------------START EXCERPT
 ----------------------------------------------
 Notes for Radiomen.

 8. Your VHF is not as secure as you perhaps assume. Transmissions over VHF
 have
 gone 400 to 500 miles beyond the horizon. PTs operating reasonably close
 to enemy
 territory or units can give away their position and valuable information
 by useless
 chatter over a VHF circuit. And remember, you are not the only pebble on
 the beach.
 Our planes use it extensively.  Unnecessary PT transmissions must not
 clutter up
 communications of a vital operating aircraft squadron. You may think the
 air is
 clear because you do not hear any transmissions, but, remember, they may
 be
 receiving you several hundred miles away where they may be making a
 strike. So do
 not depend on the term "line-of-sight" transmissions. It is not reliable
 at all
 times, hence guard the use of your VHF set much as you do the TCS. Jam
 sessions,
 razzle-dazzle cowboy stuff, and hot-shot vocalizing are all very amusing
 to you
 if you are a lunk head. Just consider the harm you can do to yourself,
 your
 shipmates, and our aviators and you will be sure to knock off all
 unnecessary
 transmissions. Even when another boat in your section cannot hear you,
 your
 transmissions may carry to out-of-sight areas where the enemy may be
 listening.
 Transmission security for both radios is greatly enhanced by the use of
 follow-the leader tactics, basic formations, and courses established
 before
 leaving the base, and prearranged rendezvous points and times if the boats
 get separated. When PTs operate in sight of land, special care must be
 taken
 in VHF transmission. The Japs have many monitor stations on land and they
 have
 made many experiments with VHF type of equipment. It is to be expected
 that they
 are aware of our approximate frequencies. Give a Jap station enough
 transmissions
 and a shore battery will be laying a shell in your cockpit. For valuable
 aids in
 operation and on your equipment see MTB Communication Manual, 1944.
 ----------------END EXCERPT ----------------------------------------------

 The above discussion contains this caution about VHF usage:

 "And remember, you are not the only pebble on the beach.  Our planes use
 it
 extensively.  Unnecessary PT transmissions must not clutter up
 communications
 of a vital operating aircraft squadron. You may think the air is clear
 because
 you do not hear any transmissions, but, remember, they may be receiving
 you
 several hundred miles away where they may be making a strike."

 This seems to positively indicate that VHF on PT boats, at least by 1945,
 meant
 something like the AN/ARC-4 (or even a SCR-522/624 variant) in the 140 MHz
 range,
 just as these sets provided similar capability for US submarines.

 In any event, it appears the PT boats had some sort of VHF set in addition
 to the
 TCS.  Were the PTs at the Battle of Suriagao Strait in late October 1944
 equiped
 with the same VHF as PT boats in 1945?  I don't know.  Even if they used
 something
 on the old "talk-between-ships" band of 60 to 80 MHz, was it a a TBS?  I'd
 suspect
 that a MBF would be more likely.  The MBF and (IIRC) TBS needs 115 vac or
 115 vdc.
 Did a PT boat even have 115 volt power?

 As far as this article written by Admiral Holloway goes, I would bet that
 the reported
 radio chatter actually took place on MF/HF, provided by the TCS.  I doubt
 that a PT
 had a TBS (or even MBF) as its VHF set.

 It's frustrating that the many sites dedicated to PT boats seem to
 consider details
 about the radio gear to be uninteresting technicalities.  In that respect
 they are
 just like so many WWII aircraft "restorers" and operators.

 Mike / KK5F

 BTW:  "Naval History" magazine, the source for the article that is being
 discussed, is
 a wonderful magazine.  It is published by the US Naval Institute (the
 professional
 society for US naval officers).
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