[GreenKeys] Visit to USS Iowa

[Nick England]

Just to be clear - ships and shore facilities of this era had the following -
low-level TTY signaling (+/- 6v) - routed via patch panels
high-level TTY signaling (60ma or 30ma loop) - routed via patch panels
rcvr and xmtr audio (600 ohm balanced line) - routed via switchboards

More than you probably wanted to know follows...and I've got still
more info if you're as nutty about this stuff as I am. And I apologize
in advance for anything I got wrong. All corrections cheerfully
welcomed....

LOW-LEVEL TTY signaling was used on the RED (classified - unencrypted)
circuits. A patch panel (jacks and plugs) was used to connect TTY
machines to crypto gear. The standard SB-3189/FGC patch panel had
3-conductor plugs/jacks, with signals on ring/tip and shield on
sleeve. Photo at http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/bb61/DSC02161.JPG

Note  - I believe newer installations also used low-level TTY
signaling on the black circuits as well.

HIGH-LEVEL TTY signaling (60 ma loop) was used on the BLACK
(unclassified-encrypted) circuits with patch panels to connect crypto
gear to radio gear (like the CV-3510 keyer or UCC-1 tone pack
multiplexer). The SB-4034/UG patch panel had 2-conductor plugs/jacks,
with signals on tip/sleeve. Photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/bb61/DSC02126.JPG
Note - The earlier SB-1203/UG black patch panels also had 2-conductor
plugs/jacks, using tip/sleeve. Photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/cv41-2/DSCN0159.JPG

Note - Older installations also used high-level TTY signaling (60 ma
loop) on the red circuits with patch panels having 2-conductor
plugs/jacks, using tip/sleeve only. SB-1210/UGQ was a common red
high-level patch panel. Photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/cv41-2/DSCN0140.JPG

AUDIO - these were almost always switchboards instead of patch panels
(there were audio patch panels at shore stations, but I've only rarely
seen them shipboard in post-WW2 installations).
The RECEIVER audio switches allowed any Receiver audio to go to any
Remote (speaker, amp, RTTY converter, handset jack, etc.). 1980's
installations used SB-2727/SR switchboards- photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/bb61/DSC02073.JPG
Earlier receive audio switchboards were SB-82/SR units - photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/dd661/DSCN0065.JPG
Still earlier (WW2-era), receiver audio was routed using patch panels.
See the right-hand side of photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/bb55/patch-085.JPG

The TRANSMITTER audio switches were actually transmit transfer switch
panels, switching both audio and control (keying) at the same time.
SB-863/SRT was a common transmitter transfer switchboard.
Photo at http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/bb61/DSC02058.JPG
Earlier transmitter transfer switchboards were SB-83/SRT. Photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/ships/dd661/DSCN0064.JPG
In  WW2-era installations, 11-line radiophone patch panels were used
to patch xmtr audio plus control signals. Photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/xmtrs/control/bb55-xmt-ctl-02.JPG - and
5-line patch panels were used for CW keying and control only. Photo at
http://www.navy-radio.com/xmtrs/control/bb55-xmt-ctl-03.JPG

Advanced students may wish to browse:
Low-Level (TTY) Technical Control Equipment NAVSHIPS 0967-391-6010
http://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/tty_ctl-391-6010.pdf
and
Naval Shore Electronics Criteria: Naval Communications Station Design
- NAVELEX 0101,102
http://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/shore-commsta.htm

Cheers,
Nick K4NYW
www.navy-radio.com

On Fri, Aug 2, 2013 at 2:01 AM,  <w8au at sssnet.com> wrote:
> At 05:11 PM 8/1/2013, Jeffrey D Angus wrote:
>>
>> So, looking at the patch panels. I have to ask.
>>
>> Is the signal pair tip and ring with the sleeve grounded?
>
>
> Nick might be speaking about the "cross-bar" patch panels...no plugs - all
> hardwired. (?)
>
> Perry   w8au
>