Jeff,
What tape relay equipment do you have on
the ship?
Duncan
Sent from my Kleinschmidt TT-4/TG, the US
Army's first portable digital communications device,
1950-1980
-------- Original message --------
Date: 1/14/26 23:23 (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] AN/TGC-1A - first
torn-tape relay system - Lives!
Wow...now I gotta get the one at the ship
Going to relaying from Nick to AWA.
Jeff
Probably the only remaining
AN/TGC-1, Torn-Tape Relay Set, designed in WWII,
just arrived at the AWA Museum today.
<AN TGC-1 Tape Relay Pentagon 1950
lightened.png>
<ANTGC-1A arrives at AWA Museum.jpg>
This was the first unit designed for
store-and-forward relaying of teletypewriter
messages. It was designed in 1943 by the Postal
Telegraph Co. and then continued by Western Union
(after they merged with Postal Telegraph). It
consisted of two M14 typing reperforators and a
3-headed tape reader. It was initially known as
"Package Unit SC-1A" when Western Union put them
into production in 1944. Soon after, using the new
Army-Navy naming system, its designator was changed
to AN/TGC-1. They were used extensively by the US
Army & Navy during WWII, along with other
government agencies and WU up until about 1960.
Before this equipment was available, all
teletypewriter message relaying (like with the
telegraph) was done by hand. An
operator would receive a printed copy an incoming
message from one circuit, and then would have to
hand type the message onto another circuit. With
the AN/TGC-1, a message would be received on
perforated tape. An operator would tear off the tape
from the reperf, read the address and take it to the
proper tape reader on another circuit to send it on
its way. Thus "Torn-Tape Relay".
This unit is labeled as an AN/TGC-1A", but there are
labels for six MWOs (Modification Work Orders) on
the cabinet and I assume that the unit has been upgraded to a
"TGC-1B" or even a "TGC-1C".
It looks like it may never have been put in service,
but it has been knocking around for at least 60
years and there is some wear. Also it is missing its
"Signal Indicator Panel" and the tape bin, but
hopefully I can resurrect them and get it
operational.
More to come. 73,
Duncan Brown, K2OEQ
USASA 31J30
Antique Wireless Association
Communication Technologies Museum
Asst. Curator, Commercial Equipment
(also chief TTY op & repairman)
i-Telex: 212503
www.antiquewireless.org
Virtual AWA Museum TTY Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpB6jM90VV8
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