[Milsurplus] Mystery VHF SSB rcvr

[Ray Fantini]

Pure speculations on my part but looking at the receiver wonder if it may have been used with one of the early satellite programs. Possibly something like Courier 1(B) in 1960 or maybe something as old as project Score (1958)? Or maybe something a little later with a linear transponder? Most stuff that I know of from the early day used the segment just below the amateur two meter band in the neighborhood of 134 to 137 MHz with things like the Echo 2 having downlinks at 136.02 and 136.17, there was one satellite that had a transponder that had a uplink just below the 2 meter band and a downlink that was around 148 or 149 but cannot remember what that was. It was not anything like Relay or Syncom being that they were wide band transponders but some of the very early stuff had things that operated in that segment. Today there are still APT weather satellite downlinks in the 136 to 138 MHz along with Orbcomm and other uses. I know that there was a 1 kW 142 or 143 MHz FM transmitter that was in use until the end of the Mir space station at Wallops as a backup communications for that project. 143.625 is still listed as an active frequency for the ISS, but think that's only used in Russia. No longer being involved with anything out there do not know if they have a system set up for that but would imagine they do.
Getting back to that receiver being sideband cannot see it being used for anything like sonobuoy being they were all wide band and FM, any telemetry functions would require multiple outputs and who would use SSB for telemetry? And would think if it were used for point to point link it would be rack mounted and have 600 ohm balanced outputs.

Ray F

-----Original Message-----
From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Nick England
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2012 7:59 PM
To: Boatanchors-qth; Military Surplus Mail List
Subject: [Milsurplus] Mystery VHF SSB rcvr

Seen at Shelby hamfest - Mystery VHF SSB rcvr http://www.navy-radio.com/puzzlers.htm#2m

It is set up for 144.7mc SSB - but construction doesn't look like any ham thing you ever saw.
The case reminds me of a Stoddard field strength meter.
Not milsurplus, but maybe spooksurplus?
Any guesses?