[Milsurplus] Mystery TCS

[Ray Fantini]

Speculation, nothing was in the pipeline. Think the Navy experimented and fielded sets like the URC-8  as a replacement for the TCS family of radios but the basic goodness, reliability and simple design and operation resulted in that set having a value that kept it in service well beyond its original lifespan. Maybe equal to radios like the ARC-3 or ARC-27 that were later designs but worked so well they just kept buying more. Imagine the URC-8 must have cost about ten times as much as a TCS and did have better filters and stability but so what? The TCS being used as just a short-range ship to ship or ship to shore radio was just fine. More speculation, the two things that finally killed the TCS family was the adoption of SSB and the death of HF AM in all maritime communications in the seventies. The role of short-range ship to ship went to SSB or VHF
PS- Don’t know if anyone noticed but something went wrong with my account around the end of last year and I have been away, but too bad! Now I am back.
Ray F/KA3EKH



From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net <milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of B. Smith via Milsurplus
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2025 11:45 AM
To: Milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [Milsurplus] Mystery TCS


I have received many emails advising me that the Mystery Gray TCS is a Depot/Refurbished unit. That is obvious. However we are missing the big question and that is Why? And Where. Where are the refurbished units going?
K4CHE
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