[MRCA] A URT-23 and a URC-35 walk into a bar...

[Thomas Chirhart]

Not to bore anyone with the story just hit delete. We had Model 28's KSR's three in radio called UGC-6's. A couple of model 20's with keyboards and speed selector switches and model 25 RO's receive only for fleet broadcast. These were the workhorses copying LMAA LMBB LMCC and more broadcasts. We had TTY's up in Combat (radar) and the EW's had them too. A LOT of work for a collateral duty. I would walk around with an oil can hitting the felt washers to keep the main TTY shafts from freezing up. Often the ships vibration would loosen up the bolts and the printer would shift and the nylon drive gear would fail UGH a major pain to replace the gear since you had to remove the shaft full of clutches.. When I heard that gear scream you could hear me swearing all the way back to Mayport FL our home port. My bet is you have a second WRC-1 less the R-1051 but my memory back 40 years has some blanks. I left the Navy,,went home for a few years then became a puddle pirate and joined the Coast Guard and finished out 20. The CG had TTY repair duties assigned to their unique Telephone Technician rate (TT) a mix of Navy IC and RM rates and I had the option of joining as TT-3 or RM-2, chose RM. The equipment was never cold iron (shut down) except when import or during a yard period. Our main fear of equipment failure was when we shifted from shore power to shops service generators.... Talk about dimmed lights but seldom did the gear fail. 
For TTY/Fleet broadcast we used the R-1051's to a UCC-1 to a KWR-37 to a KG-14 to the TTY. If my memory is correct. In my opinion being an RM on actin can gave you the most exposure to the RM rating. I had a buddy from RM-A school on the Saratoga, CV 60?, a bird farm that worked the cat walks dropping antennas and working one of many TX rooms. Boring.....73 guys... Tom K4NCG

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 13, 2014, at 6:57 PM, "W2HX" <w2hx at w2hx.com> wrote:
> 
> Great info, Tom. Thanks very much.  Can you tell me, do you recall what the URT-24 was comprised of? Was it a T-827 plus an AM-3007 or something? I am thinking it was a WRC-1 minus the R-1051. Ca n you confirm or otherwise? I can’t find any information on that transmitter.  
>  
> Which model teletypes did you use? I have two model 28s which WILL be in service with the URT-23. The T-827G I have has a loop input and you can directly select 170 or 850 Hz (cps) shift using a toggle switch on the front panel.
> My TTYs are fully functional including tape operation.  I use them regularly using an internet site that streams news in AFSK. Lots of fun.
>  
> Thanks again, Tom
> 73 Eugene W2HX
>  
> <image001.png>
>  
> From: Tom Chirhart [mailto:k4ncgva at gmail.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 6:02 PM
> To: W2HX
> Cc: mrca at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [MRCA] A URT-23 and a URC-35 walk into a bar...
>  
> I was on the USS Ingram DD-938 in the mid 70's we had the WRC-1 and kept it on Hi-Comm 7X24 set to a clear HF freq that changed based on propagation, high day/low night. We would often get an Exercise White Pinnacle message via fleet broadcast and were timed to see how long it took to reply using our daily changing callsign and authentication table. 
> The WRC-1 served a purpose but the WRT-2 transmitter combined with an associated R-1051 was the primary TX for HF ship-to-shore using KW-7/Orestes. 
> The URT-23 was in Aux Radio aft in the same space as my teletype repair space, also my GQ station, also my ham shack with a Kenwood TS-520 and 4BTV mounted on the aft mast. Lucky for me my skipper was a mustang Commander and former radioman (CDR Samples -SK) he liked to phone patch home and it came in handy for patches between new moms and new dads. The URT-24 was just a 100wTX. 
> The 1051 was great for receiving the fleet broadcast but sucked for CW. We came out of FRAM where the comms suite was upgraded from R-390's to 1051's BUT they left two 390's on top of the MF receiver op position (for listening to AFRS-morale) so I could use the 390 for CW ops which were by then just drills and since we still had to keep the 500kc log the mill was still there along with the CW key and jack for my Vibroplex.
> The WRT-1 MF TX was removed once we were no longer required to monitor 500kc and only keep a log and not required to have an MF TX capability. (If we heard a distress we sent a message with details to NAVCAMS and that was it) The T-1 was removed and a satcom station put in its place. 
> I was selected/directed to go to teletype school, it was a tough school and being a teletype repairman was a collateral duty on this ship and the pro-pay was next to nothing, like sea pay...
> I know I could walk into the radio rooms of a FRAM Forest Sherman class tin can and fire up the gear... My RM1 was a former instructor at RM-A school and was the meanest-toughest sob RM in DESRON-14 but knew his crap, I hated his guts BUT learned more from him than anyone else. We still exchange Xmas cards and he's the old guy, not me... Funny how you remember the names of your toughest school teachers and forget the nice ones.... Hummm
> 73
> Tom K4NCG
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> On Mar 12, 2014, at 10:02 PM, "W2HX" <w2hx at w2hx.com> wrote:
> 
> As the new shack progresses. I continue to move in equipment from storage. This is about 550 lbs of radio. Good thing we installed that huge beam in the garage! Next phase will be to get it all running. No small task.
> Does anyone know what, exactly, a URT-24 is? I see reference to it with regard to the URC-35, but have yet to see a picture or what it consists of?
>  
> <image001.png>
>  
> 73 Eugene W2HX
>  
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