[TMC] Mystery of the SBE-6 solved

[Duncan Brown]

A few years ago the AWA Museum received from the New York State 
Emergency Management Office, a very nice TMC station consisting of a 
SBT-1K(V) TX and a console with a GPR-92, FRR. MSR-4, TIS-3, patch 
panels, etc.

The exciter unit of the SBT-1K(V) was a "SBE-6".  I could not find any 
information on an "SBE-6" and no one on the list had ever heard of one.  
It seemed to be similar to the SBE-9 (same filters).  It was not 
identical to the SBE-9 in the manual (but having spent 30 years in the 
communications industry, I know tlhat it can be very difficult to keep a 
manual up to date with present production), but close enough to get the 
SBE-6 tuned up and operating.  In discussing the identity of this 
"SBE-6" unit, we joked that maybe whoever stamped the model number got 
the "9" stamp upside down.


Well, the "SBE-6" is real!

In looking over all the additions to John Poulton's TMC site, I found a 
systems manual for the SBT-1K(V) - IN-295A; 15 June 1964 - and the SBE-6 
is listed in there as the standard SBE for that configuration. As part 
of this manual was a  page "Addendum #1 to SBE-8, -9, -10 Technical 
Manual (IN-2008A)" [no date] that says "SBE-6 is superceded by and 
directly replaced by Models SBE-8, -9, and -10"

The SBE-6 was apparently an interim version between the SBE-3 and SBE-9. 
In the "Specifications" section of John's TMC site, I found "S828, Rev 
A, 8-17-64; SBE-6 Test Procedure" and  "S977, Rev A, 1/19/66; SBE-3 to 
SBE-6 Conversion."  The issue date of the SBE-8, -9, -10 manual 
(IN-2008A) is 31 August 1966, so the SBE-6 may only be made for a couple 
of years.

Thanks, John for scanning all of this TMC material and making it 
available to everyone.

Have fun,

Duncan
K2OEQ