Restored TCS Navy Radios
During 2017, two historic TCS radios were completely refurbished and placed in the forward compartment of the N4WIS radio shack. This was accomplished thanks to donations of equipment, time, effort, and expertise on behalf of local and out of-town radio amateurs and other individuals who supported this undertaking, including:
- Dick Foster, W5TA, Round Rock, Texas – donated the transmitter and receiver shown above. Dick also donated RBB and RBC receivers which will be used for a museum-quality display elsewhere on the ship.
- Eldon Meyer, Milwaukee, Wisconsin – donated PP380 TCS power supply.
- Al Hansel, Claremont, Minnesota – donated CWS47205 inductor box.
- Bob Ryan, Chesapeake, Virginia – donated TCS receiver spare part kits.
- Tony Barber, Chesapeake, Virginia – a master machinist who constructed the metal shelf for the TCS station.
- Duane Ettwein, KJ4YKG, Chesapeake, Virginia – sanded and painted the audio junction box and TCS equipment shelf.
- Rue Stuteville, W4RUE, Norfolk, Virginia, and his son, Gerald Stuteville, KA4OXI, Boyd, Texas – for the pickup of the TCS radios and other Navy radio gear and delivery from Texas to Virginia.
- Ed Williams, KN4KL, Virginia Beach, Virginia – for transporting gear, setting up the TCS operating position, servicing the CWS47205 inductor box, and installing hard line and remote tuner.
- Butch Burke, KE4AZL – Virginia Beach, Virginia – for transporting gear and setting up the TCS operating position, including installing hard line and remote tuner.
- Marty Harpen, KK4RF – Suffolk, Virginia – for helping to set up the current TCS operating position.
- Ron Young, W8RJL – Virginia Beach, Virginia, but now San Jose, California – our Club President when this restoration effort began, and who spearheaded and encouraged its completion.
- AND… all Members of the USS Wisconsin Radio Club who donated funds toward the cost of this work or otherwise supported our efforts.
The radios were renovated only after many hours of intensive benchwork by our Club President, Bill, N3WM, Chesapeake, Virginia. After initial examination, the process began with a search for needed replacement parts (not an easy thing to do for 75-year old radios) including capacitors and resistors (and don’t forget tubes). Original components were preserved to the extent practical. Bill tuned and aligned the radios to original specs. This was truly a labor of love by Bill who was a RM2 aboard the USS Wainwright (DLG28) and USS Glennon (DD840) from 1967 to 1971.
Restorer-in-Chief – Bill Mellema, N3WM
The Navy’s TCS models were considered “semi-portable” and were used extensively on reconnaissance, patrol, and landing craft. Their frequency range was 1500 to 12000 kilocycles (kHz) or roughly 200 meters to 25 meters. Transmit power was 25 watts on CW (A1) and 15 watts on AM Phone (A2).
Units were mounted in corrosion-resistant cabinets of steel sheet metal. Our radios are in original factory gray paint. Although there was some paint loss here and there, the radios were in remarkable condition cosmetically – on the outside. Inside was a different story as there were elements that had suffered from the effects of corrosion over the years, thus requiring some replacing and, of course, extensive cleaning.
The radios could be operated in a vertically-stacked configuration or horizontally side-by-side, which was preferred (our units are horizontal). The units could be located on a shelf or bulkhead (ours are on a shelf). Thankfully, we no longer have to worry about the radios being tossed about during typhoons. The Wisconsin is firmly moored in her final berth. Actually, persistent vibration from a ship’s engines was more of an issue for radio gear than the risk of damage when rocking and rolling during storms – not forgetting to mention the shock from the firing of the 16” main guns and the power dips and surges that also took place when a ship is at war.
Transmitter
The transmitter is a Type CWS-F3345, Serial No. 468. It was manufactured for the Navy Department – Bureau of Ships – by the Stewart-Warner Corporation of Chicago, Illinois. The transmitter weighs 43 pounds.
Power requirement are 12 volts at 2.25 amps DC, 220 volts at 0.03 amp DC, and 400 volts at 0.18 amp DC. The power cable near the lower center of the chassis that is shown connecting the transmitter to the power supply is like new – a rarity in itself. The grid sheet is original – never before used. Note the original hanging paper tag “Calibrated 5-16-45”.
Front panel control switches, dials, and meters are:
Power – On-Off toggle switch
Emission – CW – Voice – toggle switch
A – Oscillator selector – bakelite knob with white arrow indicator – 6 positions (MO, MO TEST, CO1, CO2, CO3 and CO4)
B – Band Switch – bakelite knob – 3 positions with white arrow indicator (1.5 to 3 MC, 3-6 MC & 6-12 MC)
C – Tuning – bakelite knob with 0 to 100 range dial , locking screw and lever, white center position indicator screw above dial
D – Coupling – grid tuning potentiometer – bakelite knob with white arrow indicator – 0 to 10 range with locking lever
E – Plate tuning – potentiometer – bakelite knob with white arrow indicator – 0 to 10 range with locking lever
F – Antenna Condition – bakelite 3 position switch with white arrow indicator
G – Antenna Loading – bakelite knob with screw lock – 0 to 50 range dial with top center indicator
H – External Loading Coil (not fully shown, but is sitting on top of the transmitter) – Type CWS-47205 Antenna Loading Coil manufactured for the Navy Department – Bureau of Ships – by the Stewart-Warner Corporation of Chicago, Illinois, utilizing the services of the Collins Radio Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Weston output meter – Milliamperes DC – Range 0 to 200 – with red indicator for Voice at 80-90 MA and CW at 170-180 MA
Weston antenna current meter – Amperes R.F. – range 0 to 3.0
Frequency read-out window (now illuminated) with metal dial indicating four frequency ranges (0, 1, 2, 3)
Other: Power connector, ground lugs, key jack, antenna wire lug, control paper grid reference sheet (unused), rack mount handles.
Receiver
The receiver is a Type CMX-46159, Serial No. 5303. It was manufactured for the Navy Department – Bureau of Ships – by the Magnavox Company, utilizing the services of the Collins Radio Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, under a contract dated November 6, 1942. The receiver weighs 36 pounds.
Power requirement are 12 volts at 1.2 amp DC and 220 volts at 0.09 amp DC. The power cable near the lower left corner of the chassis shown connecting the receiver to the power supply is like new – again, a rarity in itself.
Front panel control switches and dials are:
Power – On-Off toggle switch
Reception – 4-position switch with bakelite knob and white arrow indicator – MOD (modulation for voice audio), MOD-NL (noise limiter in line), CW (for Morse Code) and CW-NL
Frequency read-out window (now illuminated) with metal dial indicating four frequency ranges (0, 1, 2, 3)
Tuning – bakelite knob with 0 to 100 range dial, locking screw, white center position indicator screw above dial
Oscillator selector – bakelite knob with white arrow indicator – 5 positions (MO, CO1, CO2, CO3 and CO4)
Audio power (sound volume) potentiometer – bakelite knob with white arrow indicator – 0 to 9 range
Radio Frequency (R.F.) gain potentiometer – bakelite knob with white arrow indicator – 0 to 10 range
CW pitch potentiometer – bakelite knob with white arrow indicator – range -5 to 0 to +5
Other: Power connector, ground lug, headphone jack, antenna wire lug, knurled front panel locking knobs, paper grid reference sheet (unused) for entering station, frequency, band, and dial position. Note that the receiver has no meters.
These fully functional radios are operated on 30 and 40 meters CW during our onboard events. Special confirmations are provided in addition to our regular QSL card.
