Shipboard Installations

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TMC was involved with marine communications from a fairly early point in its existence as an important supplier of equipment to the Navy.  In the late 60's, when Navy orders began to dry up, the company attempted to develop a significant business in marine communications, though with only modest success.

This gallery is a collection of photos of miscellaneous shipboard communications system.  As ever, if you can shed any light on the equipment, vessels, and people in these photos, please let me know.

SS Independence

The following three photos were taken aboard the SS Independence, a beautiful ocean liner built in 1951 for American Export Lines.  I believe all of these photos were taken at the same time in 1968, evidently for a "Governor's Conference".  The equipment must have been fairly recently installed, because it includes one, possibly two, GPT-2.5KJ transmitters and what appears to be a DDR-5 receiver.

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Un-numbered. "Gov's Conference, SS Independence, 1968." Un-numbered. "Gov's Conference, SS Independence, 1968." This photo has quite a bit of info written on the back:  It's stamped "Trans-Ocean Photos, American Export Isbrandtsen Lines".  There is a notation "Gov. Am. Samoa, NN-5" and "Gov. Owen S. Aspinall"

Trumpy Yacht

Trumpy is a maker of very fine yachts--basically playthings for the incredibly rich.  Evidently TMC built some custom communications gear for the company, as shown in the following photos:

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672.10-4.  "Trumpy Yacht receiver" 672.14-1

This system is not just a receiver.  In addition to a GPR-92, there is also a TTR-10 transceiver (lower center), and an SMR-1multi-channel receiver  (upper center).  This unit could serve as a complete communications system apart from a high-power amplifier.

Mystery Ship 1

The photos below were clearly all taken aboard the same vessel, but I have no information about what vessel that is.

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N6639-10.  Transmitter (German?) in tall skinny rack with ATS-2 mounted above. R666.6-4.  B/W image of roughly the same area as photo to left, but with console more clearly visible through door. R666.6-8.  Closeup of ATS-2. N6639-7.  Console in next room.  Interesting mix of equipment, including a TMC SBE & TIS-3, an Eddystone receiver, couple of Collins S-line rigs, and some (German?) equipment.

Mystery Ship 2

This shot shows part of a radio room aboard an unknown ship.  It includes an FFR along with its "filament-warmer" friend.  Back of photo says "Copy Print, MSTS Installation".

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Mystery Ship 3

I have no information about this photo apart from its number:  R679.20-1.  A bit of research in my own archives would probably reveal what this is:  a group of 4 GPR-90RX's, 4 AFC's, and 4 SBS's,

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