Note 1. Standard Products HF & Marine Equipment 1947 - 1982

Note 2. Includes products badged as Rees-Mace Ltd, which became Pye Marine

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The Dolphin was an HF marine radiotelephone which was introduced in 1948 to meet the need (anticipated by Pye Group Chairman C.O. Stanley) for improved communications between small vessels which would arise after World War II.

The receiver section was a 5 valve superhet covering 530-1600 KHz and 1520 KHz-3800 KHz in two tunable ranges using miniature 1.5 Volt valves. Later models added a third frequency range to the receiver for the reception of navigation signals from the ‘Consol’ system. A vibrator PSU was fitted operating from a 12 Volt DC supply.

The transmitter was a 4 valve, 8 channel, crystal controlled unit covering 1520-3800 KHz using an 807 valve in the PA and was fitted with a rotary transformer PSU (motor-generator) to generate the 450 Volts HT for the transmitter. Various components from the Pye war-time military wireless sets were used in the Dolphin.

The equipment was intended to be used on small boats, yachts and trawlers with a long wire antenna in a ‘T’ or inverted ‘L’ configuration.

The equipment evolved through three different model variants. Early MKI and MKII models (PTC110) used an aluminium guard rail around the front panel to protect the controls (rather like wireless Set No. 62) but later models simply used two large chromium handles. Later models (PTC 797/8 or PM120A) were available for operation on 12 Volts or 24 Volts.

 

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The Pye Marine ‘Consol’ receiver was a general purpose marine receiver covering the frequency ranges 150-348 KHz, 530-1600 KHz and 1520-3800 KHz. It was also equipped for use with the Consol HF long range navigation system which was operational from the mid 1930s to the early 1980s. When switched to the ‘Consol’ position a Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO) was operational to allow the heterodyne notes from the Consol signals to be heard.

The Consol system transmitted on frequencies between 257 and 363 KHz, and like Gee, was classed as a hyperbolic navigation system, since a position line on a map is derived from the difference in arrival time of synchronised transmissions.

Versions of the Pye Consol receiver were available to operate from a 12 volt or 24 Volt DC supply using an internal vibrator power supply. Early production equipment were sold with the Pye Marine badge, but later equipments were sold under the name Pye Telecommunications.

From inspection of three different examples of the Consol receiver and comparison with the original PTC110 Dolphin equipment, it is deduced that the PM121 series equipment is basically the complete receiver section from the lower half of the MKII or MKIII Pye Dolphin, with minor changes to widen the frequency coverage and to add a BFO compared to the MKI Dolphin. See internal top view.

 

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Information to follow

 

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This complete station consisting of an HF receiver, MF and HF transmitters and an AC mains PSU, was the post war replacement for the Collins TCS series in British Admiralty small and medium sized boats.

It was originally designed by Pye Telecom at Ditton Works in 1950, as part of the Managing Director John Stanley’s enthusiasm to break into the marine market. The product was manufactured at Pye Marine, Lowestoft (formerly Reese Mace Marine) and was sold via three different distribution channels to different markets in parallel, hence examples can be found badged as Pye Telecom Ltd, Pye Marine Ltd, or Rees Mace Marine Ltd.

The equipment was also supplied to other NATO allies such as the Netherlands.

 

• Production life:1953 - 1965
• Standard frequency range:MF TX 330 - 550 KHz, HF TX 1.5 - 16 MHz, RX 60 KHz - 30 MHz
• Transmitter RF output:MF TX 15 Watts AM, HF TX 40 Watts AM
• Primary model variants:Separate receiver only, with RX PSU
• Technical manual extract:Pye technical manual and Admiralty BR 2169, to follow

 

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The Pye Swordfish was a series of marine HF transmitter-receivers intended for compulsory installation in Merchant Ships which were subject to the British Post Office Marine regulations.

Information to follow

 

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The PTC986 Mercury was an HF transmitter-receiver intended for land fixed and mobile use in the export markets where long range communication was required. It was a variation of the PM125 Hamble design.

The equipment had a transistorised, tunable receiver and an 8 channel crystal controlled transmitter. The RF power output was 20 Watts AM or CW into 50 Ohms. The internal power supply was also transistorised.

The frequencies covered were 535-1605 KHz, 1.6-3.8 MHz and 3.8-10.0 MHz.

12 Volt and 24 Volt DC powered versions were available.

 

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The PM125 Hamble was a marine HF transmitter-receiver intended for voluntary installation in boats and yachts which were subject to the British Post Office Marine regulations.

The equipment had a transistorised, tunable receiver and an 8 channel crystal controlled transmitter. The RF power output was 20 Watts AM or CW into 50 Ohms. The internal power supply was also transistorised. A rotatable ferrite bar antenna for direction finding was mounted on the top of the cabinet.

The frequencies covered were 150-400 KHz, 535-1605 KHz and 1.6-3.8 MHz. Reception of the Consol navigation system signals were possible with the equipment.

12 Volt and 24 Volt DC powered versions were available.

 

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The Pye Foreland was the receiver section of the Pye Hamble TX/RX but mounted in a separate cabinet. It was fitted with a rotatable ferrite bar DF aerial.

Information to follow

 

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The MRT35 and MRT60 Seaphone equipment were 7 channel, crystal controlled, solid-state marine transmitter/receivers which also contained a tunable receiver for reception of medium wave broadcast frequencies.

The equipment was designed and produced by Pye New Zealand.

The frequency coverage of the TX/RX section was 2.0-2.9 MHz. The transmitter output of the MRT35 was 10 Watts and the MRT60 was 20 Watts (measured into 200pF in series with 10 Ohms).

Copy of brochure to follow

 

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The Pye PTC984 Solent was a transistorised battery-powered HF marine receiver with direction finding facilities and a rotatable ferrite bar DF antenna (calibrated in degrees) mounted on the top of the case.

Examples can be found badged as Pye or as ARC (Aircraft Radio Corporation, Boonton, New Jersey, USA).

More details and photos to follow

 

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The SSB125 was an HF SSB transmitter-receiver for mobile or fixed applications which produced an RF output of 125 Watts peak envelope power (PEP). The equipment was suitable for local operation or remote control using a modified Pye Cambridge control box, microphone and loudspeaker. The equipment could operate on any one of four crystal controlled spot frequencies.

The SSB125 equipment was based on the RCA SSB-5 equipment circuit design and manufactured under license by Pye Telecom in the UK, using Pye designed mechanics. This enabled Pye to supply HF mobile equipment to customers requiring longer range communication than provided by normal VHF or UHF systems.

The original SSB125 was an all-valve equipment whereas the later SSB125T was fitted with a transistorised receiver. See internal top side and underside views of transceiver unit. A separate 12 Volt, 24 Volt or AC mains power supply was used. See internal top side and underside views of the mains PSU for the original SSB125 with valve receiver.

Grateful thanks to John Farnell VK6JGF for sending this equipment "back home" from Australia to join the collection and to Brian Armstrong G3EDD for donating the power supply.

 

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The SSB130 was an HF SSB transmitter-receiver using a hybrid semiconductor and valve design to generate 130 Watts peak envelope power (PEP). It also had AM and CW facilities. The simplex frequency range covered was 2.0 to 15 MHz using upper or lower sideband transmission. The equipment was all-transistorised except for the two power amplifier valves. Crystal controlled operation on spot frequencies was the method of frequency generation and the sets were usually manufactured to operate with 2 channels in each of the 2-4 MHz, 4-8 MHz and 8-15 MHz frequency bands to allow for propagation changes over a 24 hour period.

There were two versions of the equipment; the SSB130M mobile version suitable for local or extension control and the SSB130F fixed station version with front panel metering, full remote control and phone-patch facilities. When operated from 12 or 24 Volts DC, a transistor inverter PSU was fitted into a large recess at the rear of the equipment. For AC mains operation a separate PSU was used. When used in remote control mode a modified Pye Westminster control box, microphone and loudspeaker was used. A tele-radio interface unit was available to allow connection to telephone lines, which be photographed when the unit is next retrieved from storage.

Unlike the SSB125 equipment, the SSB130 was completely designed by engineers in the Fixed Station Laboratory of Pye Telecom in Cambridge.

 

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The SSB170 was a low power HF SSB transmitter-receiver designed for mobile or fixed-mobile applications. Constructed using the mechanics from the MF5 and MF25 Europa family of equipment, it generated an output power of 20 Watts peak envelope power (PEP). The simplex frequency range covered was 2.0 to 15 MHz.

The equipment could operate on 4 crystal controlled channels and was designed for USB operation only. The SSB170 normally operated directly from a vehicle 12 Volt DC battery supply. For operation from 24 Volts, floating earth supplies or AC mains, the standard Europa range PSU accessories were used.

Further information and new photos to follow

 

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The SSB200 and SSB210 were fully solid-state HF SSB transmitter-receivers generating 100 Watt peak envelope power (PEP) over the frequency range 2-15MHz in 5 bands. USB, LSB and CW modes of operation were available plus reception of AM transmissions. The SSB200 model could operate on 4 separate channels and the SSB210 on 11 channels.

The equipment operated from a 12 Volt DC supply provided either by the vehicle battery in mobile installations or a separate AC mains powered 12 Volt supply for fixed station use.

 

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An all solid state synthesised HF SSB mobile transceiver, supplied to Philips as an OEM purchase by the manufacturers SEA Inc of the USA. The equipment is a cosmetic variant of the SEA222 model.

Draft Photo. Further information and new photos to follow

 

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