# UK made Marine Receiver with digital display (7-segment filament)



## Ancient-Mariner (Mar 30, 2009)

For the last few days I have been racking my brains trying to remember the manufacturer's name for a UK manufactured marine receiver which had a digital didplay using 7-segment filament didplays.

Not a mainstream player such as ITT, Marconi, Redifon, etc; but a small company.

The construction was solid with a complete cast alloy chassis, the stability was not so good though.

Cunard's Radio & Electronic Services had fitted them and I sailed with them on:- Mahout, Port Alfred, Port Caroline & Markhor. I remember hearing a discussion as to whether they were type approved or not and also remember joining one ship (Port Alfred) where the manufacturer's engineer who was replacing a module/pcb may have been either the designer or company CEO.

The size of the receiver was 19-inch rack width and about 6/7 inches high.

General coverage and depending upon version, a small potentiometer mechanically coupled to one of the two tuning controls.

Any one else seen similar and can perhaps remember the name?

Thanks.

Cheers!

Clive


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Racal?


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## Victor India Papa (Feb 4, 2011)

*Was it the RACAL RA 1772 ?*

Was it the RACAL RA 1772 ?


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## Ancient-Mariner (Mar 30, 2009)

It certainly wasn't a Racal; although the colour of the front panel was similar to that of Racal's RA17.

Apparently Cunard bought these receivers because they were cheap and met the spec. The one I sailed with on Port Alfred was fine, but the specimen on the Markhor left a little to be desired on 16 MHz if I remember correctly....


During this evening, the name Mentor has come to mind. Unfortunately, there is a US company called Mentor which is the aviation communication business which is throwing my Googling awry.

Cheers!

Clive


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## Ancient-Mariner (Mar 30, 2009)

7-Segment filament displays were around in the 1970's. Each of the seven segments was a rather delcate lamp filament. The main issue with them being that an individual segment/filament would rupture in the same manner as a light bulb. So if/when you lost a segment or two, reading the display was fun. (Could often be resolved by slow tuning.)

See 'Minitron' here:- http://www.decadecounter.com/vta/tubepage.php?item=17

The receivers manufacturer was, if I remember correctly, a small campany. The quality of construction, with the cast alloy chassis was good. (note I say cast alloy, it looked sand cast, rather than diecast).

It is quite likely that this receiver only appeared on Cunard Brocklebank ships where the existing radio station was updated when the requirements changed.

The name could be Mentor, but really needs another R/O who was on those ships late 70's.

Cheers!

Clive


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

"Cunard bought these receivers because they were cheap"

Sounds about right.


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## Ancient-Mariner (Mar 30, 2009)

No, definitely UK made.

I remember thinking at the time that the construction had a look of being built simply and at low cost - despite what must have been an expensive chassis. It had a look of having been built from components contained within the then (1976) RS Catalogue. (That's Radio Spares the old London based company, not Tandy Radio Shack!) Frequency stabilisation was achieved using the "huff and puff technique" Google huff & puff vfo stabiliser for info.

It certainly was not a re-badged receiver from elsewhere.

Cheers!

Clive


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

What about Pye equipment, although my background is Engineering as an RNR Boarding Officer during Exercises (pre mobile phone) the R.N. issued us with a number of make's of communication equipment to try out over the year's which is why I suggested Racal which was one of them along with Pye and then Foreigner's like Icom after we had tested the Clansman Radio's. In a number of case's equipment had been developed for the Military before being released on to the civilian market. At one time the "Clansman" system was down as Secret now you can buy them on a number of Site's although I am not quite sure which if any licence you need.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Thrane & Thrane comes to mind, but was that UK ?

David
+


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

david.hopcroft said:


> Thrane & Thrane comes to mind, but was that UK ?
> 
> David
> +


Thrane & Thrane are Danish and did not manufacture that receiver. I do remember it but not in any detail and I can't for the life of me recall the manufacturer. Time flies but the memory doesn't keep up.


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

Sounds like a "Sparkie Mullarkey" special.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I thought it was a T & T rx used for Oil Rig services at GKZ, but memory serves me wrong. It would appear to have been this Racal RA919, which appears to have the segment dials, but why only three ?? The trial was an effort to overcome the severe QRN on 3624khz during the evenings.

David
+


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## G4UMW (May 30, 2007)

The larger tuning knobs appear to be labelled (l-r) SET MHz, SET 100kHz, TUNE kHz. The smaller knobs, top left of the tow left-hand modules appear to be labelled RF TRIM.


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## znord737 (May 1, 2006)

*UK Manufactured Digital Rx*



G4UMW said:


> The larger tuning knobs appear to be labelled (l-r) SET MHz, SET 100kHz, TUNE kHz. The smaller knobs, top left of the tow left-hand modules appear to be labelled RF TRIM.


This could be a long shot, but there was a Company located in Ascot which manufactured General Coverage Digital Receivers. From all accounts they performed well and were successfully sold in fairly high numbers Worldwide .

Unless I am mistaken I believe the MD was a chap called Reg Laws (Whom I believe, worked for Racal Comms at one stage of his career).

For the life of me I cannot remember the Brand Name I should do as I can recall putting togerther a Systems Offer using these Receivers, was it Vigilent Communications? 

Am sure someone out there will remember Reg Laws as he was well known in the Comms Industry about the 50/ to 70/s

Znord737


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Could be Vigilant znord.

As I said earlier there were various RX trials at GKZ for use on the ISB Oil Rig RT service. I seem to remember someone coming with the Receiver, who, when talking about travelling to work said he only had to go to his back garden shed. 

David
+


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## G4UMW (May 30, 2007)

Not quite as described but..

http://www.radiopics.com/Marine%20Receivers/Vigilant_%20SR500.htm


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## Peterhr (Mar 6, 2007)

*Mentor Receiver*

It was a Mentor Receiver. I sailed with one on the mv Port Launceston in 1976.

It was along time ago but I remember not liking this receiver perhaps the layout and stiffness of the controls or just a lack of sensitivity or both. I seem to remember it having being bought for cost saving reasons. 

My first ship was Mahout in 1974 and it hadn't been installed on that ship then (see my gallery for photo of that) so was probably introduced around 1975/76.

I am attaching a photo which shows the name "Mentor" on the top right of the receiver.


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## 5TT (May 3, 2008)

Thankyou Peterhr, Google will be relieved !!

Very interesting, I wonder if any examples still exist?

= Adrian +


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## Ancient-Mariner (Mar 30, 2009)

Thanks Peter for your email and PM. An email nreply on its way.

Yes, 5TT Google will be getting a slight rest, although I have now had the name confirmed Google may be getting more hammer...

73's

Clive


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