# Radio Rooms GTZM



## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Two Mimco radio rooms from different eras. Call signs anyone?


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

Looks like same era - just that one is in 'full blues' the other in 'tropical whites'. Same haircut too.

(Thumb)


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## jimg0nxx (Sep 1, 2005)

To me, looks like the one in blues is wearing the original braid, and the one in whites may be wearing the new straight/green braid.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

I think if you look closely the transmitters and receivers are completely different models.


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## John Leary (Mar 30, 2005)

R651400

Ships call sign list for 1963 gives the Aureol call sign as GMGJ. No Ikega Palm at that time only Ikeja Palm GHMJ. Hope that helps at least in part.
Regards
John


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## Quiney (Oct 2, 2008)

Two different ships....

One has the reserve tx next to the main, with only one rx.
The other only has the main tx visible but has two rx next to each other.


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## gwzm (Nov 7, 2005)

The early station has an Oceanspan MkI (L/C tuned VFO with knob and counter), Reliance Emergency TX, along with Electra and Mercury receivers. The later station has a late model Oceanspan (MkVII?) and an Atalanta receiver.

happy days,

gwzm


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

As gwzm says Aureol's equipment was the same as I had on the 1953 Adrastus/GQZN and the 1961 Ikeja Palm (apols for the typo) a much later vintage and looks to have some impressive PA equipment as well. 
JL thanks for the call-signs.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

gwzm said:


> The early station has an Oceanspan MkI (L/C tuned VFO with knob and counter), Reliance Emergency TX, along with Electra and Mercury receivers. T


The ship is the "Aureol" and the R/O is George Cockburn. The "Aureol" is gone but George is still with us and can be seen, on the last Friday of every month, on display in the "Ivory Peg" in Chelmsford town centre.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

I drew the screen shots from youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CAMGoUpfLs


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Malcolm,

the first one is the Aureol as used on Youtube. She had been refitted when I sailed on her and my mind seems to think we had a Commander. Possibly to early for a Conqueror. 
There was also a Reliant with RT. Also think there was an Oceanspan but that maybe memory problems. It is 44 years ago.
Callsign GMGJ.
I am sure Ron will tell us.

Neville/Hawkey01


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Sorry can't help but Stan McNally or one of the other members of his Liverpool reunion group might be able to come up with the answer. 

Don't believe that there ever was a version of the Reliance that had R/T but the Oceanspan VIIE was a reserve transmitter that provided MF/HF W/T and R/T on the MF 1.6-3.8 MHz (IF we called it then) band. Not a lot of difference in the appearance to a casual onlooker (or one peering through the murky windows of memory).

Probably "Commander" or "Commandant" would have been used for a refit - the run that she was on would not have justified the extra expense of a "Conqueror". But the refit would have been done on the Mersey so Stan is your man.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Neville/Ron yr postings read like the years have taking their toll. The transmitter in question was the Mimco Reliance. 
I took the first practical PMG ever on this innocuous but high performing emergency transmitter which I preferred on MF to the Oceanspan MKVI. 
Completely 807 valved I can see it in a radio-telephony role but only with a fair bit of re-engineering on the R/T band coverage side.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Not the memory failing this time, just the association of ideas. I was writing Reliance but thinking Commandant and finished up with a hybrid. I too took my PMG with the "Reliance" as the emergency transmitter and sailed with it on several ships, never ever having a problem with it. As you say, it was better than the "Oceanspan" on MF and it didn't need all those silly vibrator power supplies.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

The Oceanspan VI and Reliance on Adrastus if my memory hasn't failed were powered by rotary transformers. 
Not sure if this was uniquely Blue Funnel as they also powered their Redifon installations exactly the same way including the R50M receiver which meant you had a constant 600-1000 rpm motor whine in the radio room throughout the entire watch period.


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## King Ratt (Aug 23, 2005)

Did my PMG at Leith on Reliance and Oceanspan VI. Then BoT Radar on Radiolocator Mk IV. Joined my first ship and it was equipped with this gear. Made for an easy life and kept in the boss's good books as he had no radar ticket. The Reliance (Emergency TX ) was powered by a rotary converter. Oceanspan was used to drive a PA and the combination was known as Worldspan.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

King Ratt said:


> Did my PMG at Leith on Reliance and Oceanspan VI.


I was at LNC in 1955 when they were installed just shortly before the exam but that's another story!! 
Pre MKVI Oceanspans and Reliance were powered by dc to dc rotary transformers.
Oceanspan 24/110/220 Vdc input to 600Vdc output and Reliance 24Vdc to 600Vdc. 
The Oceanspan MKVI at LNC I recall was a table top model powered by an AC PSU.
There was also a MKVII Oceanspan which I understand included the R/T band..


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## King Ratt (Aug 23, 2005)

For RS651400. I stand corrected. It was an Oceanspan Mk VII when I was at LNC. Same Tx was on my first ship and it did have R/T. It could be operated separate from the Worldspan PA. 
No doubt you would have had Mr Bogie and Fred Boettcher for instructors.


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Malcolm,

yes I did make a mistake and I changed it after I reread the post. However Ron had not picked me up on it so thought I was right the first time so changed it back. I also took my PMG on said Tx's.
Sorry Ron - I have to blame someone, its a Government trick its always someone else's fault!

Neville/Hawkey01


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

With regard to Oceanspan and power supplies, the vibrator power packs that sat in the bottom of early marks of Oceanspan were used to supply the associated receivers. In my time at sea that was CR300 and (I believe) Mercury/Electra. The plug-in vibrators in the power packs had a habit of welding their contacts together and failing, usually at some critical moment when copying a traffic list or handling traffic.

Some time in the 1960's an a.c. power unit was created for use with the Oceanspan VII on refit jobs, where the Oceanspan I or II was being replaced. Since the O'span VII was designed for desk mounting, there was not enough room inside it to take the vibrator power packs. So a steel box, about 30-inch cube, was supplied on which the O'span was mounted to bring it to the correct height for use. Then the vibrator power packs were transferred from the old transmitter and into the box. Loads of space in there.

Regrettably this box was not constructed like an O'span with demountable side and rear panels, instead the sides, back, top and bottom were all welded to form something that resembled a safe, with a front-opening door. Trying to get this through the accommodation doors and into the radio room was a nightmare on any ship, let alone older designs (the ones that were getting the refits) where 21-inch wide doors were the norm. I think that is the worst cock-up that I remember from my time working ashore.

I once spent over a week in a Tyneside shipyard, trying to get all the various tradesmen (deemed necessary by the yard to remove doors and door-frames, cut out steelwork to widen the doorways enough to pass the box through, carry in the box, install a wooden mounting pad, mount the box, weld in plates to close the holes again, paint those plates and then to replace the doors and door-frames) to attend the ship in the correct sequence and allow me (eventually) to install and connect up all the equipment. 

I needed only a couple of hours to complete my work of fitting the O'span VII but the entire thing was a marathon. I think that it involved over 20 different men, from 5 or 6 trades. Can't think why shipbuilding moved to Japan and Korea.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Did they manage to stiff you with staging as well, Ron?

Got arrested in DD at TDE for (amongst other things) wrong frequency of hooter. Mast just destaged after painting - had to be restaged again just for the new typhon a similar job I was expected to do alone off the foremast ladder (not quite alone - Chief Eng John Benn shouting encouragement from the deck).


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

The Leith Nautical College installation on my joining was the Oceanspan MkI with two rotary transfomers for the ht one for the dc ships mains input (DC courtesy Edinburgh Tram Corp) and the other for the 24v battery emergency supply.
The CR300 receiver, Type M auto alarm and Lodestone DF receiver supplies were vibrator packs built into the Oceanspan cabinet. 
In my limited experience and for it's time I rate this as one of the finest MF/HF marine transmitters ever made.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Thanks very much for the youtube link.

Wonderful.

I joined my first ship in 1980...at the end of the British MN.

It must have been fantastic to have so many ships to choose from in the 60s...


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## YORKYSPARX (Mar 31, 2006)

The Reliance had the 600 volt line fed via simple plug and socket. One RO was killed by the 600 volt as he bent over to clean the motor commutater. When I joined the sister ship in late 59 was given a talk regarding cleaning commutators on the 600 volt Reliance motor, and that it was totally verboten so to do. 
Obviously did not attempt to do this.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

YORKYSPARX said:


> The Reliance had the 600 volt line fed via simple plug and socket.


The line had to be disconnected to withdraw the transmitter for maintenance (the unit was hinged at the bottom and swung forwards and down to withdraw). Clearly this was not something to be done whilst the unit was powered up.

At Brooks Bar, we were being given instruction during preparation for 2nd Class PMG (in what we called "the gear room") on the Reliance transmitter by the owner of the college, Mr Woods. Woody was a somewhat thespian character, fond of bow ties and suits with silk handkerchiefs flowing from the breast pocket. He was also fond of theatrical gestures to emphasise points during lectures - well during any conversation, actually. 

He had run up the Reliance with the front cover removed and was standing in front of it, slightly to one side. While stressing the danger of the HT supply, without looking he waved his arm to the side to point to the hazard. Unfortunately for him, he was closer to it than he thought and his hand came into contact with it.

The results were spectacular and just like a Tom and Jerry cartoon as he was propelled backwards across the room, still in an upright position, until he hit the wall with a thud. He stayed there for a fraction of a second and then his feet slid forwards and his body slid slowly down the wall until his buttocks reached the floor.

The whole class was overtaken by fits of laughter and I confess that nobody moved to help him for several seconds. He came round after a minute or so and took the rest of the day off. We went to the pub as it was after 11 o'clock and they were open!

It certainly demonstrated the dangers of carelessness when working on the Reliance but after all this time I believe he went over the top to get his message across.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

YORKYSPARX said:


> One RO was killed by the 600 volt as he bent over to clean the motor commutater.


Would this mean the rotary transformer was actually running as he was about to clean the commutator? 
I remember the Reliance power switch slot was especially shaped so that the front panel could not be removed with power to on but cannot remember if the rotary transformer was integral or external. I think the latter.


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## YORKYSPARX (Mar 31, 2006)

I think the ship the RO was electrocuted on was the Border Regiment. I think he was cleaning the commutators with a commutator cleaning rod. It was hot wx and as far as I was told as he reached into the unit his chest came into contact with with the plug/ socket 600v line. The mates tried the resusitation procedure but after a while had to give up. Was warned about this by GTZM techs and the superintendent of Commons.
Very sad story, I understand that he was not very old.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Yes it is very sad and I have to admit this is the first instance I've ever heard of a R/O fatality like this.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

We lost an R/O in Australia in a similar situation - he was working on a ships telephone exchange and went across the a/c mains...


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## YORKYSPARX (Mar 31, 2006)

I had a 600v shock via the isolating transformer of an O'span being open circuit, the 600v was on the aerial, and as the tx kept tripping went onto the monkey island, grabbed the wire and was flung across the island. Not a good experience.
Since that time, was very wary of touching aerials with the ac on.
The Regiment was the only loss of life I was aware of, it just shows how lucky we all were sorting out eht problems etc!


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## YORKYSPARX (Mar 31, 2006)

Sorry just noticed erase open, substitute short circuit. Senior moment!


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Troppo said:


> We lost an R/O in Australia in a similar situation - he was working on a ships telephone exchange and went across the a/c mains...


Never heard that one Troppo, are you able to name names?

JohnT


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

YORKYSPARX said:


> Sorry just noticed erase open, substitute short circuit. Senior moment!


Now I know why they call you "Yorkysparx", Yorkysparx.

On "Anna von Bargen" the Debeg Main Transmitter wouldn't tune. I switched it off and pulled out the heavy PA and Aerial tuning unit. The PA section was connected to the aerial by a length of wire and a jack plug and the jackplug had fallen out. I reached across the valves to get hold of the plug and .... Zappo! I saw sparks flying between the valve anodes and my arm! I leapt back and the unit, which I 'd been supporting with my chest, came out and hit the deck, missing my big toe by a whisker and digging a slice an inch deep in the 
composition deck. Talk about a comedy of errors! Hearing the commotion and squeals, the Mate came off the bridge into the wireless room. Surveying the situation, he pointed to a sign on the power unit of the transmitter and carefully enunciated in German: "Hoch Spannung!" "F*** Off", I replied in carefully enunciated Anglo Saxon.

I've still got the scars on my forearm if I get a tan, but, luckily, Ive still got my big toe too.

John T

PS There was a lot to be said for those Z connectors at the back of Oceanspans - they could be a nuisance, but they disconnected everything!


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## les.edgecumbe (Dec 24, 2007)

.

I've still got the scars on my forearm if I get a tan, but, luckily, Ive still got my big toe too.

John T

Very simialr experience on "La Loma"/GPEF. Crusader top drawer out and the only way to measure with AVo from it's right side was to sit on the MIMCo console, by pass the micro switch (yes I know!!!), and get stuck into the drawer. Left shoulder made contact with the EHT, burning a hole in arm, and exited through left buttock to ground via the steel of the console edging, leaving yet another hole. Meantime I was unconcious butTrainee R/O Brian Garrigan gave me a hefty kick to clear me from the volts as I was about to go in for another dose. Still have the scars at either end from 20 years ago. Could I be the only R/O with 2 stern tubes??(Cloud)(Cloud). Replies in pencil on used £10 notes please.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

trotterdotpom said:


> Never heard that one Troppo, are you able to name names?
> 
> JohnT



David, can't remember surname, Iron York or Arnham (the little ones..)


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Thanks Troppo. I was on the York, must havebeen after my time.

John


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

I visited the York once....it was moving around even when alongside......no thanks!


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Apart from the roly poly, it really was all beer and skittles ... A great little number.

John T


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## pippin (May 13, 2008)

Talking of shocks:
My last ship was the Shell tanker DORCASIA/GSZE. 
Off the wheelhouse was a small cabin containing all sorts of gear including the gyro compass and the radar gubbins. 
On the bench was a weird looking thing which resembled a fencer's (swordsman's) metal gauze face protector. 
I knew not what it was until much later.

One afternoon ploughing across the Indian Ocean the radar display failed. 
I remember it had double doors on the cabinet housing the PPI CRT & etc.
I was crouched down on the deck trying to measure some innocuous voltages when my forehead touched the anode top caps of the modulator (or summat) valves.

What followed was worthy of a Brian Rix farce.

According to the OOW who was in the chart room I gave out a load groan and when he looked, there was I slumped unconscious on the deck, white as a sheet. 
After a quick check to make sure I was not still touching the radar he returned to the chart room to telephone the OM.

While he was doing that I came to but was obviously away with the fairies and not thinking straight. 
I staggered unobserved out to the wing of the bridge and made my way down two decks of exterior companionway to my cabin.

Meanwhile, the 2nd Mate, having called the OM, came back into the wheelhouse - no Sparks to be seen.
Panic! Where was I? Had I jumped over the wall?

The OM arrived and sent the 2nd Mate out onto the bridge wing to look and then down the same exterior companionway to try and find me.

By this time I had recovered somewhat and decided I had better return to the bridge - which I did via the interior companionway, two decks up. 

The 2nd Mate looked in my cabin - no Sparks, further panic.

When I arrived back on the bridge - still as white as a sheet apparently - the OM was mightily relieved, 
as was the poor old 2nd Mate when he got there!

Suffice to say that there was an entry in the ship's log that in Lat/Long the R/O received a near-fatal electric shock and was relieved of his duties for the rest of the day.

I had a nasty burn on my forehead and my left thumb was numb as the return path to the metalwork.

It then dawned on me the purpose of the epée face guard. 
A previous R/O had removed the protective guard and failed to re-install it after servicing the display unit.

Obviously I lived to tell the tale.


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