AUTHENTIC NAVY ALARM SOUNDS PAGE - THE TECHNICAL SECTION

Revised 1/24/2019

So, you wanted to learn MORE about Navy Alarm Sounds and how they're made. Welcome!

• This section of the Navy Alarm Sounds pages is for additional technical detail, movie files, etc. that will provide some educational information about how the sounds are generated, the background of the sounds, maybe some scanned documents if I get frisky. I didn't want to clog up the main page with all of this additional detail, so I thought it deserved its own section.

• I don't have a definite timeline for completion of this section. I'm just going to start adding content to it as I have available time. I have a lot of reference material, unfortunately a lot of it is in heavy, bound manuals which are an absolute pain to take apart. Also, they're rather fragile as some are over 75 years old (the WW2 equipment manuals for example).

• One of the projects that I've recently undertaken is the activation/restoration of a World War 2 Navy alarm signal generator. After about 5 years of hard work, in 2016 I purchased a WW2 Operadio signal generator, type NB-1340 that I was recently able to obtain the tech manual on (Thanks to Ed Z from the USS Slater crew!), so I can now commence with the restoration on this piece. Manuals on Operadio stuff are EXTREMELY hard to come by these days, it seems the RCA 1MC equipment was much more utilized then the Operadio. This particular signal generator was installed on USN destroyers older then the Fletcher class. My signal generator is dated 1944 and is actually in very good cosmetic condition, I have a feeling it was a never-used spare actually. Ships carried (and still do to this day!) complete component and assembly replacements for fixing battle damage or critical equipment that becomes non-operational. We'll get into the innards of this unit a bit later. Unfortunately 75-year old electronics tend to have components shift value, which will completely throw off the operation of the unit. I'll have to check to make sure all the resistors and capacitors still are in their original range before I apply power to the beastie, if not they will have to be replaced. Time-intensive process.

• Another long-term project is to reactivate several Dynalec Alarm Generator stacks (mod 61601-050), these are stand-alone 4RU modules that interface with the AN/SIA-120B series announcing systems. Three of the alarm generator modules I have were used and came off USN LCAC landing craft, and are set up for General Alarm only. Out of the three, two can be made operational, one is for parts only currently (since it's missing a necessary amplifier module!). I procured these (at considerable cost!) from Big Iron Surplus in Alabama, an EBAY seller. One more of these units in the lot I purchased from Big Iron was unused and had a full complement of modules for General, Chemical, and Collision alarm generation. This is the one that I've restored first, I plan on eventually posting a few pics of how I did it up as well as the sound actualities from the modules. Eventually this piece will end up at a ship museum. So, I've taken this rack module, integrated it into a Middle Atlantic 8RU rack along with a Rauland-Borg 28VDC power supply (made for school PA's), a Rolls 35 watt studio-grade monitor speaker amplifier, and a Wiremold AC center that has full-strip switching. Add two speakers, three contact makers (which I'm still in the process of acquiring - low availability and these days high acquisition cost!), and PRESTO! One complete 1MC alarm rack! Here's a picture of my construct...
  

• This webpage and the construction effort will be a never-ending work. Since I'm paying out of my own pocket to make these systems for museums wishing to incorporate the interactive displays, progress is dependent on my time, funding, and available components being located (purchased, donated, whatever comes my way). I also try to acquire supplies when I can to assist museum ships that may need parts to get their 1MC systems working, again a difficult & slow process. The genesis for this development effort stemmed from a visit I made to the BB-62 (USS New Jersey). Their amateur radio crew made up a wonderful alarm display for the general public in one of the compartments of the main deck. They took the old 1MC stack from the USS San Diego (AFS-6) acquired during a strip ship trip and integrated it into a fixed display for adults, children, etc... using authentic contact makers, speakers, and the control rack from the stack which was amplified. What you have is a "pull the handle and hear the sounds" kind of interactive, authentic display. Here's a link to the final product they made into a display (YouTube Video).

  USS New Jersey alarm display
  

• If anyone does have Navy 1MC parts, components, etc they'd like to donate to this effort or to have me hold & bank for future need on a museum ship, please drop me an EMAIL. Thanks!