RADIO ROOM 1

This was the typical layout of the main radio room in Canadian Tribal Class destroyers during the 1950's and 1960's. At each position, an operator copied the fleet 'broadcast' using a Marconi CSR5 general coverage receiver. The broadcast was sent in Morse Code at 25 wpm and the messages were copied on typewriters. The receivers in the photo are the Model CSR5 made by Canadian Marconi in Montreal. These were thirteen tube, single conversion superheterodyne units, which could pull in any signal from 80 kHz to 30 mHz with the exception of the broadcast band. Weighing in at 69 pounds, they weren't exactly portable but they were certainly built well.

Receiving antennas consisted of two 35 foot whip antennas mounted on either side of the bridge and two flattops strung between the masts. An Aerial Exchange Board (center of picture) allowed any receiver to be connected to any receiving antenna. The antenna system for the receivers also included a device known as an Antenna Multicoupler (top center). This box took the input from any single antenna, amplified it, and split it up for distribution for up to six receivers.
 

Some of the ship's 200 to 400 Mhz UHF AM receivers and transmitters are mounted in the two equipment racks at the left and right side of the photo. The short unit in the middle is the TDQ transmitter. To its left, is the four piece Marconi CM11 transmitter/receiver. In the right most rack, is the RCK receiver, the unit with the three, circular, side-by-side meters.

When Haida was in service, she supported seven UHF radio channels and one VHF channel. Three UHF channels were fitted in Radio 1 and the other four were installed in Radio 3. Each UHF channel consisted of a UHF transmitter, a UHF receiver and a Channel Amplifier Unit. The AN/URR35A, an AM receiver for the 200-400 Mhz band provided UHF receiving capability. The companion UHF transmitter, designated as AN/URT502 (TED3), was crystal controlled and its power output of 20 watts was adjustable. Most of the UHF traffic was radiotelephone, however, MCW would be used from time to time. VHF communication (110 to 160 Mhz) with aircraft was provided by the combination of an E.H. Scott RCK receiver and TDQ transmitter, both of which were American designs dating back to the Second World War. All UHF and VHF antennas were weatherproof, vertically polarized dipoles, mounted on yardarms attached to the foremast.