[GreenKeys] They're Back - UGC-136 surplus batch, and more
John Spigel
w1an.dxusa at gmail.com
Tue Jul 15 14:51:19 EDT 2025
Good info Nick. Just checked: Ebay has a couple of vendors for the AC
connectors. I see one has 8 remaining.
More:
I'm trying to find if the Coast Guard was using the UGC-136 machines.
After 1930 they went from Bell system 14s, 15s and 19s to the 28s and in
the late 1970s to Model 37s to run both 5 and 8 bit. And I know there
were using 33s later on. They had quite an extensive network with many
miles of landline and submarine cables and hundreds of machines. Some
32s were aboard aircraft. Did they ever use the 136s? I'm asking because
the Coast Guard Museum is now under construction across the Thames from
me in New London. I plan on asking a few CG retiree friends to see if
they remember. Good place for a machine? They have a STEM exhibit planned.
Also the NL subbase is a next door neighbor, literally. And the sub
Museum is less than a mile from the house my son and I are restoring.
The Nautilus is the major attraction. We ran museum ships on the air a
few times from there. Would be nice to have a machine in place. Perhaps
network and have them make noise.
There's also the New England Wireless and Steam Museum. My flea market
M15 running there for 4 hours straight on battery last Saturday printing
history files caught much attention. I got dragged down into the
basement catacombs to evaluate several candidates for restoration. They
also have a Wheatstone morse punch in beatiful condition in its original
wooden enclosure with table! It's missing the power supply. I'm told
they might have a Creed tape transmitter! Just have to dig for it.
So potential homes would be for two 136 machines. And always a little
more for me to do.
73, John W1AN
On 15-Jul-2
13:10, Nick England wrote:
> A few comments -
> 1. The AC power cord connector is MS3116F14-5SW (note the W orientation,
> a 5S will not work).
> A power cord is probably not included since it is listed as NOT INCLUDED
> in the manual
> If you don't want to spend $25 or so for a connector on eBay, it is easy
> to use a few old molex or tube pin connectors and do this
> https://www.navy-radio.com/tty/ugc136/ugc136-ac-conn.jpg <https://
> www.navy-radio.com/tty/ugc136/ugc136-ac-conn.jpg>
> pins A, B are AC line, pin C is gound.
>
> 2. The ribbon/cartridge is no longer available AFAIK.
> If you are lucky, your machine may come with a ribbon. Be prepared to
> keep and cherish it and re-ink it. If you get an extra please share with
> your less fortunate buddies. I only have 3-4 used cartridges left, but
> greenkeyer John Toebes is going to create a 3D model so that someone can
> 3D print more.
> Will keep you posted on this.
> Cartridge is on the right in this photo
> https://www.qsl.net/vy2ac/ugc504f.jpg <https://www.qsl.net/vy2ac/
> ugc504f.jpg>
> My 136AX came with no ribbon so I printed on carbonless paper until
> Glenn WB4UIV gave me a box of used ribbons that he had accumulated while
> serving aboard submarines. A couple of years ago I sent two dozen of
> those to the US Navy because they couldn't find any new cartridges to
> use aboard their missile subs.....
>
> 3. The UGC-136 will not run 45 baud (60wpm) so you cannot use it for
> normal ham radio RTTY or our military RATT net unless you have a speed
> converter TU to run it at 50 baud or 75 baud - but remember you can use
> ITTY-100 and W1AN files at 75 baud for testing and demo purposes.
> Perhaps someone will make a little speed converter board using a PIC or
> Arduino or whatever.
>
> 4. The interface is MIL-STD-188 low level signaling (+/-6v). It will
> probably work OK for EIA RS-232 but I have no experience with that.
> It will NOT work with any 20ma or 60ma current loop.
>
> Some more info on on my page at
> https://www.navy-radio.com/tty/ugc136.htm <https://www.navy-radio.com/
> tty/ugc136.htm>
> and on Dave's page at
> https://www.qsl.net/vy2ac/ugc-504.html <https://www.qsl.net/vy2ac/
> ugc-504.html>
>
> Have Fun!
> Nick England K4NYW
> www.navy-radio.com <http://www.navy-radio.com>
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 15, 2025 at 7:50 AM John Hargett <kg5ylg at austin.rr.com
> <mailto:kg5ylg at austin.rr.com>> wrote:
>
> So had a chance today (07/14/2025) after work to go thru most of the
> boxes Jon N5MHI came out to give a hand. Did not open all, just
> picked a
> random few, mainly ones on a pallet that had loose tape or was already
> open. Four of the boxes that came in were already open and missing
> some of the packing material, so those will be held for local pick up
> only. We have a mix of what appears to be NOS , factory sealed and
> units that went thru the repair facility and had items that were in
> need
> of replacement taken care of. So far they all look to be in
> excellent
> condition.
>
> I will end up re-taping a lot of the boxes to be sure that
> they do
> not come open in transit, and possibly add some carton strapping to
> them
> to help reinforce the boxes. the tape that is on all of them is either
> paper or a mil grade "duct" tape, all which is kind of brittle,
> 1992-1998+/- vintage. the ones we looked at are packed very well,
> using
> expanding foam and plastic liner and the units themselves are sealed in
> a silver static vacuum bag. The only ones that were not in a silver
> vacuum bag were the 2 that GOVPLANET had out for pics.
>
> I will try to update the list tomorrow, has been a long day
> today.
> We have had more request than machines, Hopefully we can get one to
> all
> those I have on the list so far. Have had still interest in these as
> of today with a few new emails . It will be the next box up that goes
> out to each member, so no ability to request one box over the other is
> not a choice.
>
>
> I feel the easiest way for me would be for each member to take
> care of
> shipping from their end and send me the label to put on the box, that
> way it keeps my cost down and less transfer of money. We have FedEx by
> every day picking up, we dont use UPS that often so they wont pick
> up ,
> but I drive by a UPS store every day so could drop off if that is
> preferred. Have not inquired about a price to ship a pallet to another
> location to be re-distributed, limited to six machines on a pallet due
> to their size and std pallet sizing.
>
> Will put my paypal and venmo info in the next email, or if you
> prefer,
> sending a check is ok, but will not ship till check clears. Like I
> mentioned the current cost per unit is just under $80.00, so that or
> anything over is fine. Not looking to make money on this, just to
> recover my cost and save them from the landfill. My address is good
> on QRZ.
>
>
>
> Some pics of the unboxing and pallets at this link
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/FkwtBgvXvwPTf3mY9 <https://
> photos.app.goo.gl/FkwtBgvXvwPTf3mY9>
>
>
> John Hargett
> KG5YLG
>
>
>
>
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