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RX CIA Bugs SRR-8 → ← SRR-4
VHF/UHF Surveillance Radio Receiver
- wanted item
SRR-5 is a solid-state VHF surveillance radio receiver,
designed around 1960 by the Technical Services Division (TSD) 1
of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
as the successor to the valve-based SRR-4. It was
developed and manufactured at Radio Receptor Company Inc. (RR)
in New York (USA).
It covers all frequencies between 50 and 400 MHz and can demodulate
AM, FM, CW and modulated CW signals.
Although it was a general communications receiver,
it was typically used for clandestine operations,
in particular for the reception of
covert listening devices (bugs).
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The receiver measures 30.5 x 27.5 x 10.8 cm and weights just under 9 kg.
It can be powered by internal batteries or by the 88-264V AC mains.
It features two separate tuners: one for the 50-200 MHz
range and one for the 200-400 MHz range, known as the LOW and HI bands.
The desired band is selected with the BAND-switch and
each tuner has its own antenna input at the front panel. For short-range
reception, the supplied telescopic antenna, mounted at the top right,
can be used. Alternatively,
an external VHF or UHF antenna, or a car antenna can be used.
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Although it is not marked as such, the SRR-5 is featured in H. Keith Melton's
excellent book Ultimate Spy [1], where it is described as a listening post
receiver. Although the SRR-5 was commonly supplied with a black front panel,
the one in the book has a white front panel and a blue case shell.
The SRR-5 was produced in limited quantities from the early to the
mid-1960s by Radio Receptor Company Inc. in New York [4].
It was commercially available to approved customers only. The SRR-5
was later complemented by the SRR-8.
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The Technical Services Division (TSD) of the CIA was renamed
Office of Technical Service (OTS) in 1974 [2].
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LOW 49-204 MHz HI 204-404 MHz
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The following accessories are currently known:
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Although Crypto Museum does not have an SRR-5 receiver in its collection,
we do have access to its technical manual and som eof its test sheets,
which are available for download below
[A].
The manual consists of a global description of the device, a description
of its operation, a technical description of each sub-circuit,
a block diagram,
and full circuit diagrams.
➤ Download the technical manual
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Below is the simplified block diagram of the SRR-5 receiver.
At the left are the two independent tuners: one for the LOW
band (50-200 MHz) and one for the HI band (200-400 MHz).
For each tuner, the frequency of the local oscillator (LO) is
16.5 MHz higher than the received signal.
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The model number SRR-5 should not be confused with the AN/SRR-5, which
is a radiation monitor used by the US Navy. Please note that AN/SRR-5 is
a military designator, whilst 'SRR-5' is a typical CIA designator.
The two devices are in no way related.
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Device Surveillance receiver Purpose Interception, monitoring, reception of bugs Model SRR-5 Design CIA, TSD Manufacturer Radio Receptor Co. Inc., New York (USA) Predecessor SRR-4 Successor SRR-8 Frequency 49-204 MHz Bands 2 (49-204 MHz and 204-404 MHz) Modulation AM, FM, CW, MCW Dimensions 305 × 275 × 108 mm Weight 9 kg
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Image reproduced here by kind permission from Keith Melton, November 2017.
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Declassified in part and approved for release 5 December 2014:
CIA-RDP78-03153A000700020015-9.
Although the name of the company is redacted in the document, it is
present in the
original CIA file title
[3].
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Friday 25 November 2016. Last changed: Monday, 28 August 2023 - 10:39 CET.
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![SRR-5 receiver as show in [1]](img/srr5_ultimate_spy.jpg)
