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Racal
USA
UK
Burst
  
KY-879/P   MEROD
Digital Message Device

The KY-879/P is a Digital Message Device (DMD), als known as a burst transmitter, manufactured around 1981 by Racal Communications Inc. for the United States (US) Special Forces (SF). It allows pre-encrypted messages to be sent and received in burst transmissions, to reduce the risk of in­ter­cep­tion and detection by means of Radio Direction Finding (RDF). It is also known as OA-8990 and as Digital Message Device Group (DMDG). The device itself does not provide encryption.

The device is housed in the same die-cast alu­mi­ni­um enclosure as Racal's MEROD devices — such as the MA-4450 — but unlike the MEROD devices it does not provide encryption. Instead, the text had to be encrypted prior to trans­mission by means of a One-Time Pad (OTP).

For a detailed description of the device and its conections, please refer to our page about the Racal MA-4450 (MEROD).

➤ More information

  
Operating the MA-4450

Radios
The KY-879/P was used by the US Army in combination with various radio sets, including:

  • AN/PRC-70
  • AN/PRC-74
Specifications
  • Device
    Digital Message Device Group (DMDG)
  • Purpose
    Burst transmission of text messages
  • Model
    KY-879/P
  • Designator
    OA-8990/P
  • NSN
    5820-001-100-3194
  • Manufacturer
    Racal (UK)
  • Year
    1981
  • Country
    UK
  • User
    US Army
  • Successor
    KL-43C
  • Encryption
    No
  • Dimensions
    ?
  • Weight
    ?
Nomenclature
  • KY-879
  • KY-879/P
  • OA-8990
  • OA-8990/P
  • Digital Message Device Group
  • DMDG
  • NSN 5820-001-100-3194
References
  1. TM 11-5820-887-10
    Operator's Manual Digital Message Device Group OA-8990/P
    24 October 1983, reprinted from 20 August 1982, scanned by Google.
    NSN 5820-01-102-3921
Further information
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Tuesday 28 September 2010. Last changed: Tuesday, 09 June 2026 - 10:10 CET.
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