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SF
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HRM-7000
Tactical Radio family

HRM-7000 1 is a modular HF tactical manpack radio system, developed in 1994 2 by Telefunken in Ulm (Germany) and first fielded in 1996. The device is the successor to the FS-5000 radio set and was developed especially for use by Special Forces (SF), Rapid Reaction Forces (RRF) [1] and Stay-Behind Organisations (SBO). The device is controlled by the TCU-7000 Terminal Crypto Unit. In the Swiss Army, where the HRM-7000 is used by its Special Forces, it is known as SE-237 [4].

The system consists of a HRU-7000 radio unit (transceiver), an ATU-7000 antenna tuner, a BPU-7000 battery pack, and a TCU-7000 Terminal Crypto Unit. The latter can be used for sending secure messages between HRU-7000 users, but is also needed for setting the desired frequency and selecting the mode of operation. The HRU-7000 unit has no controls of it own.

For normal (insecure) voice communication, a regular handset can be used, but for secure (encrypted) conversations, the optional VCH-7000 (visible in the image) was available.
  

Cryptographic keys for the VHC-7000 handset can be loaded by means of a regular DS-102 key transfer device, such as the KYK-13 or KSP-1. The HRM-7000 was designed for high-speed communication with a base station, such as the HRC-7000 or the earilier BS-7010 or BS-5000. Messages from the TCU-7000 controller are sent at very high speed (2000 baud) over a narrow-band HF radio channel. It takes a maximum of 0.8s to send a 55 character burst message [4].

The device was developed from 1994 onwards, and was first rolled out in 1997. A vehicle con­fi­gu­ration with an output power of 400W is known as HRM-7400. The original manufacturer was Telefunken System Technik (TST), 3 but as a result of takeovers, the device can be found under various brand names, including TST, Dasa, Racoms and Elbit. The 7000-family was succeeded by the 9000-family in 2020. The German Fernspäher 4 started using the HRM-9000 in 2023 [5].

  1. In the past also known as HF-7000, but this designator is also used by Harris and Icom for other radios.
  2. According to the Telefunken website [1] the HRM-7000 family was developed in 1998. However, this can not be correct as the FS-5000 technical manual [2] from 1994 lists various members of the 7000 family, and in particular the HRM-7000, as compatible with the FS-5000. That means that the 7000 is from 1994 or earlier.
  3. Not to be confused with Tele-Security Timmann, which als used the abbreviation TST.
  4. Fernspäher is the German word for long-range reconaissance forces.

Setup
The diagram below shows a typical configuration of a HRM-7000 manpack radio station. It consists of a HRU-7000 transceiver, an ATU-7000 antenna tuner and a sui­table battery pack (e.g. BPU-7000). It is controlled by a TCU-7000 terminal. At the left is the (optional) data encryptor.



History
Development of the HRM-7000 family started around 1994, hot on the hiels of the FS-5000 spy radio set — codename HARPOON, in Germany known as SY-5000 — a similar modular radio system developed by Tele­funken especially for European Stay-Behind Organisations (SBO). As the German SBO was dissol­ved in 1992, some FS-5000 units were modified as FS-5000M and used by the German Special Forces (Fernspäher) for training purposes. Some parts of the forthcoming HRM-7000, such as the BPU-7000 battery packs, were used prematurely with the FS-5000M.

The Telefunken division responsible for the development was Telefunken System Technik (TST), 2 which is still visible in the casting of the HRU-7000's enclosure. The TCU-7000 control unit was developed at ANT in Backnang (Germany). The device was first introduced in 1996 [3], mainly as an alternative to the ageing Racal PRM-4150. It was introduced in the German Army (Bundeswehr) in 2007. The Fernspäher uses the device in HRS-mode for burst transmissions.

In 2004, Telefunken was taken over by the Israeli multinational company Elbit Systems, who con­tinued trading as Telefunken Racoms. In 2020, the name was changed to Elbit Systems Deutsch­land GmbH. In 2020, the HRM-7000 was succeeded by the HRM-9000 family. Never­theless, the HRM-7000 product line was still available from Elbit Systems Deutschland in 2024 [1].


Parts
HRU-7000 HF Radio Unit
TCU-7000 Terminal Crypto Unit (developed by ANT)
Battery pack BPU-7000 or similar
Antenna tuner ATU-7000
Vocoder Crypto Handset VCH-7000
Battery charger ACU-7002
Data cable for external crypto device
Coaxial cable for connecting TCU-7000 to HRU-7000
Antenna
HF Radio Unit   HRU-7000
The HRU-7000 HF Radio Unit is the core of all configurations of the 7000-family. It is basically a transceiver with built-in radio processor and Echotel-compatible modem. It can be expanded with an antenna tuner and a battery.

The radio has no controls whatsoever. Instead it is controlled from the TCU-7000 Terminal Crypto Unit via a short coaxial cable with TNC connectors at both ends.

 More information

  

Terminal Crypto Unit   TCU-7000
The HRU-7000 is remote controlled by the TCU-7000 Terminal Crypto Unit shown in the image on the right. This device can also be used for sending and receiving encrypted messages, either immediately or in a scheduled manner.

The TCU-7000 is connected to the front panel of the HRU-7000 Radio Unit via a short coaxial cable with TNC connectors at both ends.

 More information

  

Battery pack   BPU-7000
The HRU-7000 can be powered by various types of batteries, such as the BPU-7000/1 shown in the image on the right. This is a high-capacity 20Ah LiMnO2 battery, that cannot be recharged. It can however be recycled after use.

Alternatively, the device can be powered by rechargeable NiCd or NiMH batteries. The battery is fitted to the lower half of the transceiver.

 More information

  

Antenna tuner   ATU-7000
The ATU-7000 Antenna Tuner allows a wide variety of antennas to be used with the HRU-7000 transceiver. It is about half the size of the HRU-7000 and is fitted to its body, in the space above the battery.

The ATU-7000 is currently missing from our collection.
  

Vocoder Crypto Handset   VCH-7000
The HRU-7000 can be used for conven­tio­nal (unencrypted) voice communication in USB. This is done by connecting a regular handset to the leftmost NF10 connector at the font panel.

For secure communication, the VCH-7000 Cryp­to Handset could be used. It uses a vocoder to compress the speech before it is encrypted. A standard DS-102 fill device can be used to load the cryptographic keys. The VCH-7000 is cur­rent­ly missing from our collection.

  

Battery charger   ACU-7002
The ACU-7002 battery charger was used to recharge NiCd or NiMH batteries, such as the APU-7000 and APU-7002.

The charger is powered from the mains, and charges the battery in approx. 90 minutes.
  

Data cable
The data cable shown in the image on the right was used to connect the HRU-7000/M to an external encryption device for secure data communication. In practice, the HRU-7000/M was commonly used in combination with the Siemens Elcrobit 3-2 or the Elcrodat 4-2.

The cable should be connected to the extra NF10 connector (COM port) at the front panel of the HRU-7000/M.
  

TNC cable
The TCU-7000 Terminal Crypto Unit is connec­ted to the front panel of the HRU-7000 trans­ceiver, via a short coaxial cable with TNC con­nec­tors at both ends, such as the one shown in the image on the right.

The TNC cable carries bidirectional data and control signals over a single shielded wire.
  

Antenna
Various antennas are available for the HRM-7000, including a 3 meter long whip antenna, a long-wire antenna and several dipoles. For use in the field, the whip or long-wire antenna was commonly used, depending on the situation.

At present, we have none of these antennas in our collection.
  

HRU-7000 HF Radio Unit
BPU-7000/1 non-rechargeable battery
BPU-7000 bottom side - with contacts covered by a protective cap
BPU-7000 bottom side - with contacts exposed
battery fitted to the lower half of the HRU-7000 transceiver
TST logo cast in the enclosure
Data cable between HRU-7000 (NF10) and ElcroBit 3-2 (DC37)
TNC cable
TNC plug
ACU-7000 battery charger
A
×
A
1 / 10
HRU-7000 HF Radio Unit
A
2 / 10
BPU-7000/1 non-rechargeable battery
A
3 / 10
BPU-7000 bottom side - with contacts covered by a protective cap
A
4 / 10
BPU-7000 bottom side - with contacts exposed
A
5 / 10
battery fitted to the lower half of the HRU-7000 transceiver
A
6 / 10
TST logo cast in the enclosure
A
7 / 10
Data cable between HRU-7000 (NF10) and ElcroBit 3-2 (DC37)
A
8 / 10
TNC cable
A
9 / 10
TNC plug
A
10 / 10
ACU-7000 battery charger

Designators
Description Model Swiss Remark
Manpack station HRM-7000 SE-237 30W
Vehicle station HRM-7400 - 400W
Vehicle station HRM-7900 - 1kW
EKASUS EKS-7000 - Frequency Management System
 
Parts
HF Radio unit HRU-7000 ? 30W
HF Radio unit HRU-7000/M ? 30W, Data, HRS, MAHRS
HF Radio unit HRU-7000/N ? 30W, HRS, MAHRS, STANAG 1
HF Radio unit HRU-7000E ? 30W, HRS, MAHRS, STANAG 1
Terminal Crypto Unit TCU-7000 BG-237 SECRET
Terminal Crypto Unit TCU-7000 XP BG-237 SECRET
Antenna tuner ATU-7000 AG-237 30W, manpack
Antenna tuner ATU-7400 - 400W, vehicle
Vocoder Crypto handset VCH-7000 - SECRET
400W HF Amplifier PAU-7400    
Power Splitter SPL-7000    
 
19" rackmount
HF Radio unit HRT-7000 ? (HRU-7000)
400W HF Amplifier AMP-7000 - (PAU-7400)
Terminal Crypto Unit CRE-7000 - Max. 2 x TCU-7000
Audio Frequency Panel AFP-7000    
 
Power supply
LiMnO2 battery BPU-7000 ? Non-rechargeable, 20 Ah
NiCd battery APU-7000 ? Rechargeable, 5 Ah
NiMH battery APU-7002 ? Rechargeable
Charger ACU-7000 ALGT-237 for APU-7000/7002
Vehicle PSU PSU-7000 ?  
 
Antennas
Whip antenna ? -  
Dipole DPA-7000 DPA-237 Wires on spool
Dipole DPA-7400 - Semi-mobile, 400W
Dipole DPA-7402 - Mobile, 400W
Dipole DPA-7900 - Semi-mobile, 1kW
Dipole DPA-7902 - Mobile, 1kW
Balun SYM-7000 ? For dipole
Longwire LWA-7000 LDA-237 Wire on spool
Tactical antenna mast TMK-7000 -  
 
Accessories
Standard handset ?    
Backpack ?    
Ruggedised PDA ? - With software
Vehicle mount VMU-7000    
 
External encryptors
Terminal Crypto Unit TCU-7000 BG-237 SECRET
Elcrobit 3-2 EB 3-2 - Data encryption unit 64kb/s
Elcrodat 4-2 ED 4-2 - Data encryption unit AUTOKO
  1. STANAG 5066 (Waveforms: STANAG 4285, 4539, MIL-STD-188-110A/B), STANAG 4538.

Specifications
  • Device
    Modular HF radio system
  • Purpose
    Secure communication for Army, LRR, SF, RRF, SBO
  • Designator
    HRM-7000
  • Manufacturer
    TST, Telefunken, DASA, Racoms, Elbit
  • Country
    Germany
  • Development
    1994-1996
  • Years
    1996-2024+ 
  • Predecessors
    FS-5000, Racal PRM-4150
  • Successor
    HRM-9000
  • Users
    NATO, Germany, Spain, Switzerland
  • Control
    TCU-7000
  • Frequency
    2-30 MHz
  • Channels
    32 (+32 emergency channels)
  • Spacing
    100 kHz
  • Waveforms
    C1B (TX), J2B RX), USB, A3 (AM)
  • Features
    FEC, ARQ, ALE
  • Output
    30W
  • Power
    11.4-19V DC
Parts
Documentation
  1. Telefunken Racoms, HF Gerätefamilie 7000
    12-page full-colour brochure (German). April 2006. Retrieved May 2013.

  2. Telefunken Racoms, HF product family 7000
    12-page full-colour brochure (English). April 2006. Retrieved May 2013.

  3. Telefunken Racoms, HF Gerätefamilie 7000
    12-page full-colour brochure (German). April 2009. Retrieved August 2010.
References
  1. Telefunken Racoms (now Elbit Systems Deutschland), History
    Timeline -> 1985, SY5000 adaptive HF system to NATO special services.
    Telefunken website. Retrieved May 2009.

  2. Feldstation FS-5000M, Technisches Handbuch, Teil 2, Bedienungsanleiting
    Field Station FS-5000, Technical Manual, Part 2, User Manual (German).
    March 1994.

  3. Wikipedia (Germany), HRM-7000
    Visited 22 December 2024.  English version

  4. Martin Bösch, SE-237: HRM-7000
    Army Radio Wiki, Visited 23 December 2024.

  5. Gerard van Oosbree, Radiotechnology uit Ulm voor Duitse leger (Dutch)
    Dutch Defence Press, 22 December 2022.
Further information
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Sunday 22 April 2012. Last changed: Friday, 27 December 2024 - 14:46 CET.
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