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France
    
TR-BP-3A
Naval special forces HF radio - this page is a stub

TR-BP-3B, also written as TRBP3B, is a spy radio radio set, 1 developed around 1949 by Radio Laboratoire-Jaubert in Nice (France), for use by the French Navy for short-distance ship-shore and ship-ship communication. It was intended for use in non-clandestine (overt) operations, and works in the 1.5 to 4 MHz band. A special CW (morse) version was used by SDECE (now: DGSE).

The device is housed in a black metal enclosure that measures 360 x 280 x 155 mm and weights 13 kg. It can be closed with a lid and has a grip at the side for easier transport. Inside the case are three building blocks: a power supply unit (PSU), a transmitter and a treceiver; similar to the building blocks of a British Type 3 Mark II (B2).

Unlike contemporary radio sets – which could only transmit morse code (CW) – the TR-BP-3A was suitable for the transmission and reception of voice conversions in Amplitude Modulation (AM), using an externally connected handset.
  
TR-BP-3A control panel (before restoration)

The transmitter is crystal controlled, whilst the receiver can be both crystal controlled and free running, using the build-in Variable Frequency Oscillator (VFO). The unit must be powered by an external 12V DC source, such as the battery of a car. Once the antenna and counterpoise wires are connected and the device is correctly adjusted, the lid can be closed, after which the device becomes a black box that can be operated from the external remote control unit with handset. 2

  1. Strickly speaking it is not a spy radio set, but a naval ship-to-shore radio.
  2. The external remote control unit and the handset are missing from the device featured here.

PLEASE HELP — We are currently looking for information about the use of this device in an operational context. Please help us to expand this page  Contact us
Closed case (before restoration
Rear side of closed case (before restoration)
TR-BP-3A control panel (before restoration)
Power and remote connectors
Power and remote sockets, accessible via holes in the case lid.
A
×
A
1 / 5
Closed case (before restoration
A
2 / 5
Rear side of closed case (before restoration)
A
3 / 5
TR-BP-3A control panel (before restoration)
A
4 / 5
Power and remote connectors
A
5 / 5
Power and remote sockets, accessible via holes in the case lid.

Restoration
Problems
  • Many screws missing
  • Broken parts inside device
  • Remote control and handset missing
  • Antenna terminal missing
  • Power cable missing
  • Transmitter crystal missing
  • Receiver crystal socket broken
Missing parts
  • Remote control unit (with telephone handset)
  • Documentation
  • Type and serial number tag
  • Antenna socket
Closed case (before restoration
Rear side of closed case (before restoration)
TR-BP-3A control panel (before restoration)
Power and remote connectors
Fuses and wiring inside the PSU
Transmitter interior (before restoration)
B
×
B
1 / 6
Closed case (before restoration
B
2 / 6
Rear side of closed case (before restoration)
B
3 / 6
TR-BP-3A control panel (before restoration)
B
4 / 6
Power and remote connectors
B
5 / 6
Fuses and wiring inside the PSU
B
6 / 6
Transmitter interior (before restoration)

Specifications
  • Device
    Short-wave transceiver
  • Manufacturer
    Radio Laboratoire-Jaubert (Nice, France)
  • Customers
    French Navy, SDECE
  • Frequency
    1.5 - 4 MHz
  • Bands
    2 (1.5-3 MHz + 3-4 MHz)
  • Modulation
    AM (A3, phone)
  • PSU 1
    6 or 12V DC 1
  • PSU 2
    110, 130, 220 or 240 V AC, 50 Hz 1
  • Dimensions
    360 x 280 x 155 mm (remote control unit: 240 x 210 x 100 mm)
  • Weight
    13 kg (remote control unit: 4 kg)
  1. Only one PSU was supplied with the device.

Transmitter
  • Type
    Crystal controlled
  • Modulation
    AM, (A3, phone) 90%
  • Output
    3 Watts
Receiver
  • Receiver
    Crystal controlled and VFO
  • Output
    500 mW into 600Ω
Valves
  • Receiver
    6AK5, 6BA6, 6AK6, 6AL5, 6AK5, 6BE6, 6AK6
  • Transmitter
    6AK5, 6AK6, 6AQ5
Documentation
  1. Émetteur-Récepteur M.F. 3W (TR-BP-3A) 1
    Operating instruction and technical documentation (French).
    French Navy. Undated, but later than 17 June 1953.
  1. Document kindly provided by Bertrand Velle [3].

References
  1. Louis Meulstee, Wireless for the Warrior, volume 4
    ISBN 0952063-36-0, September 2004

  2. François Mossina, TRBP3A
    Retrieved August 2019.

  3. Bertrand Velle, TR BP3A
    Retrieved Januay 2022.

  4. Wikipedia, French Foreign Legion
    Retrieved January 2022.
Further information
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Thursday 20 January 2022. Last changed: Saturday, 17 December 2022 - 10:26 CET.
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