- AN/UCC-4
The AN/UCC-4, or UCC-4, was a solid state
frequency division multiplex er manufactured byLenkurt in 1969. It was used by the United States Air Force to providevoice frequency communication to the Department of Defense.Description
The UCC-4 comprised 12 voice frequency channels in the range of 300 to 3000 hertz, which made up a group. Five groups formed a supergroup and five supergroups formed a mastergroup, thus making it expandable to 600 voice frequency channels or more.
The UCC-4 was connected to a microwave radio that operated in the band of approximately 5 or 8
gigahertz , which was transmitted via eitherline of sight or tropospheric scatter to the next communications station.Repair and maintenance
The technology and maintenance of the UCC-4 was taught to airman of the career field 304X0 at
Keesler Air Force Base ,Mississippi .The UCC-4 was unique because all of the modules were hermetically sealed. The technician maintaining the piece of equipment merely had to take out the faulty module and replace it with a functional one, and this was the start of what became known asblack box maintenance. Before the development of this technology, technicians would be required to troubleshoot and repair the faulty unit. The black box technique of maintenance meant the equipment was put back on line quickly, and the faulty module was sent to a depot where it was repaired by a team of technicians.Usage
One unit that used the UCC-4 multiplexer was the Electron Maintenance Workcenter in
2045 Communication Group , based atAndrews Air Force Base ,Maryland . The Electron Maintenance Workcenter comprisedRadio Relay Equipment Repairmen , who later became known asWideband Maintenance Equipment Repairmen who maintained the UCC-4, teletype equipment, radio equipment, modems, and other ancillary pieces of equipment to support the communications effort.ee also
*
45BX3 - an earlier version of this technologyAssociated links
* [http://www.rl.af.mil/History/1960s/1960s_Communication.html 1960's Communication]
* [http://www.usarmygermany.com/units/Signal/USAREUR_39thSigBn.htm 39th Signal Battalion]
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