USS Arlington AGMR-2 Communications Major Relay Ship


Annapolis and Arlington were essentially floating Comm Stations with massive antenna arrays and extensive equipment installations to relay messages from local ships or shore stations to distant COMMSTAs. Arlington could simultaneously connect with 3 COMMSTAs with 6 channels for each.

USS Saipan (CVL-48, built 1946) was originally being converted to a command ship CC-3 in 1963. This was changed to a major relay ship AGMR-2 while still in the conversion yard in September 1964. In April 1965 her name was changed to USS Arlington (AGMR-2) and she was commissioned August 1966. 

Conversion articles - Part 1 - Part 2

 

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Some Features of USS Arlington
  • 10 10 kw HF transmitters (AN/FRT-39)
  • 14 "500 watt HF transmitters" (AN/WRT-2)
  • 1 10 kw LF transmitter (TMC GPT-10KLF)
  • 65 "multi-channel receivers" (AN/FRR-60 & R-1051/URR)
  • 1200 pieces of teletype gear
  • 19 transmitting and 22 receiving antennas
  • two 109' tall antenna masts
  • 74 miles of cable and 237,000 electrical connections
  • USS Arlington web site
  • USS Arlington web site
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Antennas aboard USS Arlington AGMR-2 (thanks to John KX4P)

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Jan 1967 off the coast of Guantanamo Bay
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Hi-res photo scan

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AGMR-2 Photos from National Archives - during construction

Racks for crypto equipment?
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agmr2-archive-12.jpg (501949 bytes) agmr2-archive-15.jpg (493293 bytes) agmr2-archive-11.jpg (563310 bytes) AN/FGC-60 Multiplex
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agmr2-archive-17.jpg (579820 bytes) agmr2-archive-18.jpg (669792 bytes) Tech Control
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Arlington's Report on Apollo 8 Recovery - download pdf Press articles - Arlington and Apollo agmr2-news-1.JPG (788416 bytes) agmr2-news-2.JPG (748364 bytes)

July 1969 Apollo 11 Recovery - Photos from Walt Casey 

USN report on recovery operations

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UNREP - USS Hassayampa AO-145
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1966-67 USS Arlington Cruise Book

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L - R-1051 rcvrs with AN/URA-17 converters
R - AN/FRR-60 (TMC DDR-5) rcvrs
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AN/FRR-60 (TMC DDR-5) rcvrs
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Antenna patch panels
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Comm Control Center
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TMC tech rep & spectrum analyzer?
Background - transmitting antenna couplers and high power patch panel
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L - R-1051 rcvrs with AN/URA-17 converters
R - AN/FRR-60 (TMC DDR-5) rcvrs
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AN/FRT-39 (TMC GPT-10K) transmitter
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transmitting antenna couplers ??
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AN/FRR-60 (TMC DDR-5) rcvrs
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AN/FRR-60 (TMC DDR-5) rcvrs & antenna patch panels
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AN/FRT-39 (TMC GPT-10K) transmitters
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Tech control?
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Tape relay equipment including MAPS multiple address processing system that dupes tape at 850wpm
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Tape relay equipment

1968 USS Arlington Pacific Cruise Book

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109' mast - Conical monopole & rotatable log periodic
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