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← A-2 Mason TSCM A-3B →
Integrated surveillance receiver
The A-2CS was a self-contained
surveillance receiver designed and built by
Mason Engineering Inc. in Fairfield (Connecticut, US)
in the late 1960s.
It is essentially a an slightly improved Mason A-2,
of which all plug-in units and accessories were
integrated in a single aluminium container.
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The image on the right shows a typical A-2CS unit, as it was used by various
agencies for bug-finding and surveillance tasks. Behind the top lid of the case
(taken off here) is the control panel, containing all connections,
controls and read-outs.
The unit can be powered by the internal battery (DC), or directly from
the mains (AC).
Unlike with the A2, no patch cables are required to operate the A-2CS.
Instead, all units are wired internally, and a built-in selector switch
at the bottom centre is used
to select the required module and, hence, the desired frequency range.
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On the A-2, the green phosphor CRT display can be used for two
purposes: as an HF spectrum analyzer and as an LF (audio) analyzer.
In the A-2CS, a seperate CRT display is used for either task,
so that HF and LF spectrum can be monitored simultanously.
To cover the wide frequency range of the unit,
several antennas were supplied with the set.
In the image above, a telescopic antenna
is connected at the top left of the receiver. For field-use, a rechargable
battery was hidden inside the top lid of the aluminium case.
It was connected to a socket at the left.
Please note that, compared to the A-2,
the frequency scales are missing from the individual frequency modules.
Instead, the unit is equipped with a digital frequency readout
(right behind the telescopic antenna).
Apparently, this was not such a good idea, as the scales would return on the
later A-3CS model. In addition, the A-3CS had connections for
extra antennas and for the portable MPR-5 surveillance
receiver, allowing a second demodulation of subcarrier (SC) signals.
According to one source [1], only around 240 units were ever built,
220 of which were sold to the US Government. The A-2CS featured on this
page however, has serial number 333. It was in use at the
USIA for many
years, until it was decomissioned when the agency closed in 1999.
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We are currently looking the for User Manual of the A2C-S and, if possible,
also for a Technical Description or a Service Manual. If you have any of
these available, please contact us.
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Any links shown in red are currently unavailable.
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Saturday 27 February 2010. Last changed: Friday, 08 September 2017 - 21:19 CET.
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