Sonobuoys & Outdoor Intrusion Detectors

Brooke Clarke 2011 - 2022

ID-1721 Indicator WANTED TO BUY

During the Vietnam era the "electronic battlefield" (book: Military Communications: A Test for Technology) was developed and it included various outdoor intrusion alarms (my name for these devices). Some, like the PSR-1 Seismic Intrusion Detector, used wire between the sensors and the main unit and others used a radio transmitter in the sensor and the main unit was a radio receiver.

The frequency spectrum has allocations for different users (see Frequency Allocations). One band is used by aircraft for communication and navigation (108 to 136 MHz). A number of Vietnam era outdoor intrusion sensors used this band.

Another band is used for sonobuoy operations by the Navy (162.25 to 173.50 MHz with 31 channels with 375 kHz spacing). This page is about these outdoor intrusion sensors.

Department of Defense Training Film MF11-5514
Bugging the Battlefield pt1-2 1969 Defense Department Electronic Eavesdropping Vietnam War
Bugging the Battlefield pt2-2 1969 Defense Department Electronic Eavesdropping Vietnam War

Electronic Eavesdropping, Vietnam War: "Bugging the Battlefield" 1969 Defense Department (30:28) - combined part 1 & 2

Submarines & the Noises they Make

The early work on SOund Navigation And Ranging (Wiki: SONAR), which was named after RAdio Navigation And Ranging (Wiki: RADAR), was done utilizing audio frequencies were an operator would listen on headphones (for those systems that used stereo) or a loudspeaker. The first sonobuoys also used audio with a human operator listening to the sound. This is called passive SONAR (code name Jezebel). There are no pings and whoever is doing the listening is not giving away their presence or position. When it works it's the preferred method and is by far the most common. In the 1950s the SOund SUrveillance System (Wiki: SOSUS, my page) which makes use of LOw Frequency Analysis and Recording (LOFAR) rather than the use of human audible sound was put into service. This worked on snorkeling diesel electric subs (Wiki) and on nuclear powered subs like the Soviet Hotel (Wiki), Echo (Wiki) & November (Wiki) class subs (HEN).

Active SONAR comes in two flavors, the most commonly known is the active ping like in any movie involving submarines. A ping is sent out and the time measured until it returns. The early pings were audible to humans, later ultrasonic pings were used and later still the frequency of the ping changed it into a chirp. If the propagation speed is known the distance to the target can be calculated and with the later types the radial speed of the target can be determined. The less well known active SONAR method (code name Julie) involves setting off an explosion of a couple of pounds of TNT using either the Mk-15 (Mod-12) or Mk-61 Signal Underwater Sound (SUS). The explosion generates a spike in the underwater pressure which is similar to a ping at all possible frequencies, it's the most useful type of ping, but can only be used occasionally because it requires a small bomb for each pulse.

Modern diesel electric subs are very quiet when running on battery power underwater and going slow. The explosive type active SONAR is good at detecting these subs.

It turns out Radiosondes have a very strong relationship with Sonobuoys and Pilot Balloons.

Sonobuoys use water activated batteries as are most radiosonde batteries and they both use VHF or UHF radio transmissions to send data/audio. They both have an operational life measured in minutes or hours, not days or any time longer. Both are made to be light weight. They are both considered single use, i.e. expendable.

Pilot Balloon (PIBAL) are part of learning about the upper air as are radiosondes. They overlap in that PIBALs do not carry a radiosonde, but are used by themselves or with a PIBAL light for low light conditions.

The word sono-buoy is based on sound and a floating object. See the CRT-1 web page for some history on acoustic sonic buoys.

Sonobuoys (Wiki) have been around since about May 1941 when P. M. S. Blackett, head of the British Admiralty committee for antisubmarine measures, proposed the idea. In June 1942, the AN/CRT-1 became the first operational sonobuoy which was launched from a ship in a convoy, and on July 25, 1942, the first successful launch of a sonobuoy from an aircraft was made from a U.S. Army B-18 bomber (Wiki). (from: Not Ready for Retirement: The Sonobuoy Approaches Age 65 by Holler, Roger, Horbach, Arthur, McEachern, James).

They have nomenclature SSQ-nn. They are a part of anti-submarine warfare (Wiki).

"All sonobuoys currently in inventory are normally launched from standard A-size tubes via pneumatic, free fall, or a Cartridge Actuated Device (CAD). Shipboard personnel may also launch them by hand or Over the Side (OTS). All are powered by either salt water activated magnesium or silver chloride, lithium chemistry, or thermal batteries and are designed to scuttle at some point after usable or selected life expires." from Approved Navy Training System Plan, for the Consolidated Sonobuoys. N88-NTSP-A-50-8910B/A SEPTEMBER 1998

There's a problem with airborne sonobuoy receivers being used with MAD. MAD works best when the plane is flying at about 500 feet. This is also true for the periscope detecting RADAR. BUT . . . .
The sonobuoy receiver will have relativity short rang when the plane is at 500 feet. Much higher would allow better sonobuoy coverage. Not sure what's an optimum altitude for dropping sonobuoys. The new Navy P-8 (Wiki) no longer uses MAD and flies much higher, both for more sonobuoy area coverage and for better fuel consumption than it gets when flying low. The P-8 has the AN/APY-10 RADAR (Wiki) but as far as I can tell it does not work as well at high altitudes because the ocean surface scatter gets poorer at higher altitudes. The poorest result is looking straight down on the water.

CNU-239/E Shipping Tube

This may be the standard shipping container for A size sonobuoys. It's 45" long and an octagon 6-3/4" across the flats. One end unscrews and when shipping the cap is tapped to the main body. The weight depends on what model in inside.

Transport Canada SU 0850 makes provision for shipping experimental sonobuoys in this container.
But there are limitations:

(a) all the dangerous goods are contained within the aluminum body of the experimental sonobuoy described by drawings no. 200896, 200898, 200702, 200671, 200836 and 200837 deposited by Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems, a division of Ultra Electronics Canada Defense Inc. on Transport Canada's Transport Dangerous Goods Directorate file A 4069-0850;

(b) the sonobuoy contains a single UN0454 Igniter having a net explosive quantity equal to or less than 0.15 g;

(c) the sonobuoy contains a maximum of 2 cylinders of UN1013, Carbon dioxide, each having a capacity equal to or less than 0.120 L;

(d) the sonobuoy contains a quantity equal to or less than 40 "C" size lithium batteries that meet the requirement of paragraph (1) of Special Provision 34 of Schedule 2 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations;

(e) the sonobuoy is packaged in the military performance specification plastic shipping container type CNU-239/E specified in the drawing 012-159-0009-00 deposited by Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems, a division of Ultra Electronics Canada Defence Inc. on Transport Canada's Transport Dangerous Goods Directorate file A 4069-0850;

A Size

Modern sonobuoys have an outside diameter of 4-7/8" (fit 4-15/16" launch tube commonly called 5 inch) and are 1 yard long (36"). The max weight is 39 pounds.
This is a convenient size for one man to handle on a P-3 aircraft (Wiki). The larger sizes are not easy to handle. There are smaller sizes based on getting some integer number of them inside the A size outline. 3 each is called "F" and 2 each is called "G". The other sizes are pretty much not used in volume.

Operational Life

Sometimes the service life can also be programmed prior to launch for 1, 3 or 8 hours. After that time the sonobuoy will sink to the bottom. This can be made to happen by exploding a resistor (acting as a squib) applied to the float bag.

Radio Transmitter

A VHF vertical whip antenna is used. One feature of this type of antenna is that there's a null directly above the buoy so when an aircraft directly overflys the buoy there's a characteristic signal drop out. This allows confirming the buoy location. The 1 Watt transmitter is FM modulated and covers an audio bandwidth of 10 Hz to 20 kHz (about the same as a Hi-Fi system or entertainment FM radio). Note that there is no provision to hear the 37 k Hz ping made by Cockpit Voice Recorders or Flight Data Recorders. The FAA and Navy need to coordinate this.

Sonobuoy Receivers & Radio Channels

See the VHF part of the Frequency Assignment table for some common ways the spectrum is used. For example, FM broadcast band is 88 to 108 MHz, 108 to 136 MHz is reserved for aircraft communications and navigation. 136 to 174 is called the High VHF band (the common "Scanner" band), the old analog TV channel 7 was 174 to 180 MHz.

In the book US Naval Weapons, Norman Friedman, 1983 (Ref 19) it's mentioned that during W.W.II the CRT-1 operated in the frequency range of 67 to 72 MHz and that post war sonobuoys operated in the 162.25 to 173.5 MHz range.

Generation Zero

The CRT-1 Sonobuoys started out working in the VHF low band. First with six channels between 62.9 and 66.9 then another six channels were added in the 67.6 to 71.7 MHz range. That's a total of twelve channels. This was during W.W. II.

Note: The eBay listing for a sonobuoy receiver "R-156/ARR-16B Sonobuoy Receiver 62-72 MCs." ~~is in error by leaving off the "1" in front of the frequency.~~
~~R-156/ARR-16B covers 162 - 172 MHz.~~ It turns out the eBay listing was correct. Note that the new VHF high band is pretty much 100 MHz higher than the prior VHF low band.

1st Generation

It appears that the first generation sonobuoys only had 16 channels spaced 0.75 kHz apart between 162.25 and 173.50. This was probably done using a single crystal in tube type electronics circuit.

2nd Generation

At some point (When?) the channel spacing was cut in half. At that time to maintain channel number comparability with the old system, the new channels were added in between the old channels as shown in the table. (chan 1) 162.25 to 173.50 with spacing of 0.375 MHz.
The R-1170 ARR-52A sonobuoy receiver has 31 crystal controlled channels.
This is the time frame of NAVAIR 28-SSQ-500-1 (1976).

Sonobuoys

Sonobuoy
SSQ-
Channels

41, 41A, 41B, 38, 50, 53, 57, 62
1-31

36
12, 14, 16

71
3, 5, 7

47A, 47B
1 to 12

3rd Generation

At some point (1980?) the total number of channels was increased to 99 by adding channels starting at 136.000 MHz (chan 32) and going to 161.125 (chan 99) with the same 0.375 MHz channel spacing. Is there a channel 00? No only 1 to 99.
So the band plan in frequency order is, the new lower frequency channels from 136.000 to 161.125, skipping 161.500 (now Chan 100) and 161.875 (now Chan 101), then the 2nd generation channels from 162.250 (chan 1) to 173.125 MHz (Chan 31).

In Channel number order:
Chan 1: 162.250 to Chan 31: 173.125; Chan 32: 136.000 to Chan 99: 161.125.

USQ-46 (USQ, below)

The USQ-46 receiver has 3000 channels with a 6.25 kHz channel spacing.
If the received frequency is below 162.000 MHz then the Freq_MHz = 145.525 + <chan#> * 0.00625,
if the frequency is equal or greater than 162.000 then Freq_MHz = 162.000 + <chan#> * 0.00625.
So there's a strong sonobuoy flavor to how the USQ-46 does channel assignment.
If you know about this, tell me.

The difference in channel spacing = 375 kHz / 6.25 kHz = 60 exactly.
USQ-46 Channel 1 = 145.53125 or 162.00625

Black Box

This is a beacon transmitter that just transmits a narrow pulse in the sonobuoy RF frequency range. But, the signal requires a receiver with about a 150 kHz channel bandwidth.
Since the only information it sends is it's center frequency, probably one of a small list of possible frequencies and one of two possible duty cycles the process gain is extremely high.

During the Vietnam era there were airplanes circling over areas where ground based sensors were placed to relay the VHF sensor signals to a ground station (Wiki). This page was made because of the similarity of ground based intrusion sensors and sonobuoys. They both work the same way and both have the same reception requirements.

My guess is that today there is a satellite system doing the same thing. This system would receive in the 136 to 173 MHz range and use digital IF processing, similar to what's done in the HP 4395A combined spectrum network and impedance analyzer. If that was the case then it would be straight forward to have the ability for this receiver to receive not only sonobuoy signals but also the waveform used by the Black Box.

This makes sense in that the system would have world wide coverage without the need to have planes circling 24/7 like in Igloo White.

The WiNRADiO MS-8118/WSB Sonobuoy Telemetry Multichannel Receiving System (WiNRADiO) covers 136.000-173.500 MHz (custom frequency ranges available) with an IF bandwidth of 30 kHz @ -6 dB.
They also have a WiNRADiO AX-61S Sonobuoy Telemetry Antenna that covers 135 to 175 MHz.
The G315i receiver can be ordered with an optional hardware wide band demodulator that's the same as in the sonobuoy receiver: WR-G315i Receiver Options or for the WR-G315e Receiver Options .
Note the black box beacon transmitter may be associated with the SEAL Delivery Vehicle (Wiki: SDV).
That would be perfect for receiving the Black Box signal (thanks to Chip Veres) for letting me know about the MS-8118. But this raises a new question, what else generates such a wideband signal?

The transmission frequencies of some black box units are: 164.5375 & 164.5875 MHz. Note neither of these is on channel 4 (164.50 MHz) and they differ by 50 kHz, not likely an accident.

Distributed Sensor Networks, Second Edition: Image and Sensor Signal Processing (Chapman & Hall/CRC Computer and Information Science Series)

Iyengar, S. Sitharama- book on order 14 Nov 2015 has info on Igloo White and may have some insights into the satellite system?

Sonobuoy Frequency Table

Chan	Freq	Chan	Freq	Chan	Freq
1	162.25	6	166.00	11	169.75
17	162.625	22	166.375	27	170.125
2	163.00	7	166.75	12	170.50
18	163.375	23	167.125	28	170.875
3	163.75	8	167.50	13	171.25
19	164.125	24	167.875	29	171.625
4	164.50	9	168.25	14	172.00
20	164.875	25	168.625	30	172.375
5	165.25	10	169.0	15	172.75
21	165.625	26	169.375	31	173.125
				16	173.50

Channel 15 (172.75 MHz) is used as an emergency search and rescue frequency.

Command Function Select (CFS)

The aircraft can transmit to the sonobuoy to change the commands while it's floating in the water which is much better than the old way of making the command decisions prior to launch.
The UHF frequencies used for this are: 282.900, 291.300, 291.400, 291.500 MHz
Receivers

Directional Frequency Analysis & Recording type acoustic sensor (DIFAR)

These buoys use directional hydrophones (Wiki) covering 5 or 10 Hz to 2400 Hz combined with a magnetic bearing sensor and transmit this information.
They can be used to passively listen, to listen for reflected pings or the shock wave from a small explosion.
Whale researchers use them (Tools > DIFAR Sonobuoys).

Because the lower frequency limit is below Hi-Fi audio, and the upper frequency of 24 kHz is above the 10 kHz upper end, consumer grade tape recorders (Wiki) could not be used so instrumentation type recorders were used like the

With the advent of Digital Audio Tape (Wiki: DAT) recorders the DIFAR signal could be recorded on a DAT tape.
The following is a frequency spectrum of the DIFAR signal with a voice channel added for use with a DAT tape recorder.
Frequency
Spectrum of the DIFAR signal with a voice channel added for
use with a DAT tape recorder

Frequency
Spectrum of the DIFAR signal with a voice channel added for
use with a DAT tape recorder

Analog circuitry, like using the LM1496 Balanced Modulator-Demodulator can be used to manipulate these signals.
general
Note seismic sensors (geophones) respond to frequencies below 10 Hz so there's an overlap with DIFAR and other hydrophone frequencies.

DIFAR Patents

3093808 Air-dropped miniature sonobuoy, Gimber George A, Scarcelli Albert F, Tatnall George J, Secretary of the Navy , Jun 11, 1963, 367/4, 441/33, 441/25, 343/709, 455/99 - Prior art sonobuoys were 3' long, 5" diameter and weighed 16 to 20 pounds limiting aircraft time on station and had a max depth of about 50'. This one is 15" long, about 3" dia and weighs about 5 pounds with a max depth of 300'. also see 3047259 Speed brake retarding mechanism for an air-dropped store, George J Tatnall, Albert F Scarcelli, Navy, 1962-07-31, -

3116471 Radio sonobuoy system, Jesse J Coop, Dec 31, 1963, 367/3, 367/5, 367/113, 367/101, 367/126, 367/115, 318/638 - In the present invention a multi-beam directional hydrophone is utilized in a radio sonobuoy system whereby an immediate quadrant location and an accurate distance measurement of a reflecting object from the multi-beam directional sonobuoy can be obtained from a single pressure pulse generated in the water area of interest. - DIFAR

3444508 Directional sonar system, Ernest A Granfors, Don L Loveless, Charles F Boyle, Harry W Kompanek, Sparton, 1969-05-13, - DIFAR sonobuoy

3727177 Short schuler attitude/heading reference system, F Fuller, D Walters, Navy, 1973-04-10, - orthogonal flux gate magnetometers mounted on a compound pendulum
3818523 Steven L. Stillman
3987404 Underwater Direction Finding System is the patent that defines how a directional (the DI in DIFAR) sonobuoy can be made.

3987404 Underwater Direction Finding System, Sanders, (filed: Nov 3 1967) Issued: Oct 19, 1976, 367/3; 367/125; 367/126 -

"An underwater direction finding system includes a pair of directional hydrophones and a compass in a novel arrangement which associates the signals from all three elements with a single subcarrier. Subsequent demodulation of the subcarrier signals in an airplane or ship then provides directional information directly referrenced to the earth's magnetic coordinates."
Calls:

US2754493	Indicator for Sound Direction Finder	Feb 4, 1955	1956	LIPPEL
US2837730	Deflection Method for CRT	Aug 4, 1952	Jun 3, 1958	IAUAEM
US2867788	Object Locating Systems (sub hunting)	Feb 27, 1943	Jan 6, 1959	HARRY
US3022462	Frequency Modulation Detector System (see below)	Jan 19, 1953	Feb 20, 1962	FREQUENCY MODULATION DETECTOR SYSTEM
US3148351	Directional Hydrophone System (see below)	Jun 12, 1961	Sep 8, 1964	FILTER
US3160850	Underwater Locating Apparatus (Glomar Explorer?)	Dec 27, 1960	Dec 8, 1964	DUDLEY
US3176262	Directional Sonar Systems (dipping SONAR)	Apr 6, 1960	Mar 30, 1965	EHRLICH ETAL, DIRECTIONAL SONAR SYSTEMS Raytheon

Referenced by:


US4872146	May 23, 1988	Oct 3, 1989	Canadian Patents & Development Limited	Method and apparatus for simulating phase coherent signal reflections in media containing randomly distributed targets
US4879694	Mar 4, 1988	Nov 7, 1989	Rockwell International Corporation	Difar demultiplexer circuit
US5253223	Apr 27, 1992	Oct 12, 1993	Den Norske Stats Oljeselskap A.S.	Seismic device
US5265066	Apr 27, 1992	Nov 23, 1993	Den norske stats oljeselskap a.s	Seismic cable
US5442590	Apr 27, 1992	Aug 15, 1995	Den norske stats oljeselskap a.s	Seismic cable device
US6108270	Jul 6, 1999	Aug 22, 2000		Torpedo seeker head having directional detection independent of frequency
US6622647	Jun 26, 2001	Sep 23, 2003		Active noise cancellation for a torpedo seeker head
US8059485	Jun 4, 2008	Nov 15, 2011	NEC Corporation	Communication system, information collecting method and base station apparatus

3461421 Advanced Direction Finding Sonobuoy System, (Collins Radio), Aug 12, 1969, 367/124; 367/3; 367/6; 367/125; 367/126; 367/128

Calls:
2898589 Hemispherical Acoustic Phase Compensator, F.R. Abbott, Aug 4, 1959,
3022462 Frequency Modulation Detector System, Philco, Feb 20, 1962, - sonobuoy to aircraft

sonobuoy includes mag bearing and hydrophone.
Calls:
2476301
2631270

3148351 Directional Hydrophone System, Bartlett Labs, Sep 8, 1964, 367/125; 367/3; 367/124

Calls:
2903673
2946980
2977570
3000078
3027627
3030606

3239799 Sonar Directional Beam Focusing System, GE, Mar 8, 1966,

Referenced by:

			ignee	Title
US4078222	Nov 20, 1969	Mar 7, 1978	The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy	Direction determining apparatus
US4371957	Dec 12, 1969	Feb 1, 1983	Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence	Antisubmarine warfare system
US4604733	Jan 3, 1984	Aug 5, 1986	Westinghouse Electric Corp.	Apparatus for determining range and bearing
US4653033	Oct 4, 1984	Mar 24, 1987	Thomson-CSF	Goniotelemetry system
US4691305	Sep 5, 1985	Sep 1, 1987	The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air force	Automatic attenuator for sonobuoys
US4872146	May 23, 1988	Oct 3, 1989	Canadian Patents & Development Limited	Method and apparatus for simulating phase coherent signal reflections in media containing randomly distributed targets
US4914734	Jul 21, 1989	Apr 3, 1990	The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force	Intensity area correlation addition to terrain radiometric area correlation
US5859915	Apr 30, 1997	Jan 12, 1999	American Technology Corporation	Lighted enhanced bullhorn
US5885129	Mar 25, 1997	Mar 23, 1999	American Technology Corporation	Directable sound and light toy
US7088830	Mar 18, 2002	Aug 8, 2006	American Technology Corporation	Parametric ring emitter
US7109789	Jan 21, 2003	Sep 19, 2006	American Technology Corporation	Modulator—amplifier
US7224219	Sep 18, 2006	May 29, 2007	American Technology Corporation	Modulator-amplifier
US7564981	Oct 21, 2004	Jul 21, 2009	American Technology Corporation	Method of adjusting linear parameters of a parametric ultrasonic signal to reduce non-linearities in decoupled audio output waves and system including same

4017822 Bearing determining apparatus including single channel multiplexing, William T. Rusch, Navy, App: 1969-11-24, SECRET, Pub: 1977-04-12, - DIFAR system

4114137 Directional sonobuoy, Russell I. Mason, John R. Dale, Secretary Of The Navy, Filed: Dec 19, 1974, Pub: Sep 12, 1978, 367/171, 441/1, 441/28 -

Earth's Field Magnetic Detectors

Also see my Flux Gate patents web page.

2252059 Method and a device for determining the magnitudes of magnetic fields, Gustav Barth, Priority Dec 24, 1936, Pub Aug 12, 1941 - rod fluxgate
2560132 Unbalanced magnetometer, Schmitt Otto H, Jul 10, 1951, 324/255, 340/870.33 - second harmonic
2488341 Detection system, Thaddeus Slonczewski, Bell Telephone Labor Inc, Nov 15, 1949, 324/246, 340/870.33, 324/254, 324/253 - moving parts

Calls:
2485931 Magnetic field strength indicator - no moving parts
2468968 Magnetic field strength indicator
2027393 Cathode ray device
2047609 Magnetic field direction and intensity finder
2053154 Direct-current indicator
2438964 Magnetic field detector - second harmonic magnetometer

Magnetic buoy

2397137 Magnetic controlling device, Glennon James B, Maltby Wilson R, Sellman Albert H, filed Jun 25, 1941, pub Mar 26, 1946, 340/850, 324/259, 340/551, 102/417

2644243 Control compass, George E Breeze, Russell I Mason, Us Navy, Filed: Nov 20, 1944, Pub: Jul 7, 1953, 361/280, 33/363.00Q - for use in sonobuoy, eliminates vertical component of Earth's mag field for more accurate mag bearing (for: DIFAR)

3526002 Magnebuoy, Ramond C Waddel, Filing date Mar 31, 1960, Publication dateAug 25, 1970 (maybe withheld secret), 340/852

Reserve Batteries

First generation sonobuoys and radiosondes used Zinc Carbon batteries, like were used to power contemporary tube radios. But within a year or less both sonobuoys and radiosondes switched to water activated reserve batteries.

It's interesting that the radiosonde design treats the battery as a non furnished item to be installed by the end user. They were packaged in sealed tin cans (Wiki) that were vacuum sealed (like coffee) and will last for many decades. But the sonobuoy design has the battery built into the unit and is not at all user serviceable. The sealing I've seen on sonobuoys is not good enough to keep atmospheric moisture from getting to the battery and that means some of the sonobuoys will no work at all or will have a life shorter than expected because of battery degradation.

The reserve batteries used in proximity fuzed artillery shells have the electrolyte sealed in glass ampules and so have a shelf life of many many decades.

Reserve batteries have the electrolyte and anode separated. This allows them to be stored for more than a decade and still retain their full capacity when activated. Example applications are hearing
aid batteries, artillery shells and sonobuoys, weather balloons, torpedoes. Also see Proximity Fuze Reserve Battery glass bulbs (Christmas tree lights)

Salt water activated magnesium

Because of the green particles that can be seen on the black plastic I suspect the chemistry is one of the following in the SSQ-53B:

Magnesium/Cuprous Chloride
Magnesium/Cuprous Iodide-Sulfer
Magnesium/CuprousThiocyanate-Sulfer

Reserve Battery Patents

A reserve battery is one where the electrolyte is stored seperated from the electrodes. They can sit for decades and when activated (heat, water, gas, mechanical force) are then a battery.
Wiki: Water-activated battery

2474716 Salt-water battery, John T Beechlyn, Submarine Signal Co, Filed: Sep 18, 1944 (5 year delay), Pub: Jun 28, 1949, 429/82, 429/94, 429/119 - light buoy. Iron and Magnesium
2491640 Deferred action battery, Ivan C Blake, Lawrence H Harriss, John B Mullen, Burgess Battery, App: 1945-06-20, W.W.II, Pub: 1949-12-20, 429/119; 429/152 - continuous immersion on water OK, for light or radio
2590584 Sea Water Battery, Bel Tel Labs, Mar 25 1952, 429/119; 429/152; 429/231.6 - silver chloride on silver & magnesium electrodes in salt water.
2640090 Battery, Leo E Pucher, William A Cunningham, Willard Storage Battery, 1953-05-26, - water activated reserve battery
2669596 Reserve Battery Enclosure, Navy, Feb 16 1954, 429/8; 116/1; 429/119 -
2684395 Electric battery, Melvin F Chubb, Eagle Picher, 1954-07-20, - for balloon use "The invention is disclosed in relation to battery cells comprising a magnesium metal cuprous chloride couple, with water as the electrolyte."
2699461 Defered Action Battery, Burgess, Jan 11 1955, 429/119; 429/152; 429/162 -
2715652 Electric Battery for Airborne Equipment, Eagle-Picher Co, Aub 16 1955, 429/118; 429/152; 429/162 : -40 to 160 def F operation
3148090 Salt water battery, Saslow Seymour, Espey Mfg & Electronics, 1964-09-08, - polystyrene sheets & seperators - much easier to make and lasts 50% longer
3178316 Reserve Battery, Servel Inc, Apr 13, 1965, 429/119; 429/130; 429/210 -
3343988 Saltwater battery, Jr Lloyd Lowndes Friend, Espey Mfg & Electronics, 1967-09-26, -

A typical specification for a nominal 60-hour sonobuoy battery of the magnesium-silver chloride type will call for a voltage of 15.0+/-0.5 volts when discharged continuously for its full life into a resistive load of 60 ohms (nominal discharge current of 0.250 ampere) under variations in saltwater temperature from 0 C. to --30 C. and under variations in the saline content of the water from 1.5 to 3.0 percent.
A typical magnesium-silver chloride battery specification will call for the output voltage to reach a minimum maintained level of 14.5 volts in 120 seconds after activation under the load conditions described above.

For a nominal 60-hour battery of the magnesium-cuprous chloride type, a typical specification will call for a voltage of 14.6+/-1.0 volts when discharged continuously into a resistive load of 66 ohms (nominal discharge current of 0.212 ampere) under variations in saltwater temperature from 0° C. to -30° C. and under variations in the saline content of the water from 1.5 to 3.6 percent.
A typical magnesium-cuprous chloride battery specification will call for the output voltage to reach a level of 11.0 volts in 60 seconds and a minimum maintained level of 13.6 volts in 180 seconds under the load conditions described above.

3462309 Magnesium anode primary cell, Burton J Wilson, Navy, 1969-08-19, - "... low voltage power sources for operation of sea based devices such as sonar buoys and light beacons. "
3767933 Power Supply having a Plurality of Power Sources that are Sequentially Placed on the Load One at a Time, Oct 23 1973 307/48; 307/66 -
3966497 Seawater Battery, ESB Inc, Jun 29 1976, 429/119 -
4601961 Bilaminar Seawater Battery, Navy, Jul 22, 1986, 429/119; 429/127 -

Calls:
5395707 Environmentally safe water-activated battery, ACR Elec, Mar 7 1995, 429/119; 429/128; 429/130 -

Salt water activated silver chloride

2564495 Deferred action primary battery, John B Mullen, Burgess Battery Co, Filed: Feb 27, 1947, Pub: Aug 14, 1951, 429/119, 429/152 - plain water activation, for radio B+
2637756 Deferred action battery, Joseph J Coleman, Milton E Wilke, Burgess Battery Co, May 5, 1953, 429/119 -
2655551 Magnesium-cuprous chloride reserve battery, Sec of Army, Filed: Jul 31, 1950, Pub: Oct 13, 1953, 429/119, 429/152 - "Deferred action batteries of the magnesium water-cuprous chloride type have attained considerable importance as "meterological' or 'one shot' batteries due to their high capacity per unit of weight and volume, their excellent Operatting characteristics even at low temperatures and their ease of activation with water."
2699461 Deferred action battery, Milton E Wilke, Burgess Battery Co, Jan 11, 1955, 429/119, 429/152, 429/162 - water activated

The following water activated batteries are probably all for uses relating to weather balloons or Radiosonde battery use.
BA-259 Water Activated Battery, NSN: 6135-00-635-6370, Eagle-Picher Ind. Colorado Springs: A: 1.5 & 6 Volts, B: 115 Volts
BA-292.AM Water Activated Battery, NSN: 6223-00-032-2387, Wisco Div, ESB Inc, Raleigh NC - for flashlight bulb on balloon
BA-380/AMQ-9, NSN: 6135-753-2276, Ray-O-Vac division, Mfg Co. Wonewoc, Wisconsin - for AMQ-9

Light, Emergency Sea Rescue Marker

A water activated battery powers a GE 131 flashlight lamp (1.3 Volts, 1.3 Watts, i.e. draws 1 Amp)

Box
Stk. No. 6230-299-5653
Type J-2, with Water Activated Battery.
Spec. MIL-L-7396A(ASG) Application: Life Rafts
One Each Item No. 4
Contract No. AF 30(635)-23525
Fulton Mfg. Corp. Mfg/Contr., Wauseon, Ohio
A-1 A8- 8/61 Reinspection Date.......... 8/64

Plastic Housing
Light Sea Rescue Marker
Type J-2 MIL-L-7368A(ASC)
Specification
Part No. N-45A
Fulton Mfg. Corp.
U.S.
----------------------------------------------
Caution: Do Not Remove Plug for
Inspection.

Photos

Fig 1 Box

Light,
Emergency Sea Rescue Marker Stk. No. 6230-299-5653
Type J-2, with Water Activated Battery. Spec.
MIL-L-7396A(ASG) Applicationi: Life Rafts One Each
Item No. 4 Contract No. AF 30(635)-23525 Fulton Mfg.
Corp. Mfg/Contr., Wauseon, Ohio A-1 A8- 8/61
Reinspection Date.......... 8/64

Fig 2 The Aluminum tube is to protect the plastic
light housing from being broken and is supposed
to be in place when deployed.

Fig 3 There are loose crystals in the left end.
There is a small opening that shows up as a light
circle about where the rubber plug is located.

Light
Sea Rescue Marker Type J-2 MIL-L-7368A(ASC)
Specification Part No. N-45A Fulton Mfg. Corp. U.S.
----------------------------------------------
Caution: Do Not Remove Plug for Inspection.

Related Marker Lights:

SDU-30
SDU-5/E
A-7 AAF Flashlight Floating Identification (on One Man Life Raft web page)

Table of Sonobuoys

Naval Consolidated Sonobuoys @FAS -

Function

Start

End

Links

AN/CRT-1

5 vacuum tubes single channel FM transmitter between 67 & 72 Mhz.
See Roswell Connection below where this was used with "disk microphones" on Project Mogul
CANADIAN LANCASTER - AN/CRT-1 SONOBUOY SYSTEM - drawing of aircraft equipment & buoy
Chapter 16 - SOFAR, HARBOR DEFENSE, AND OTHER SONAR SYSTEMS
Naval History - RADAR - MAD and CRT-1
CRT-1A: 67.7 to 71.7 MHz
CRT-1B: 62.9 to 66.9 MHz

Jun 1942

AN/CRT-4

RDRH
Mechanical rotation of hydrophone (Ref 6) also see SSQ-53 DIFAR patents,

Feb 1943

AN/CRT-1A

6 channels

1944

AN/CRT-1B

separate web page (Differences to -1 and -1A? Let me know)

AN/SSQ-1
1951
Ref 6

upgraded CRT-4
15 kHz to 17 kHz rotating directional, Magnavox, B-size (6-7/8" dia x 5' long). 60 lbs.
The US bought the SSQ-20 (UK T-1946) while the bugs were worked out of the SSQ-1.

SSQ-20
until
1954

SSQ-2
1956
Ref 6

Magnavox & Bell Labs.
Jerry Proc SSQ-2B - 4 blade "rotochute"

15 Feb 1955

1950 start of: LOFAR Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS, Wiki)

SSQ-20

1951

SSQ-2B

Julie explosive

1956

AN/SSQ-15
1961
Ref 6

Julie RO B-size, Tx 26 kHz to 38 kHz CW,

SSQ-23
1957
Ref 6

Julie 100 to 3000 Hz

1956

19 Nov 1964

SSQ-28

Jezebel-LOFAR

1960

19 Nov 1964

SSQ-36

BT Moved to the Bathythermographs\SSQ-36 web page.
The BT sonobuoy is an expendable thermal gradient measurement sonobuoy that operates on one of three or one of 99 Radio Frequency (RF) channels. It consists of a thermistor (Wiki) temperature probe that descends through the bottom of the sonobuoy canister producing a continuous reading of temperature versus depth. The thermistor temperature probe will descend to 1000, 2000, or 2625 feet, depending upon the sonobuoy selected.

2017 Oct 11 - Navy places order for 166,500 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonobuoys - many types including -36, -53, -62, -101, 110, -125, Mk-84

2019 Dec 20 - 600 AN/SSQ-36/53/62 Sonobuoys to Denmark

SSQ-38

30 day omni-directional LOFAR
(replaced SSQ-28)
10 to 6,000 Hz
31 chan

1964

1 June 1961

SSQ-41
1965
Ref 6

single hydrophone, Rx: 10-6000 Hz (-41B Rx: either 10 to 10,000 or 10 to 20,000 Hz)
replaced both SSQ-23 & SSQ-28

1964

SSQ-47
late 1960s
Ref 6

(replaced SSQ-15 Julie explosive system) Tx (once every 10 seconds): 13 kHz to19 kHz
active ping omni directional range only
replaced by SSQ-50

1968

SSQ-48

replacedd by SSQ-41B

26 Feb 1981

SSQ-50
1970s
Ref 6

CASS Command Activated Sonobuoy System, A-size, Pings only on UHF radio command. Tx: 6.5 to 9.5 kHz.
replace the SSQ-47
in 31 Second Generation Channel frequency plan.

SSQ-53
1965
Ref 6

31 RF Channels
10 Hz - 2.4 kHz
90 feet fixed depth

Sep
1967

SSQ-53A
1979 (YouTube)

90 or 1000' depth
1 or 8 hours
YouTube: FixitFrank: SS-Q53A Hydrophone Sonobuoy Teardown Part 1 - Jun 22, 2021, 2:14:40

SSQ-53B

DIFAR
fitted with microprocessor controlled EFS capabilities,
with three depth selections [100, 400 or 1000 feet],
three operating time selections of 1, 3 or 8 hours,
99 vhf channels.

Operation

Before inserting the launch tube into the aircraft chute the sonobuoy is programmed for operational life, channel number and depth by using the SET button. If done incorrectly pulling the TEST plug for a few seconds will allow reprogramming. Power for this comes from a couple of coin cell batteries. The correct programming can be confirmed by pressing and holding the VERIFY button for a couple of seconds.

When forced from the aircraft chute by means of compressed air the lid is blown off the launch tube deploying the parachute on the metal sonobuoy housing. The plastic launch tube stays in the chute.

When the metal sonobuoy (Fig 53-8) impacts the water is starts to sink and water activates the reserve battery. As soon as the battery has power (probably within a few seconds) the squib retaining the large spring allows an arm to puncture a compressed gas bottle inflating the buoy/antenna (Fig 53-17). At the same time, depending on the programmed depth one or both rods (Fig 53-21) are driven down to set the amount of cable that will unspool controlling depth of the sensor. A very short time later the three main components of the sonobuoy are separated as the metal outer housing is blown clear and sinks.

With power the radio transmitter begins to send it's signal.

The duration may be determined by a simple electric timer that shuts off the transmitter after the programmed time, or . . . there may be some provision to do more?

Although very old I believe this unit would still work.

Fig 53-1

SSQ-53B Sonobuoy in Launch Container next
to shipping tube

Launch Tube 5-3/8" diz x 39-5/8" long
dated 5/87 - it's 12/11 now so this is just under 25 years old.
The shipping container probably was left on the ground.
If you know the deployment sequence let me know what it is.

Fig 53-2
Top: Channel (01 to 99), Duration (1, 3 or 8 hrs), Depth (90, 400 or 1000) Ft., Verify

SSQ-53B
Sonobuoy Settings Channel, Duration Launch
Container

What was a transparent membrane has aged and is falling apart. When intact would
provide a moisture barrier so the discussant could keep the inside dry.

Fig 53-3

Sonobuoy Launch Container LAU/126A
NOO 83-86-C-0007
.OT 036

Fig 53-4
LAU/126A Launch Container Cap

Fig 53-5
Cap Off by removing 4 black plastic clips

SSQ-53B Sonobuoy Launch Container
LAU/126A Cap removed

It's not clear how the sonobuoy was programmed and in what order loaded into the aircraft launch chute.

Fig 53-6
Inside the Launch Tube, marked:
Caution: - Disengage before launch
Caution: Spring Loaded

SSQ-53B
Sonobuoy Launch Container LAU/126A after Cap
removed

Fig 53-7
SSQ-53B Ready to launch (string holding spring snare)
The metal SSQ-53B housing is 4-3/4" O.D.
The label just to the right of the depth scale says:
WARNING Remove Plug Prior to Test
EFS Battery may be damaged if pins 1
and 2 are shorted or voltage is
applied across pins 1 and 2.

Voltage applied to pin 3 may cause high velocity ejection of top plate.
Reinstall plug before use.

SSQ-53B Sonobuoy Ready to Launch (string
holding spring snare)

Fig 53-8 With parachute deployed

The gray plastic cap was preyed off instead of submerging in water and dissolving the two metal links?

Fig 53-9
There are three functional parts. The right is the antenna-buoy cover and receiver/transmitter,
the center is cable spools and the bottom (left) is the sensor.

Fig 53-10
Three Major Components:
Left: Radio, Antenna, Battery
Center: cable
Right: Sensor

SSQ-53B
Major Components: 10 Radio, Antenna, Battery,
2) cable, 3) Sensor

Fig 53-11
Sensor, marked:
Sparton Corporation
120-0127-002
Clock Number: 0358 Date 06/03/87
{bar code]
SIN: -67.1 db COS: -68.4 db OMNI: -72.1 db
the latter three parameters are related to the DIFAR aspect of the sensor.
The black cylinder hanging out the bottom is probably the omni hydrophone.

Note: There's a single green/white wire (cable) going to/coming from the sensor. I expect it's a small coax cable, but it remains to be seen.

Fig 53-12 Radio Buoy

SQQ-53B Sonobuoy Radio buoy top
component

Fig 53-13
With cap pulled off and buoy opened, but not inflated.
There appears to be small wire antenna with a resistor at the top.

SSQ-53B
w/buoy pulled out by not inflated

Fig 53-14 Test Socket & Memory Battery
Test Socket cap held by O-Ring, need big pliers to pull/twist it out.
There was a jumper plug in the socket, more later.

Memory Battery and PCBs
There's a big spring that can puncture what's probably a good size CO₂ cylinder in order to inflate the buoy/antenna. There's what looks like a fusible link holding the spring in tension that could trigger the gas.

Also at the bottom of the PCB chamber there are a couple of lever arms that have a resistor wrapped around their ends. If the resistor was exploded (over powered) then it would release these arms to do something (maybe control the depth through the cable spools?

The two coin cells are in the white plastic holder. They provide about 6 Volts and are still good.

On the left board there are three red wires (Battery +), a bare stub where I wiggled off the battery + wire, and a yellow wire (to socket pin 3). The bare wire at the top (just under the coin cells) that's soldered to a lug on the central metal plate is ground (same as the cast metal frame where the battery- wire connects.).
Fig 53-16

Battery

Fig 53-17 Main Battery held to cylinder with double sided foam tape.
1 lb 11 oz. 4-1/4" hi x 3-1/8" w x 2-9/16" d (11 x 8 x 6 cm)
There is a hole on two sides just under the top cover to allow water to enter.

This is a water activated reserve battery. 1986 Mfg date.
Fig 53-18
SSQ-53B Reserve water activated battery
Water Hole

In the other photos you can see green deposits on the inside of the radio/buoy black plastic. I think that's because this reserve battery contains Copper in a form that allows it to escape. This may be a limiting factor for the shelf life. The Copper deposits are probably the result of the failure of the moisture proof membrane that covers the programming push button switches. Once the moisture in the air gets to the reserve battery it's going to become a carrier for the copper and also will lower the battery capacity.

Idea: Rather than depend on the moisture proof membrane (and Desiccant (Wiki)) to keep the reserve battery fresh, it should be in a compartment that's sealed until the metal housing is separated from the launch tube..
2021 July 29 - That idea will not work. The battery must allow sea water to enter the instant the sonobuoy is in the ocean. It will sink below the surface for some distance as the battery activates then when it does activate it will trigger the float. A better idea might be to use peel off plastic like is used on Zinc-Air batteries to keep them fresh. Maybe a way can be found so that happens when the parachute opens?

The two coin cells are still good condition after almost 25 years since this was manufactured.

4262069 Lead chloride battery plate, John L. Devitt, Douglas E. Johnson, Robert S. Willard, Sparton Corporation, Apr 14, 1981 -
Cites:
3468710 Sea water battery, Jerome Goodman, Philip I Krasnow, Nuclear Research Associates, Sep 23, 1969 -
Cites:
2692215 Alkaline dry cell, Ruben Samuel, Oct 19, 1954 -
3005864 Sea water battery, Duncan T Sharpe, Bell Telephone Lab, Filed: Mar 29 (16 year delay), 1945, Pub: Oct 24, 1961 - maybe the Mk 18 torpedo (Wiki)

Fig 53-19 High Pressure Gas bottle to inflate buoy/antenna

SSQ-53B Sonobuoy buoy/antenna high
pressure gas inflation components

There are three PCBs:
Blue: modulator & RF exciter
Green: I/O panel
Tan: RF Power Amp

Fig 53-20 Test Socket Message
SSQ-53B Test Socket Message

Socket Pin	Ohms to Gnd	Ohms to Bat+	Plug
1	1M8	1M8	1-7
2	876k	1M4
3^Note1	>1M	0.2	3-4
4	0.2	405k	3-4
5	1M	1M
6	1M	1M
7	0.1	405k	1-7

Note 1: pin 3 is connected to one side of the squib that can cut the lanyard holding
the arm that will puncture the high pressure gas for deploying the buoy/antenna.

Pins 7 & 4 are connected to the ground bulkhead (0.0 Ohms).
Pin 3 is connected to the red battery wire (0.0 Ohms)

The jumper plug connects:
1 to 7
3 to 4

With the jumper plug removed:
Red test lead to red battery wire (black lead to ground) = 1M00 Ohms
Black test lead to red battery wire (red lead to ground) = 401k Ohms

Pin 1 is connected to the negative (black wire) leading from the two stacked coin cells).
The jumper plug connects pin 1 to pin 7. Pin 7 is connected to the micro controller. So these two pins relate to zeroing the programming.

If you have information on how the test socket is used please let me know.

Fig 53-32 Test Socket Schematic
See Fig 55-29 & Fig 53-31 for photo of Fuse 1 (LE 1A)
SSQ-53B Test Scoket Schematic diagram

A few of possible reasons for placing a fuse directly across the reserve battery. One or more of them might be the reason. For Now I'll just remove the fuse.
1) Shorting the main power supply protects the squibs from being fired by static
or electromagnetic fields (like high power transmitters on board ships).
2) The reserve battery may activate better with a heavily loaded. Note: The
   BA-4386 Magnesium battery needs to see a heavy load in order to fully activate.
3) When the fuse blows the battery is delivering at least 1 amp and that surge current
     would next go to blowing the squibs. This might be more reliable than ramping up
   the squib voltage.

Pins 5 & 6 each connect to one of the pins on the micro controller. The Test plug (cable) probably has a jumper between pins 1 & 7 to connect the EFS (coin cell) battery thus powering the micro controller, and when it's powered up the test socket pins 5 & 6 can be used. But for what? Data In/Out, firmware programming, verification check sum, something to do with the hard wired option jumper to the upper right of the LCD housing? let me know.

Fig 53-21 Buttons (now working) maybe because of cycling the plug.
SSQ-53B EFS labels

Pressing and holding Verify for a couple of seconds will show the function settings.
To change the settings the plug must be removed for a few seconds.
Pressing SET starts the channel number counting 0 to 9 to 0.
Pressing SET fixes the tens digit and the units start counting pressing set fixes the channel number and the life bars start cycling. Pressing SET sets the life and then the depth bars start cycling, pressing SET fixes the depth. Now pressing Verify for a few seconds will display the function settings.

They were set for: 1 hr, chan 63 & 1000'
Now set for 3 hrs, chan 54 and 400'.

Fig 53-22 EFS LCD (plug shown installed)
SSQ-53B EFS LCD Verify

Fig 53-23 Depth Selection
The two levers are either in the position shown or they are pushed toward the center
to select how much cable is deployed. The selection is made by the two blue plastic
actuators using a push (or pull) of the rod with the spring. Note this rod is smooth and would not support a rotary motion. Also the two levers in the bottom of the radio compartment work in an up or down fashion, not in a rotary fashion. See Fig 53-9 and
a close up from it Fig 53-22 below..

Fig 53-24 Close up photo of depth selection blue plastic parts.

SSQ-53B depth selection blue plastic
parts

Fig 53-25 Cutting Squib Wires
Three red wires have been cut deactivating the three squibs so DC power can be applied.

SSQ-53B Cutting Squib Wires to allow
power up

Test Socket Resistance readings after cutting the wires:

Pin	Ohm to Gnd	Ohms to Bat +	Plug
1	1M9	OL	1-7
2	860K	OL
3	>1M	1.9	3-4
4	0.6	>1M	3-4
5	1M0	1M3
6	1M0	1M6
7	0.5	1.9	1-7

Gnd to Batt+ (w/0 Plug) = 1M0
Gnd to Batt+ (w Plug) = 0.7
There is still a dead short across the battery terminals!

pin3 is yellow wire to Battery + terminal (and red wires)
pin 4 is the metal frame (battery -) the black battery wire with the internal tooth lug.
This is confusing.
The hi pres gas squib is 36.2 Ohms.
One of the depth squibs is 18.5 Ohms (red to violet) not to ground.
The other depth squib is 18.3 Ohms (red to blue) not to ground.
These may be 1/8 Watt 18 Ohm resistors. Rated power would be at 1.5 Volts, 10X power at 4.7V, 100X power at 15 Volts, so if the battery is about 15 volts the resistors would fail mechanically.

Note the plug must be installed for the programming to work, so operation without the plug is not an option. The plug has a jumper between pins 3 and 4 that is part of the path shorting the battery + and - terminals.

The coax feeding the antenna reads 42.7 Ohms.(resistor is Yel-Org-Blk-Red)

Fig 53-26 Green Cable
10K0 Ohms either polarity.
This joint is located on the black plastic bottom plate of the Transmitter section.
White to White, Green to Green.
See: Fig 53-10 and Fig 53-12.

How to take apart the transmitter? It may be possible to push everything out the bottom, but that would break the two push button switches. Probably the best way is to saw from top to bottom at two places 180 degrees apart.

Fig 53-27
The switch buttons are mechanical working through a rubber boot and can be pulled
out of the plastic housing.

After letting the top sit overnight after applying some Kroil to the joint between the plastic housing and the metal plate with O-ring seal the assembly pressed out the bottom easily. It was necessary to un-solder the antenna cable and the green wire to isolate the top section.

Fig 53-28 RF Amplifier
Tan PCB from top section
The antenna was connected at the top of this board where the notch is.
Gnd to the left and center to the right of the notch.
This is probably the Tx power amplifier and antenna matching/filtering board.

Fig 53-29 Command and Control Board
Green PCB from top section.
This is the digital board.
I doubt the micro controller is doing anything with the sensor data, so it's
probably running at a very slow clock frequency to conserve power.
So there's no need for a crystal for it.

There are three 2N6724 2 Watt NPN Darlington transistors just to the left of the push buttons used for firing the three squibs. The collectors go to the squibs and all three emitters are connected to the bulkhead ground plate.
Top: RF Amp board depth squib
Center: Synth board depth squib
Bottom: CO2

Maybe the transistor that blows the antenna squib is on the RF amp board? or maybe it's just the battery?

Above the upper right corner of the black plastic LCD housing there is a row of 6 holes and a jumper is installed in the right most of these.
What option is this selecting? Let me know.

Fig 53-30 Synthesizer and Modulator Board
Blue PCB from top section.
This board interfaces with the sensor package.
The crystal at the lower left is marked:
10.2985 MHz. This is a non standard value, see my Crystals web page.
Maybe related to the DIFAR spectrum.
This board seems to be mostly analog in nature.

On the bulkhead plate at the bottom there are the two depth programming levers.
As shown the squibs (resistors) are intact and the lever is held in the down position.
The two rods are spring loaded and trying to lift up. When the squibs are broken
the depth programming rods are forced up by their spring.

At the bottom right the green/white sensor cable can bee seen coming through a hole
and its connection to two pads.

All three squibs measure 500K Ohms to Bat+ and open to Ground. So they are not causing the dead battery short.

The date codes on the ICs are 1984, 1985 & 1987.

6 Jan 2012 - New Idea about the direct battery short.

The short may be part of a Safe And Arm system that would prevent the buoy
from becoming active prior to an actual launch. This may be a common system
used not only on sonobuoys but also things like countermeasures equipment like
flares and chaff dispensers.

If that's the case then something about the pneumatic launch would disable the short.

Fig 53-31 Fuse on digital PCB
This appears to be the cause of the dead short across the reserve battery terminals.

SSQ-53B
1 Amp Fuse Across (shorting) Reserve Battery
Terminals

Power Up (with sensor disconnected, antenna attached)
For about 15 seconds the current is in the 30 ma range then jumps up to150 to 200 ma when the transmitter turns on.
After battery power the Verify button does not work.
The battery voltage appears on the green/white cable.

On reconnecting the green cable between the floating buoy and the sensor.
Buoy
The resistance between the two wires and ground is: left: 1M and right 10k.
The resistance between the two wires and Batt+ is: left: 0.2 and right 1M
Sensor
The resistance between either wire and the sensor metal is an open circuit.
So as of 12 Jan 2012 it's still not clear how to be sure the polarity is correct to reconnect the sensor.

Thanks to Ugo in Italy there are two conductors in the cable, one supplies power to the sensor package (which has input filter caps) and the other is the audio signal to be modulated onto the transmitter. Seawater forms a ground return between the floating transmitter and the sensor. This is confirmed by the book The Ears of Air ASW. pg 241 (Ref 2)

1984

SSQ-53D

Dwarf "G" size version of the B

1991

SSQ-53D

DIFAR only sensor, 90, 400 or 1000 feet, no CFS
-53D(2)
5 Hz - 2.4 kHz
1/2, 1, 2, 4 or 8 hours
-53D(3)
sea state 6
----------------
Ref 32: The AN/SSQ-53D DIFAR sonobuoy incorporates the Electronic Function Select (EFS) capability which provides the operator with the capability of electronically selecting one of the available 99 RF channels, sonobuoy life of one-half, one, two, four, or eight hours, and hydrophone depth of 90, 400, or 1000 feet. The AN/SSQ-53D also has improved suspension, wider sonic response curve, and electronic upgrades compared to previous DIFAR sonobuoys.

2003

SSQ-53E

Digital version
Additional hydrophone @ 45' for CSO
CFS
100, 200, 400 or 1000 feet
AGC
91.44 cm long
-----------------------
Ref 32: The AN/SSQ-53E DIFAR sonobuoy incorporates Command Function Select (CFS). Through CFS, a suitably equipped ASW aircraft can transmit Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio commands to the sonobuoy. These commands select Very High Frequency (VHF) operation (on/off), hydrophone reception (Constant Shallow Omni (CSO)/Normal, Automatic Gain Control (AGC) operation (on/off), and change RF channel frequency. The CSO is an omnidirectional hydrophone positioned at a depth setting of 45 feet. It is less sensitive than the normal DIFAR hydrophone, but is useful against an evasive submarine. AGC selection provides the operator additional flexibility when operating in a noisy environment. The ability to select VHF operation and change RF channels enhances operations in the littoral environment. Also, the AN/SSQ-53E includes an additional 200 feet EFS depth setting.

SSQ-53F

DIFAR, CSO
made by combining the
305 cm long
SSQ-53E & SSQ-57
NSN 5845-01-475-9870
adds CO hydrophone with directional units (replaces SSQ-57)
CFS Rx - single channel UHF
Tx - 96 selectable frequencies (136 - 173.5 MHz), 1W
90, 200, 400, 1000 Ft.
"In order to process the DIFAR 53F, a demodulator strips the NEMA GPS stream off a 30 kHz carrier on each audio channels before transmitting it through a 232 serial interface to the STB (SDR System Test Bed), which has a component that reads this serial stream and parses the associated NEMA GPS messages for use by the system." TM2011-140_i.pdf

2000

SSQ-57A
1970s
Ref 6

Calibrated-LOFAR
-57 Rx: 10 to 10,000 Hz, -57A Rx: 10 to 20,000 Hz.
See separate web page

1972

SSQ-57B

Ref 32: The LOFAR sonobuoy is an expendable, omnidirectional passive sonar unit. It consists of an omnidirectional hydrophone that descends through the bottom of the sonobuoy canister to a pre-selected depth. The LOFAR operates from one of 31 RF channels preset during manufacturing. There is a selectable operating life of one, three, or eight hours and selectable operating depth of 90 or 400 feet.

SSQ-62
late 1970s
Ref 6

DICASS Directional Command Activated Sonobuoy System
FM sweeps (FM-CW allows determining range (Wiki)
99 channel Third generation frequency plan.

1976

SSQ-62B

Ref 32: The AN/SSQ-62B DICASS may be command activated to change depth, to activate sonar transmissions and to scuttle the sonobuoy. The AN/SSQ-62B DICASS operates on one of four preset sonar channels and one of 31 preset RF channels. These channels are preset by the manufacturer and cannot be changed. Upon deployment, the AN/SSQ-62B DICASS will initially deploy to a depth of 90 feet. Upon receipt of a command signal, the transducer will deploy to a depth of 400 or 1500 feet.

SSQ-62C

Ref 32: The AN/SSQ-62C DICASS also operates on one of 86 preset sonar channels. The channels are preset prior to flight to one of 86 preset RF channels that correspond with the preset sonar channel. Upon deployment, the AN/SSQ-62C DICASS will initially deploy to a depth of 90 feet. Upon receipt of a command signal, the transducer will deploy to a depth of 400 feet or 1500/2500 feet. The 1500 or 2500 foot depth option must be selected through the EFS during preflight.

1993

SSQ-62D

Ref 32: The AN/SSQ-62D DICASS has been improved with the replacement of the lithium chemistry battery with a thermal battery. Additionally, the sonobuoy includes the EFS option of selectable depth families. During preflight, either a shallow or deep family of depth option shall be selected. If the shallow family is selected, depth settings of 50, 150, or 300 feet are available. If the deep family is selected, depth settings of 90, 400, and 1500 are available. These depth options provide sufficient flexibility for both littoral and open ocean ASW operations.

SSQ-62E

Command Function Select
Electronic Function Select
96 chan 136.000 - 173.500 MHz
CW Out: 6.5, 7.5, 8.5 or 9.5 kHz
--------------------------
Ref 32: The AN/SSQ-62E DICASS includes the following improvements and modifications to the AN/SSQ-62D DICASS design. It incorporates CFS, allowing a suitably equipped ASW aircraft to transmit UHF radio commands to the sonobuoy. These commands select VHF operation (on/off), change RF channel frequency and associated sonar channel frequency, change sonar frequency independently, and change depth setting. These features all provide enhancements for both deep water and littoral ASW environments. Additionally, the AN/SSQ-62E DICASS will include all four available sonar channel frequencies into a single sonobuoy which provides significant logistics savings.

Sonobuoy Tech Systems

SSQ-77
1970s
Ref 6

VLAD

SSQ-77A
1981
Ref 6

VLAD (Vertical Line Array DIFAR)

1981

SSQ-77B

" more hydrophones, 2 depths, 2 beams
Ref 32: The VLAD sonobuoy is an expendable, omnidirectional passive sonar unit. The VLAD uses a multi-element omnidirectional hydrophone array and a beamforming filter assembly to enhance acoustic sensitivity. The VLAD has a selectable configuration incorporated into the EFS. This allows the operator to select either bottom bounce or convergence zone sound reception. The EFS will also allow selection of one of 99 RF channels, two operating depths of 500 and 1000 feet, and selectable life settings of one, four, or eight hours. In all other respects, the VLAD is comparable to the DIFAR.

1989

SSQ-77C

" adds RF command function selection

SSQ-86

DLC
Ref 32: The DLC sonobuoy is an expendable, acoustic communication device designed to transmit a preprogrammed message to a submerged submarine. It consists of an omnidirectional acoustic transducer that descends through the bottom of the sonobuoy canister to a shallow transmission depth of 75 feet. After completing shallow depth transmissions, the transducer automatically descends to the deep transmission depth of 350 feet. The messages are encoded through the EFS prior to launch. The acoustic transmission frequencies are classified. The message transmission includes an address group, an addressee group, and two word groups. The sonobuoy does not have an RF transmitter.

SSQ-101
early 1990s
Ref 6

ADAR Advanced Deployable Acoustic Receiver
Ref 32: The ADAR sonobuoy is an expendable unit capable of receiving UHF downlink commands and sending real-time beamformed acoustic data via a VHF digital uplink to the monitoring unit. The ADAR will be a free-floating acoustic data receiver that will operate in conjunction with an acoustic source. The buoy will also scuttle automatically upon detection of a low voltage state or completion of its six hour life.

FY97

SSQ-110

Ref 32: The AN/SSQ-110 EER sonobuoy operates on one of 31 selectable RF channels and is composed of two sections. The upper section is called the control buoy and is similar to the upper electronics package of the AN/SSQ-62 DICASS sonobuoy. The lower section consists of two explosive payloads of Class A explosive weighing 4.2 pounds each. The arming and firing mechanism is hydrostatically armed and detonated.

SSQ-110A

EER
MIL-S-29593, 30 July 1997
Ref 32: The EER sonobuoy is an expendable sonobuoy that is a commandable, air-dropped, high source level acoustic source.

The SSQ-110A EER includes the following improvements and modifications to the AN/SSQ-110 EER design. The AN/SSQ-110A EER includes the EFS feature. EFS allows the selection of one of 99 RF channels. Additionally, the sonobuoy adds a classified depth setting for a total number of two depth settings. Upon deployment, the AN/SSQ-110A EER can be sent to its deeper depth setting via UHF radio commands.

30 July 1997

SSQ-120

(Wiki) Transportable Radio Direction-Finding system, ...has HF, VHF, and UHF antennas and direction-finding logic. FBOdaily March 22, 1999

SSQ-125

advanced EER ADLFP sound source
used with: ADAR sonobuoys like SSQ-53F, SSQ-77C and SSQ-101

SSQ-536

SSQ-801

BARRA

SSQ-906

LOFAR Omni

SSQ-926

ALFEA, GPS
5452262 Radio telemetry buoy for long-range communication, James D. Hagerty, Navy, 1995-09-19, - 3 to 6 MHz Rx/Tx, GPS Rx, 162 to 173 Tx.

SSQ-937

SSQ-954

DIFAR

SSQ-955

HIDAR

SSQ-963D

CAMBS

Janes

SSQ-981

BARRA

SUS: Signal Underwater Sound (see SUS Mk 84 web page)

ARR-52 sonobuoy Aircraft Receiver

The ARR-52 was a 16 channel receiver and the ARR-52A is a 32 channel receiver. (See: RxControl: ARR52A)

R-1170/ARR-52A

The internal modules have markings like:

Module 1	p/o R1170/ARR-52A	16 Tuning caps for crystal oscillators
Module 2	R-962 A/ARR-52
Module3	R-962 A/ARR-52
Module4	R-962 A/ARR-52
Module5	R-962 A/ARR-52

This suggests the ARR-52 (no letter) was made up of modules which were all marked R-962 A/ARR-52.
The R-962/ARR-52 has NSN: 5845-00-835-6218 and is 11.687x7.437x2.187", runs on 18 VDC, 16 channels (?) between 162.0 - 174.0, F9
The R-1170/ARR-52A has NSN 5845-00-999-6284 (4 March 1966)

Fig 1 Front Test Points: AGC, Disc & AFC.	Fig 2 Back antenna and system connectors.	Fig 3 Inside Top View
Fig 4 Inside Bottom View	Fig 5 Module 1 has 16 crystals on each side (32 total)	Fig 6 Module 2 Function???? (blank back side)
Fig 7 Module 3 Guess 5 MHz second IF (blank back side)	Fig 8 Module 4 Guess 26 MHz first IF	Fig 9 Module 4 Guess 26 MHz first IF
Fig 10 Module 5 Guess power supply & audio amp DE-9P-C7 on DB-15 connector	Fig 11 Module 5 Guess power supply & audio amp	Fig 12 Chassis with 26 Mhz filter between Module 1 and Module 4. 5 MHz filter between Module 4 (cap to Module 1) and Module 3.
Fig 13 Module

CQ magazine October 1974, Conversion to 2 meters?
Some info from Radio Nerds:

ARR-52,A	R-962/1170 Sonobuoy Receiver  162.5-173.5 MC  AM-FM-Video 
 AM-2375,76/	ARR-52 RF Amps.
 ARM-53		ARR-52 Test Set
 AT-933/	ARR-52 Antenna (2 used)
 C-3109,10*/	R-962/ Control Boxes, 4 & 2 Signal Channels, 16 RF Channels
 C-4505,06*/	R-1170/ Control Boxes, 4 & 2 Signal Channels, 31 RF Channels NSN: 5845-00-999-6285
 C-4506         NSN: 5845-00-999-6286
 MT-2258/	ARR-52 4-Receiver Rack Case
 MT-2259/	ARR-52 Shockmount for MT-2258/
 PP-2479/	ARR-52 PS 115 VAC & 28 VDC in, -6, +18, +135 VDC out
 RD-53/ARH	ARR-52 Bathythermograph Recorder  U/W AM-1569/ARR-26 & IP-347/
 SB-1084,85/	Signal Level Meters, 4 & 2 Channels

ARR-52 Patents

Channel select rotary solenoid - about 1-18" diameter.
2496880 Magnetically operated device, George H Leland, 1950-02-07, - first application was for air dropped bomb fuzes - "Ledex" is the brand name, Channel select rotary solenoid
2501950 Commutating switch mechanism, George H Leland, 1950-03-28, - Channel select rotary solenoid
2790153 Polarized electrical plug and socket connector having a plurality of contacts, Samuel L Arson, Cannon Electric Co, 1957-04-23- the original DB connector series? the prior patents used a rectangular array of contacts and something other than the contacts to prevent installing 180 degrees from the correct orientation, such as male and female threads on the screws.

General Sonobuoy Receiver Patents

3778728 Phaselocked-fm detector apparatus, R Nupp, EDMAC ASS, 1973-12-11, -
3845402 Sonobuoy receiver system, floating coupler, R Nupp, EDMAC ASS, 1974-10-29, -

ARR-75

Other Sonobuoy Aircraft Systems

An Aircraft Control Panel for ASA-20 Julie explosive echo ranging device & AQA-1 Sonobuoy Indicator/Tracker,
YouTube: Sonobuoy Indicator Group AN/AQA-1 Operation ~ 1961 US Navy; Lockheed P-2 Neptune (17:34) - works with SSQ-15 Range-only (RO) Echo-ranging, SSQ-20 Directional Listening (DL) or SSQ-2B Non-directional Listening (eXplosive echo Ranging: XR) sonobuoys.

ASA-20 Control
Drift - Compute - Reset

PDI (Pulse Doppler Indicator): BDHI (Bearing Distance Heading Indicator): Marker 1 to 6, GTP: Marker 1 to 6 Insert

ASA-20 or AQA-1                                                        ASA-20 or AQA-1
                                                  A-B: 1 to 6
Computer
Ellipse
                   A: Off to 6                   Data Release                B: Off to 6

ASA-31 Julie Control Panel
ASA-31
Julie Sonobuoy Control Panel

Julie Control

ASA-20 Sonobuoy Recorder "Jezebel".

The AQA-5 is a 4 channel paper chart recorder.
Youtube video: AN/AQA-5 Acoustic Charts Recorder 1:16 - monitors 4 sonobuoys in parallel
P-3 Orion Aircraft - Walk Around -

BDHI: Bearing Distance Heading Indicator
PDI: Pulse Doppler Illuminator
3582871 Ellipictal Computer System, Morris Snyder (Navy), Jun 1, 1971, 367/3; 367/107; 701/300; 708/801 - determines sub position using sonobuoys

AN/ARR-502 Multichannel Sonobuoy Receiver (data sheet, data sheet)

AQA-7(V)1/2 Directional Acoustic-Frequency Analysis and Recording System (DIFAR)

ASQ-114 digital computer has a memory loaded with a large number of sound profiles of submarines and radar- and radio signals for comparing ESM measurements

Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) replaced the Low Light Level TeleVision system (LLLTV)

ASR-3 Sonobuoy Reference System (SRS) - used multiple antennas to determine bearing to sonobuoy
Digital magnetic Tape System (DMTS) -

Integrated Acoustic Communication System (IACS) - sub coms

Litton LTN-72 navigation system used with the INS and Doppler navigation systems

ALR-66 (Wiki) ESM systems (Wiki) using the Adaptive Controlled Phased Array System (ACPA) (ESM is closely related to RWR)

Deinterleaver Technology for Future ESM systems, Dec 1992 NSWC - each pulse received from a single emitter can be agile in frequency, pulse width, pulse amplitude, pulse repetition interval, but not direction. So using the Pulse Descriptor Word from the ESM sensor a future deinterleaver can sort out each emitter and differentiate between friendly and hostile emitters. ESM systems mentioned:
Racal SADIE
IBM Associative Comparator
Anaren ESM Processor
ALQ-32 Inner Processor

Instantaneous Frequency Measurement (IFM) receivers are part of the ESM sensor. But this type of receiver can have problems with two signals at the same time or with a CW signal anywhere in it's frequency range. The proposed configuration is to use narrow band receivers (many channels) and for each channel two paths, one for angle of arrival and the other for characterization of the received signal.

Bathythermograph (Wiki: BT)

Sippican

Makes surface launched Expendable eXpendable BathyThermographs as well as models for use on submarines SSXBT.

1^st Generation

I think this outdoor intrusion sensor was made by modifying a sonobuoy. The Automatic Radio Frequency Buoy (ARFBUOY) may be this unit or something very similar.
See Popular Mechanics March 1976 "War watch in the Sinai" references the "electronic battlefield" aka the "McNamara Line" (Wiki). Mentions sensors:

MAGID - Magnetic Intrusion Detector can discriminate between T-48 and T-60 tank or between 2-1/2 Ton and 5 Ton truck.
Noiseless Button Bomblet (NBB) - a transmitter triggered my the slightest movement
T-4 - senses RF from vehicle ignition systems.
MINISID III - combines a geophone with another sensor (an IR beam breaker for example) and does not transmit an alarm until both sensors are being triggered.

See the web page: http://1stwave553rdreconwing.com/AboutUs.html
and/or search on keywords: John T. Correll, Igloo White (Wiki), the McNamara Line (Wiki),
AF Magazine Nov 2004 - Igloo White the quotes below are from this article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igloo_White#Sensors_and_Weapons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McNamara_Line

The barrier would consist of a 20,000 air dropped listening devices combined with 240,000,000 Gravel mine and 300,000,000 Button mines and 19,200 Sadeye cluster bombs at a cost of around one billion dollars a year, not including 1.6 billion dollars for research and development, and the construction of a 600 million dollar command center in Thailand.

Spikebuoy - seismic sensor

"The Spikebuoy (66 inches long, 40 pounds) planted itself in the ground like a lawn dart. Only the antenna, which looked like the stalks of weeds, was left showing above ground."
3995223 Seismic-acoustic detection device, George A. Gimber, Edward J. Cotilla, Salvatore R. Picard, Robert F. Starry, Secretary Of The Navy, Nov 30, 1976 (7 year delay), 327/25, 181/122, 367/93 -
5054006 Seismic-acoustic detection device, George A. Gimber, Edward J. Cotilla, Salvatore R. Picard, Robert F. Starry, Secretary Of The Navy, Oct 1, 1991 (21 year delay), 367/136 -

ADSID

(Air-Delivered Seismic Intrusion Detector) sensed earth motion to detect people and vehicles. It resembled the Spikebuoy, except it was smaller and lighter (31 inches long, 25 pounds). It was the most widely used sensor in the program.

Acoubuoy - microphone

"The Acoubuoy (36 inches long, 26 pounds) floated down by camouflaged parachute and caught in the trees, where it hung to listen."

Arfbuoy - repeater

Photos courtesy of Dennis Starks

ARFBUOY Acoubuoy This is an 18 pound steel cylinder 4-3/4"x22". It's designed to be air dropped with a drag chute and get hung up in the trees. There is a central tape whip and four ground plane tape whips each 17" long. which is a quarter wave at about 190 MHz.

The central gold colored thing is the microphone. Note all the holes in the front to let sound in and protect the microphone from tree limbs.
	Battery This is a battery type I don't recognize. If you know about it please let me know what it is.	Sound Observer (Locator) Remote Microphone. It's identical to the mike in the Acoubuoy. This is the same mike that's in the photo at left with the question mark. The 5 socket connector is marked: 7004 Deutsh DBA36-10-5SN-10-6032 The contacts are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 (but no 5). There's a knurled and slotted screw head on the back that can be unscrewed about 1 turn, maybe to normalizing the pressure inside to match atmospheric. See RT-1185 for a similar application. Maybe one of the applications was to locate enemy small arms or big guns?

3704764 Air deliverable seismic system, Harold B Henderson, Texas Instruments Inc, Filed: 1969-12-23, Pub: 1972-12-05 - a motor rotates a cylinder until a pendulum is plumb, then feet extend and the antenna is raised. Note TI and Vietnam time frame. What is this? Let me know. Has the feel of "Metalhead" the dog robot in Black Mirror (YouTube).

Does not call other patents but is cited by:
5434828 Stabilizer for geophone, Roger M. Logan, Ion Geophysical Corp, 1995-07-18 - adds bumps so it will not roll around when on the bottom under water.
6531965 Modular open system architecture for unattended ground sensors, Stephen G. Kaiser, Mark D. Hischke, Shannon Mary Nelson, Stuart J. Collar, Dana Lynn Bourbonnais, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp, 2003-03-11 - the sensor modules look like those on the GSQ-154 & GSQ0160. "unattended ground sensor" (Wiki) mentioned many times.
History of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory - page with mention of UGS.
6823262 Method for conducting seismic surveys utilizing an aircraft deployed seismic source, Phillip Andrew Bahorich, Michael Stephen Bahorich, Apache Corp, 2004-11-23 - plane drops iron bomb w/o explosives, just it's weight hitting the ground makes the signal.
6831699 Deployable monitoring device having self-righting housing and associated method, Yu-Wen Chang, William Grainger, Michael Johnson, William Traeger, Pablo De Los Rios, William Osterholm, Chang Ind Inc, 2004-12-14 - egg shaped device with TV camera.
20060010998 Autonomous reconnaissance sonde, and method for deployment thereof, Roke Manor Research Ltd, 2008-05-20 - based on TV camera in Clay pigeon (Wiki).
WO2016139503 - sounds like a seismic sensor glues itself to the ground

Mines for Noise

The Turd, Gravel Mines (Wiki), and the BLU-43 Dragontooth (Wiki) were used as part of Operation Igloo White (Wiki).
More about land mines at Blasting Machines/M21 Training Land Mine -

USQ-42 Receiver

R-1617A/USQ-46 Receiver

Description

Operation

When powered there is no indication on the front panel that the receiver is working. Pressing the test buttons to the right of the display will light up each row of digits if the DIM control is clockwise. If a handset is connected and the SQUELCH is turned down you can hear hissing in the speaker.

GSQ-171

An eBay ad showed the GSQ-171 beside the USQ-46 receiver. It has what appear to be Vietnamese markings.
What is this: Contact me

TS-2963 Test Set (Transmitter)

PP-6446A/USQ-46 Power Supply (Receiver, Test Set)

The following two units use "modular cylindrical building blocks).

2422337 Submarine Detecting Buoy, C. Chilowsky, Jun 17 1947, 367/4; 441/11; 441/25; 441/26; 441/28; 455/99 -

Calls:
1249486 Sunken Ship Locating Device, Dec 11, 1917, 441/25; 242/156; 441/26 -
1195317 Observation-buoy and Fire Control for Floating Mines, Aug 22 1916,
1426337 Signaling Apparatus for Detecting Submarines, Aug 15 1922,

455/97; 102/402; 114/240.00R; 174/77.00R; 174/138.00R; 174/153.00R; 200/83.00R; 294/111; 313/243; 313/553; 343/709; 343/896; 441/11; 455/99 -
- sub hits net closing circuit keying a transmitter that uses a code wheel to identify it's serial number.

1427560 Means for Detecting Submarines, Aug 29, 1922, - another net type
1430162 Apparatus for Detecting and Indicating the Presence of Submaring Boats, Sep 26, 1922
1466284 Detecting System, (Western Electric) Aug 28, 1923, 367/122; 340/384.1 - multiple zone vibration detection
1610779 Signalling Apparatus, (GE) Dec 14 1926, -
1749444 Signal System, - police
2320610 Apparatus for Detecting and Indicating the Presence of Submarine Boats - net type

2438926

Magnetostrictive supersonic transducer,

Mott Edward E,

Bell Telephone Labs Inc,

Apr 6, 1948,

367/168, 381/190, 335/215, 310/26

2417830

Compressional wave signaling device

2444069 System for receiving sounds in the presence of disturbing noises, Leon J Sivian, Bell Labs, App:1945-03-02, Pub: 1948-06-29, - null out own ship's propeller noise to allow hearing distant sub noises.
2448713

Radio listening buoy,

Hansell Clarence W, Rca Corp, Dec 2, 1944, Sep 7, 1948, 367/3, 343/709, 441/13, 455/99, 343/702

2465696 Method and Means for Surveying Geological Formations, LeCoy C Paslay, Mar 29 1949, 367/23; 114/245; 346/33.00C; 367/16; 367/20; 367/155 -

Calls:
1378960 Method and Apparatus for Detecting Under Water Vibrations, J.W. Horton (WE), May 24 1921, 367/130 - submarine specific
1584613 Wave Detector, D.F. Comstock et al, May 11 1929, 367/130; 361/280; 361/283.1; 361/285; 367/129; 367/154 - sub detection directional array of sensors
2212988 Apparatus for Transmitting and Recording Shot Moments, D.K. Kirt (Gulf Oil R&D), Aug 27 1940, 367/77; 367/55 - seismograph prospecting
2241428 Apparatus for Underwater Seismic Surveying, D. Silverman (Standard Oil), May 1941,
2283200 Method and Apparatus for Subsurface Mining, J.W. Flode, 1942 - seismograph prospecting
2324378 submarine Prospecting, J.W. Flude, 1943 - seismograph prospecting
2440903 Underwater Transducer, F. Massa (Brush Dev Co), May 4 1948, 367/160; 381/163; 381/190 - piezoelectric or magnetostrictive transducers in towable rubber hose.

2511689 Submarine signaling apparatus, John T Beechlyn, Raytheon, 1950-06-13, - various designs of magnetostriction using multiple elements

2521136

Hydrophone,

A. Thuras, (USA) Sep 5, 1950, 310/26, 381/190, 367/168, 381/163

2593432

Automatically operated radio buoy,

Freas Raymond L,

Apr 22, 1952,

455/96, 455/99, 244/149, 455/91, 343/705, 455/98, 441/11, 455/97, 343/709, 367/4, 343/902

Falls straight down from aircraft over water. Rights itself, an explosive extends the telescoping antenna, sends distress signal, after timer scuttles.

2637862 Buoyant chamber scuttling device, Raymond L Freas, 1953-05-12, -

2629083 Expendable radiosonic buoy, Barkson Joseph A, Mason Russell I, Mcnary James C, Filed: Sep 21, 1944, Pub: Feb 17, 1953, 367/3, 343/709, 455/99, 441/33, 441/23, 343/705, 343/901 -

2641751 Hydrophone Casing, (Navy), 367/173, Jun 1953 -

Calls:
806730 Device for locating and recovering sunken articles, Dec 5, 1905
1252877 Means for indicating the position of self-propelled vessels, Jan 8, 1918 - buoy released from practice torpedo at end of its run
1292755 Submarine detector or telltale, Jan 28, 1919 - net with alarm
1427560 Means for detecting submarine boats, Sperry Elmer A, Aug 29, 1922 - net with alarm
2261513 Mechanical boat lifter and indicator, Nov 4, 1941 -
2361177 Method and apparatus for the detection of submarines by airplanes, Oct 24, 1944 - fly in circle with long cable attached to hydrophone
2396960 Means for locating lost aircraft Mar 19, 1946 -

2644243 Control Compass, (Navy), 361/280; 33/363.00Q, Jul 1953 -

Calls:
1639000 Wave modulation, Western Electric Co, Aug 16, 1927 -
2036833 Tuning condenser arrangement
2116103 Compass for automatic pilots, May 3, 1938 -
2277027 Telemetric system, West Instr Co Inc, Mar 24, 1942 - servo compass repeater
2319212 Photoelectric control device, May 18, 1943 - used to read compass rose
2346839 Baking utensil?
2363500 Gyro magnetic compass system, Sperry Gyroscope Co Inc, Nov 28, 1944 -

2749436 Sonobuoy, R.H. Rines et al, Jun 5 1956, 455/99; 342/6; 367/3; 455/91; 455/107; 455/116; 455/129 -

Calls:
2063944 Means for Locating Crashed Airplanes, Jan 22, 1957, 116/210; 244/1.00R; 244/137.1 - based on sonobuoy technology
2063945 Diaphragm and Method
2063946 Sound Communication System
2063947 Compensator
2539594 System and Method of Communication
2361177 Method and Apparatus for the Detection of Submarines by Airplanes, C. Cilowsky, Oct 24 1944, - flying in circle lowers cable with hydrophone
2397844 Signaling Apparatus, W.W. Dewhurst (RCA), Apr 2, 1946, 367/3; 73/322.5; 114/198; 138/89; 441/11; 455/99; D10/107 - sub Tx buoy
2422337
2448713 Radio Listening Buoy, (RCA), Sep 7, 1948, 367/3; 343/702; 343/709; 441/13; 455/99 - very early sonobuoy
2448787 Apparatus for Detecting and Locating Enemy Vesels, (Ferrel Ind), Sep 7, 1948, - above surface microphone(the wrong place)

2758203

Sonobuoy,

Harris Wilbur T, Harris Transducer Corp, Aug 7, 1956, 455/99, 342/5, 367/4 - shock absorber in cable to reduce noise & hydrophone electronics in descending pod, not in floating part
2760180 Long range explosive sonobuoy, George Sipkin, Filed: Oct 6, 1949, Pub: Aug 21, 1956, 367/2, 102/390, 367/133, 367/127 - EER type Underwater Sound Source
2790186 Sono-buoy stabilizer, Lawrence T Carapellotti, Navy, 1957-04-30, - To obtain stability of a sono-buoy when floated in water, it is necessary to place the center of gravity of the buoy well below the center of buoyancy. . . . .the static center of gravity is not materially altered, but wherein the dynamic center of gravity is placed well below the center of buoyancy." without adding weight. This is done be allowing water to enter the cavity left when the cable spool drops down.
2817909 Training Device for Operators of Underwater Detection Appratus, B.M. Taylor, et al, Dec 31 1957, 434/9; 434/10

Calls:
1731127 Signal Control System (railroad), Oct 8 1929
1859423 Sound Recording - multiple needles for echos
2039405 Remote Metering System (AT&T) -
2066156 signaling Means, Apr 25 1929, - relative motion
2206156 Conveyer?
2206036 Distance Measuring Apparatus and System, J. Herson, Jly 2 1940, - optical aircraft altitude blind landing
2329612 Apparatus for Training Aircraft Pilots, G.E. Hill et al, Sep 14 1943, - includes real time position output
2332523 Ground Track Tracer and Landing Recorder, E. Norden et al, Oct 26 1943, - servo controled pen recorders
2358793 Navigation Instruction Device, C.J. Crane, Sep 26 1944, - scaled movement of student over floor
2373560 Sound Recording Method and Apparatus, J.M. Hanert (Hammond Inst Co), Apr 10 1945 - adding vibrato
2375004 Training Apparatus, May 1 1945 - sound and recoil of a real gun
2444477 Automatic Miniature Radio Range (A-N), 1948 - used with pen recorder
2452038 Photoelectric Radio Compass Trainer Control, 1948 - based on scale map
2459150 Interception Trainer 1949 - call "Link" patents: 1825462, 2099857

2828475 Remote Control or Measurement Indicating Means, (Sec of Navy), Mar 19 1958 - Sonobuoy that adds direction to sound in addition to just omni directional listening

Calls:
1571006 Signaling system, Western Electric Co, Priority: Sep 8, 1920 (16 year delay) Pub: Jan 26, 1926 - motor based secret signaling
1592940 Secret signaling, Western Electric Co, Priority: Sep 9, 1920 (16 year delay) Pub: Jul 20, 1926 - motor based secret signaling
1718497 Telemetric system, Gen Electric, Jun 25, 1929 - servo remote indicating
1732741 Duplex radio transmission system, Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co, Oct 22, 1929 - combined audio & coded signals from a single source
1913512 Meteorological indicator, Jun 13, 1933 - radio transmitter hung below tethered - early radiosonde
1928969 Well survey instrument, Union Oil Co, Oct 3, 1933 - probe in pipe sends attitude info to surface
2089987 Means for operating a repeating device, Pioneer Instr Co Inc, Aug 17, 1937 -
2103847 Signaling, RCA - HF radio multiplex, Dec 28, 1937
2151747 Receiving system, Westinghouse, Mar 28, 1939 - simultaneously receives AM and FM signals
2177493 Fire detecting apparatus, works by photocell seeing movement of light
2316317 Frequency-responsive network, Hazeltine, Apr 13, 1943 - FM receiver for narrow band modulation ( 1 kHz)
2334704 Automatic pilot, Nov 23, 1943, uses magnetic sensors to control frequency generator (very similar to how DIFAR encodes direction)
2357975 Frequency modulation system, Rca, Sep 12, 1944 - receiver suitable for both AM and FM reception
2361177 Method and apparatus for the detection of submarines by airplanes, Constantin Chilowsky, Oct 24, 1944 - see MAD patents
2448787 Apparatus for detecting and locating enemy vessels, Ferrel Ind, Sep 7, 1948 - rotating hydrophone and radio transmitter (DIFAR)

calls:
1610779 Signaling apparatus, Gen Electric, Dec 14, 1926 - an underwater device that sends a signal when it receives a signal. aimed at ship positioning, but could also be used for sub detection? A number of patents reference this on.

2838741 Underwater sound detection system, Warren P Mason, Bell Labs, 1958-06-10, - SOSUS (Wiki) idea started in 1949) this is the correct time frame.

for use on a continental shelf where there's constant depth where the low frequency cutoff is given by f = v/4H.
If H = 1640 feet (500 meters) (Wiki: Blake Plateau) and v = 1500 meters/second; then
f = 1500/(4*500) = .75 per second or about 1 Hz.
This is very similar if not identical to waveguide propagation modes (Wiki).

Uses a shore station.
Cites:
2432083 Hydrophone Jr Robert Black, Frank F Romanow, Oscar A Shann, Bell Labs, App: 1942-12-08, W.W.II, Pub: 1947-12-09, -

3022448 Modular sub-assembly, Feb 1962
3061249 Floating means, Chipperfield Victor James, Ultra Electronics, 1962-10-30, - parachute or roto-chute, bag that's inflated to form a float,
3081466 Scuttling device, Paul C Bailey, Navy, 1963-03-19, - dissolving plug below water line
3093808 Air-dropped miniature sonobuoy, Gimber George A, Scarcelli Albert F, Tatnall George J, Secretary of the Navy , Jun 11, 1963, 367/4, 441/33, 441/25, 343/709, 455/99 - Prior art sonobuoys were 3' long, 5" diameter and weighed 16 to 20 pounds limiting aircraft time on station and had a max depth of about 50'. This one is 15" long, about 3" dia and weighs about 5 pounds with a max depth of 300'.
3116471 Radio sonobuoy system, Jesse J Coop, Dec 31, 1963, 367/3, 367/5, 367/113, 367/101, 367/126, 367/115, 318/638 - In the present invention a multi-beam directional hydrophone is utilized in a radio sonobuoy system whereby an immediate quadrant location and an accurate distance measurement of a reflecting object from the multi-beam directional sonobuoy can be obtained from a single pressure pulse generated in the water area of interest. - DIFAR
3132322

Radiosonic buoys,

Guy Maes, Electronique Appliquee, Feb 9, 1959, May 5, 1964, 367/4, 340/870.28, 343/710, 441/23, 455/127.1, 455/99, 441/11, 340/870.1, 343/880
3140886 Coupling Device, E.J. Cotilla, George A. Gimber, Navy, July 14, 1964, - for separating the float from the hydrophone,
3213409 Condition selector apparatus, Paul C Bailey, George A Gimber, Navy, Aug 19, 1963, -
3234503 Drag chute and flotation device, Francis X Wojciechowski, Harald E Karlson, Hoffman Electronics, 1966-02-08, - parachute is onion shaped and (1) pulls out telescoping antenna and (2) acts as a float. -I question if it would last as long as the battery, also if it would work after the sonobuoy goes down ten or twenty feet.
3262094 Discontinuous hollow cylindrical transducer, Leon W Camp, Bendix, 1966-07-19, - polarized magnetostriction transducer 7 to 10 kHz
3276049 Deep water buoyancy apparatus, Thomas E Stixrud, Navy, 1966-10-04, - "A more particular object of this invention is to provide a deep water buoy which utilizes the vaporization of a liquid gas as a source of buoyancy. "
3281765 Minature Sonobuoy and Cable (ITT), Oct 25, 1966 - small dia (0.030") cable which acts as a spring, Ni-Cad batt charged prior to use.

Calls:
2422337
2641751 Hydrophne Casing, Bernier Jr Hector F, Mason Russell I, Ripken John F, Us Navy, Filed: May 11, 1944, Pub: Jun 9, 1953, 367/173 - about playing out the line supporting hte hydrophone below the buoy.
3093808 Air Dropped Miniature Sonobuoy, (Navy), Jun 11, 1963, 367/4; 343/709; 441/25; 441/33; 455/99 -

3290642 Directional Sonobuoy, (Navy), Dec 6, 1966, 367/4; 367/120; 367/129; 441/33 - weight driven rotating sensors

3309649 Sonobuoy with Depth Selection Capabilities, Sanders Assoc, Mar 14 1967, 367/4; 441/33 - spherical shape
3328750 Entrapped air flotation device, George A Gimber, Roy L Shipman, Navy, June 27, 1967, - instead of using a CO2 cartridge
3355544 Small diameter high tensile strength coaxial electrical cable, Vivian G Costley James E Cottrell, Navy, 1967-11-28, - "...diameter of no greater than approximately 70 mils and a tensile strength in excess of approximately 150 p.s. i. for suspending a hydrophone assembly of a sonobuoy...", "This invention relates to low noise electrical cables and more particularly to a new and improved coaxial conductor of such construction as to have a small diameter, reasonably low attenuation for a 400 kc. electrical signal, watertight under high hydrostatic pressures and yet being capable of supporting high tensile loads. "...predetermined depth many thousands of feet below the water's surface."
3377615

Compliant suspension system,

Sparton Corp, Apr 9, 1968
3460058 Radio Sonobuoy, Ronald H Taplin, ITT, Aug 5, 1969, 367/4 - operates below thermocline, uses rotochute, hydrophone at 12,000' down.
3480907 Neutrally buoyant hydrophone streamer, Joel D King, Texas Instruments, 1969-11-25, - used in towed linear array
3517378 Underwater long-distance sound-detection system, Barrett Robert E, Us Navy, Filed: Nov 6, 1959, (11 year dealy), Pub: Jun 23, 1970, 367/2, 367/134 - EER explosive
3526002 Magnebuoy, Ramond C Waddel, 1970-08-25, - Proton Precession (kerosene) (Wiki)
3646505 Automatically deployable sonobuoy, Woodrow P Kirby, Naval Air Systems Cmd, 1972-02-29, - Rotochute, directional hydrophone (41), maybe the SSQ-2?
3671928 Automatically energizable Sonobuoy, Aquatronics, Jun 20 1972, 367/4; 441/11; 441/33 - some similarity to acoubuoy.
3720909 Directional Hydrophone System, Spartan Corp, Mar 13 1973, 367/173 - seismic sensors in sonobuoy

Calls:
3451040 Spring Suspension for a Low-frequency Geophone, W.R. Johnson, )MarkProd Inc), Jun 17 1969, 367/183 -

Calls:
2751573
3344397

2390328 Directional Seismograph Pickup, R.J. Roberts (Std Oil), Dec 4, 1945, 367/185; 340/870.35 -
2856594 Seismic Detector, K.W. McLoad (Vector Mfg), Oct 14 1958, 367/154; 73/652 - underwater
3325778 Seismic Sonobuoy, S.S. Ballard (Sanders Assoc), Jun 13, 1967, 367/21; 330/51; 330/124.00R; 330/278; 367/66; 455/99 -

3377615	April 1968	Lutes
3281765	October 1966	Taplin
2435587	February 1948	Harry
3372368	March 1968	Dale et al.
3539979	November 1970	Crall

3724374 Underwater sound source, Smith D, Somerville J, Yaccarino J, Us Navy, Apr 3, 1973, 181/116, 367/3, 367/145, 102/417 - used with sonobuoys, multiple charges triggered by radio from the aircraft
3786403 Underwater Acoustical Detection, Navy, Jan 1, 1974, 367/4; 441/25; 441/26 - (Search-In-DEpth Concept of Acoustic Ranging = SIDECAR),

Calls:
app 549209 Apr 19 1966 A.S. Will et al
app 452460 Apr 18 1965 Urick et al
app 502713 Oct 22 1965 Urick

2422337	June 1947	Chilowsky	Submarine detecting buoy
3222634	December 1965	Foster	Underwater locating device
3275976	September 1966	Farmer	Bottom release mechanism for a sonobuoy

4057778
Built-in test equipment for sonobuoy, Albert
M. Bates, Anthony J. Madera, Navy, 1977-11-08

Calibrators & Test Sets

3875548 Calibrator plug-in-module for sonobuoy, Robert S Acks, Navy, 1975-04-01, - inserted between the hydrophone and sonobuoy (how?).

4057778 Built-in test equipment for sonobuoy, Albert M. Bates, Anthony J. Madera, Navy, 1977-11-08, - for DIFAR
Includes block diagram of DIFAR sonobuy shown at left.
4092627 Calibration circuit for expendable sonobuoys, Donald Murdock, Thomas E. Stixrud, Navy, 1978-05-30, - a 10 Ohm resistor between the hydrophone and ground is driven from a high value resistor to supply a 10 Hz test signal for one minute every 17 minutes.
4393483 Test set for a directional command active sonobuoy system (DICASS), David C. Hammond, Stephen M. Elchenko, John M. Tralies, Peter W. Verburgt, Leon R. Robinson, Navy, 1983-07-12, - flight line test set for aircraft, not the sonobuoy.
5978646 Method and apparatus for simulating a LOFARgram in a multipath sonar system, Henry Weinberg, Navy, 1999-11-02, - Cites 28 prior art patents,

3921120 Float Actuated Release Mechanism, Sparton Corp., Nov 18 1975, 367/4; 116/209; 441/33 -

Calls:

2778332	January 1957	Talbot	Means for locating crashed airplanes
3093808	June 1963	Tatnall et al.	Air-dropped miniature sonobuoy
3140886	July 1964	Cotilla et al.	Coupling device
3220028	November 1965	Maes	Radio-sono-buoys
3309649	March 1967	Ballard et al.	Sonobuoy with depth selection capabilities
3646505	February 1972	Kirby	Automatically deployable sonobuoy
3701175	October 1972	Widenhofer	Hydrophone damper assembly

3943870 Pinging controlled anti-torpedo device, LeRoy C. Paslay, Navy, App: 1950-10-24, Korea & Vietnam, Pub: 1976-03-16, anti-torpedo filtered by speed of torpedo and triggered by distance from own ship. Improvement on 2979015.
3944964 Air Dripped Linear Acoustic Detector, (Navy), Mar 16, 1976, 367/4 -
3982222 Deep hydrophone string, Robert J. Urick, Navy, App:1965-10-22, Pub: 1976-09-21, - "...long range detection, surveillance and communication by means of sonobuoys operating in the deep sea and is more particularly concerned with a deep hydrophone string operatively connected with a specialized sonobuoy for this purpose. "
3991475 Depth selecting spool device, Navy, Nov 16, 1976, 116/209; 367/4; 441/24 -

calls:

3093808	June 1963	Tatnall et al.	Air-dropped miniature sonobuoy
3262090	July 1966	Farmer	Sonobuoy depth selection mechanism
3921120	November 1975	Widenhofer	Float actuated release mechanism

4004265 Thomas E. Woodruff,
4096598 Selected Depth Mooring System, R.J. Mason, 441/25, Jun 1978 -

Calls:
3631550 Mooring Devices, (EMI), 441/25, Jan 4, 1972 -

4026188 Modular buoy system, Thomas E. Woodruff, Roger I. Saunders, Lockheed Sanders Inc, 1977-05-31 -

Patent Citations (11)

Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title

US2913198A *1955-10-04 1959-11-17 Leona A Bonbrake Sonobuoy dispenser

US3010396A *1957-12-31 1961-11-28 Western Co Of North America Selective firing apparatus

US3095814A *1960-06-30 1963-07-02 Tor W Jansen Dispensing apparatus

US3116689A *1959-07-07 1964-01-07 Halliburton Co Well perforating apparatus and switch

US3142959A *1959-09-11 1964-08-04 Phillips Petroleum Co Range control of self propelled missile

US3246707A *1964-02-17 1966-04-19 Schlumberger Well Surv Corp Selective firing system

US3266372A *1964-08-27 1966-08-16 Harold J Mack Shipping and launching container

US3368480A *1966-04-15 1968-02-13 Navy Usa Folding cone sonobuoy delivery system

US3451306A *1967-01-26 1969-06-24 Susquehanna Corp Safe and arm ejection system

US3768408A *1971-09-30 1973-10-30 Gearhart Owen Industries Selective firing apparatus

US3787012A *1973-02-05 1974-01-22 Mc Donnell Douglas Corp Internal ejector mechanism for stacked sequentially releasable separable

4092627 Calibration circuit for expendable sonobuoys, Donald Murdock, Thomas E. Stixrud, Navy, 1978-05-30, - a dual 555 timer (Wiki) circuit generates a signal that's applied to a 10 Ohm resistor between the hydrophone and ground to make a test signal. 15VDC supply, R5 & 10 Ohms. 17 minutes off and 1 minute one using a 10 Hz test signal. The value of R5 is not mentioned so the amplitude of the signal in series with the hydrophone can only be guessed. If R5 was 1 Meg then the current would be 15V/1M = 15 uA. 15 uA * 10 Ohm = 150 uV.
4093934 Free-falling sonobuoy, Robert J. Urick, Robert L. Parris, Navy, App: 1965-04-28, TOP SECRET, Pub: 1978-06-06, -
4114137 Directional Sonobuoy, (Navy), 367/171; 441/1; 441/28, Sep 12 1978

Calls:
768568 Sound transmitter and receiver, Submarine Signal Co, Aug 23, 1904 - stereo hydrophone with 2 long pole earphones
1345717 Acoustic device, Western Electric, Jul 6, 1920 - carbon button microphone mounted in a tear drop shape for use underwater.
3382481 Cantilever mounted hydrophone, Texas Instruments, May 7, 1968 - marine seismometer insensitive to cable strumming (5 Hz and above).
3803540 Inflatable underwater platform, Nat Defence, Apr 9, 1974 - water pumped into tubes to from a structure for sonobuoy (to make hydrophone array) many patents reference this one
3864771 Deployable load buoyancy support container or shelter system, Textron, Feb 11, 1975 - telescoping sonobuoy construction

4143349

Cable depth selector and coil shunt penetrator, (

Bunker Ramo Corporation), Mar 6, 1979, 367/4, 441/1, 439/391 -
4161716 Very low frequency sonobuoy (VLF sonobuoy), Thomas E. Stixrud, Navy, 1979-07-17, - all about decoupling from sources of noise.

Patent Citations (4)

Patent         Priority       Pub            Assignee Title

US3204708 1962-07-24 1965-09-07 Inst Francais Du Petrole   Method and apparatus for submarine well drilling, using a flexible tubing as drill string

US3295489 1964-06-20 1967-01-03 Bossa Eduardo                Plastic compound catenary for anchorage and pipeline and/or cable support in any sea zone and depth

US3711821 1970-11-23 1973-01-16 Us Navy                           Sonobuoy suspension system

US3992737 1975-12-11 1976-11-23 Motorola, Inc.                    Suspension system for underwater equipment

4186370 Stabilized sonobuoy suspension, Raytheon, Jan 29, 1980, 367/4; 367/130; 441/11; 441/33 -
4189786 Radio Buoy Assembly, R.E. Adler, Feb 19 1980, 367/4; 367/5; 367/133 -
4246671 Buoy anchoring system, Richard C. Swenson, Navy, 1981-01-27, -
4323988 Sonobuoy system, Albert S. Will, Earl A. Schuchard, John P. Buckley, Armand Cioccio, John C. Hetzler, Jr., Sylvan Wolf, Donald E. Jefferson, Jim B. McQuitty, Robert A. Urick, Secretary Of The Navy, Apr 6, 1982 (TOP SECRET), 367/4, 367/173, 367/153 - A deep water explosive echo ranging system capable of detecting high performance submarines by using favorable acoustic paths available at deep depths.
4357688 Low cost sonobuoy, Navy, Nov 2, 1982, 367/4; 367/173 -
4358834 Self-deploying Buoy System, Navy, Nov 9, 1982, 367/4; 367/173 -

4493664 Sonobuoy Float Inflation and Depth Selection Initiators, Navy, Jan 15, 1985, 441/7; 222/5; 367/4; 441/26; 441/30; 441/33 - open CO2 & select depth
4530269 Remotely Initiated Speration Latch Assembly, Burroughs Corp, Jul 23 1985, 89/1.14; 102/293; 102/378; 220/261; 367/4; 367/173; 403/2 - electrical match for seperation

4590590 Sonobuoy Multiple Depth Deployment Apparatus, Magnavox, May 20 1986, 367/4; 441/25; 441/33 -
4727520 (RE33014) Cable Deployment Unit, Sparton of Canada, Feb 23, 1988, 367/4; 367/3; 441/25 - hot wire (35) melts line allowing spring to activate stop setting hydrophone depth.
4901288 Compact cylindrical sonobuoy, Sparton Corp, Feb 13 1990, 367/4 -
4924445 Sonobuoy Cable Pack, Royal Navy, May 8, 1990, 367/4; 114/326; 367/3; 441/8 -
4927057 Automatic Infiltrator for Inflatable Articles, Inflation Tech, May 22, 1990, 222/5; 222/23; 222/41; 222/52; 222/63; 222/93; 222/94; 441/93 -
4493664 Sonobuoy float inflation and depth selection initiators, John R. Dale, Secretary Of The Navy, Jan 15, 1985, 441/7, 441/26, 222/5, 441/30, 367/4, 441/33 -
4560228 Electrical connector for sonobuoy launch system, Roland Bender, Navy, Dec 24, 1985, - pogo pins and metal contacts
5076468 Squib Inflator Adapter, Halkey-Roberts Corp, Dec 31, 1991, 222/5; 222/91; 441/93 -
5197036 Sonar Array Mounting for Sonobuoy, Mar 23, 1993, 367/4; 367/153 -
5426617 Long baseline tracking system, Reginald J. Cyr, Secretary Of The Navy, Jun 20, 1995, 367/6 - uses multiple underwater transponders
6400645 Sonobuoy Apparatus, (Navy), Jun 4, 2002, 367/4; 367/3; 367/153 - opens sort of like an 8-sided umbrella

Magnavox

3299375 Elastic stretchable coaxial cable having constant capacitance using woven or helically wound conductors, Charles S Thompson, Magnavox, 1967-01-17, - for sonobuoy hydrophones
3336892 Cable dispensing and locking means, Gerald J Barry, Thomas B Harker, Magnavox, 1967-08-22, - for sonobuoy hydrophones

Cites:
3035285 Explosively anchored buoy, Jr Walter G Squires, 1962-05-22, - for marking applications where buoy is under water until a timer runs out then it surfaces.
3054123 Buoy with explosive anchor, Adolph F Moeller, Navy, 1962-09-18, - "Navy dan buoy": "A temporary marker buoy used during minesweeping operations to indicate the boundaries of swept paths, swept areas, known hazards, and other locations or reference points."
2722018 Float marker, Walter V Mueller, 1955-11-01, -
3036542 Embedment anchor, Russell S Robinson, Pneumo Dynamics, 1962-05-29
2993461Embedment anchor

3603921 Sound transducer, Robert H Dreisbach, Magnavox Electronic Systems, 1971-09-07, - 4 lobe hydrophone for sonobuoy
3656151 Digital function generation network, William E Richeson Jr, Mike B Feher (N4FS), Magnavox, 1972-04-11, 341/147; 341/153 -

"In the early days of DIFAR there was no real grayscale on the chart paper which indicated signal strength. Essentially you either had nothing or a real dark line. My logarithmic converter remedied that in that it allowed smooth transitions as signal strength varied. Of course now there would be so many better ways of doing it. However, at the time it worked and everyone was pleased. 73 – Mike" See AQA-7 below.

4007316 Deferred action battery having an improved depolarizer, Ralph F. Koontz, Magnavox Co, 1977-02-08, 429/118; 429/220; 429/229 - sea water activated
4086560 Secret depth sounder, Thomas F. Johnston, Aaron Z. Robinson, Navy, App: 1959-04-03, TOP SECRET, Pub: 1978-04-25, - uses recorded ambient noise as the signal transmitter and a correlator processes the received signal.
4192913 Deferred action battery having an improved depolarizer, Ralph F. Koontz, Lloyd E. Klein, Magnavox Electronic Systems, 1980-03-11, 429/119; 429/220 -
4261853 Deferred action battery having an improved depolarizer, Ralph F. Koontz, Lloyd E. Klein, Magnavox Govt & Ind, 1981-04-14, 252/182.1; 429/118; 429/119; 429/220 -
4268912 Directional hydrophone suitable for flush mounting, John C. Congdon, Magnavox, 1981-05-19, 367/163; 310/337; 310/365; 310/366; 367/164; 367/174 - for use on submarine
4494024 One shot spring activated motor, Gerald W. Braun, Magnavox Govt & Ind, 1985-01-15, 310/75A; 200/61.08; 310/273 - a squib (resistor) severs a cord releasing a CW or CCW spring to drive a shaft (for setting depth of hydrophone). Note some torpedo gyroscopes use a very similar squib released spring motor.
4546459 Method and apparatus for a phased array transducer, John C. Congdon, Magnavox, 1985-10-08, 367/155; 367/157; 367/159; 367/165 - DIFAR beam forming
4590590 Sonobuoy multiple depth deployment apparatus, James R. Toone, Robert L. Barker, Magnavox, 1983-11-29, 367/4; 441/25; 441/33 - See Fig: 53-21, 53-23, 53-24,
4611293 Method and apparatus for automatic calibration of magnetic compass, Ronald R. Hatch, Richard G. Keegan, Magnavox Electronic Systems, 1986-09-09, 702/92; 324/245; 33/355R; 33/356 - 360 deg turn compensates for both soft and hard iron. 3-phase Earth Induction compass (aircraft application?) [Hatch holds many GPS related patents)]
4654832 Sonobuoy retaining and release apparatus, Robert L. Barker, Magnavox, 1983-11-29, 367/4; 441/33 - Sonobuoy parachute, see figs: 53-6, 53-7, 53-8
4660040 Target range sensing apparatus, Norman Grandos, Magnavox Govt & Ind, 1987-04-21, 342/128; 342/193; 342/68 - "Target range sensing apparatus" - maybe a bomb fuze using FM-CW, or a sonobuoy range detector?
4689773 Extendible sonobuoy apparatus, John C. Congdon, Thomas A. Richter, Joseph J. Slachta, Magnavox, 1982-12-02, 367/3; 367/159; 367/165; 367/169; 367/173 - DIFAR sonobuoy "The components typically include an electronics canister, acoustic wave phase controls and one or more active electroacoustic transducers. The components are attached to a plurality of flexible support cables. The cables are attached at their respective upper ends to the bottom of the canister and are attached at their lower ends to the bottom of the tube. The cables are collapsed during the pre-deployed state and tautly extended during the deployed state. Axial guide strips are affixed to the inner surface of the tube. The canister and transducer have recesses engaging the strips in a sliding fit to prevent rotation about the tube longitudinal axis during deployment. The electro acoustic transducer may be mounted to the tube at a predetermined axial location on the tube. "
4700100 Flexural disk resonant cavity transducer, John C. Congdon, Thomas A. Whitmore, Magnavox, 1987-10-13, 310/332; 310/324; 310/326; 310/337; 367/155 - improves the frequency response of Helmholtz cavity in the 1 to 2 kHz range.
4709359 End weighted reed sound transducer, Rayford A. Loftin, Magnavox Govt & Ind, 1987-11-24, 367/155; 367/161 - four vanes
4797841 Method and apparatus for automatic calibration of magnetic compass, Ronald R. Hatch, Magnavox Govt & Ind, 1989-01-10, 702/92; 324/245; 33/355R; 33/356 - 3-phase Induction compass
4777627 Extendible sonobuoy apparatus, John C. Congdon, Magnavox, 1985-06-26, 367/3; 367/159; 367/173; 367/4; 441/1 -
EP0098017A2 End weighted reed sound transducer, Rayford A. Loftin, Magnavox Electronic Systems, 1985-08-28, - four bars
4970703 Switched capacitor waveform processing circuit, Peruvamba R. Hariharan, Robert W. Downing, Magnavox Govt & Ind, 1990-11-13, 367/138; 367/122 - sonar beam forming or sonobuoy?
5018116 Inter-element mounting for stacked piezoelectric transducers, John C. Congdon, Magnavox Govt & Ind, 1991-05-21, 367/165; 310/334 -
5046031 Method and apparatus for automatic flux-gate compass calibration, Richard E. Wanous, Magnavox Govt & Ind, 1991-09-03, 702/92; 33/356; 324/245; 73/1.76 - compensates for loading & unloading the vehicle (not sonobuoy, but shows a lot of understanding in fluxgate magnetometers as used on DIFAR sonobuoy).
5073136 Collapsible sonobuoy flotation device, Paul H. DeWitt, James J. Majewski, Thomas A. Richter, Magnavox Electronic Systems, 1990-03-29, 441/7; 441/11; 441/21; 441/30; 441/32 - Pagoda/ Accordion shape can be pressed flat for stowage.
5286462 Gas generator system for underwater buoyancy, Jonathan E. Olson, Magnavox, 1994-02-15, - water + Lithium Hydroxide = Hydrogen

SONAR

Around August 2021 I realized that the displays used for Sonobuoys and passive SONAR are identical. During W.W.II it looks like they did NOT have frequency and/or bearing waterfall displays which are the norm today. So I'm trying to find when and who the waterfall display was introduced. There are a number of Audio Analysis patents on the SSQ-53A web page. They typically show human voice or bird calls as the thing being analyzed and often use the term "complex waves" which I think is code for underwater sounds.

From the web page: SQS Series Sonars:

model	Freq kHz	Pulse mS	Range k yards	Scan RPS
SQS-1	20 - 28	12/36	1.5/4/6	90
SQS-4 Mod 1	8		5.5
SQS-4 Mod 2	10		4.5
SQS-4 Mod 3	12		4.5
SQS-4 Mod 4	14	6/30/80	4.5
SQS-7	12	3/10/60	2.5/5/10
SQS-10	20	6/30/80	1/3/6	150
SQS-23	4.5/5/5.5	.005/.03/.12	1/2.5/5/10	150

Were the SQS-nn SONAR sets all after the searchlight type. What was the nomenclature for the searchlight type?

2391678 Sound detecting and indicating system, Schuck Oscar Hugo, Leon G S Wood, Navy, App: 1944-08-14, W.W.II, Pub: 1954-12-21, - A single ring of 36 magnetostrictive elements. This is the "OMNI" system which is much faster than the Prior Art searchlight system.
2405134 Distance measuring system, Walter J Brown, John E Shomer, Brush Development Co, App: 1942-08-03, W.W.II, Pub: 1946-08-06, - FM CW special shape of variable cap plates.
2431854 Apparatus for suppressing reverberation, Leon G S Wood, Navy, App: 1944-08-03, W.W.II, Pub: 1947-12-02, - uses narrow band filter to only listen to the Doppler shifted frequency associated with the target thus eliminating other returns.
2438580 Compensator for doppler effect, Schuck Oscar Hugo, Navy, App: 1943-11-06, W.W.II, Pub: 1948-03-30, - he worked for Hunt at the Harvard Underwater Sound Lab. For searchlight type SONAR to cancel the Doppler of the own ship motion.
2473974 Underwater sound detecting and indicating system, Schuck Oscar Hugo, App: 1944-05-18, W.W.II, Pub: 1949-06-21, - Omni ping, motorized searchlight receiver.
2515154 Transducer, Charles H Lanphier, Sangamo Electric, App: 1946-07-15, W.W.II, Pub: 1950-07-11, -
2695371 Control transformer and generator, Herbert O Barnes, Sangamo Electric, 1954-11-23, - an electrical commutator for a fixed SONAR array and synchronous drive for a CRT tube. SQS-4
2697822 Sound detecting and indicating system, Schuck Oscar Hugo, Leon G S Wood, App: 1944-08-14, W.W.II, Pub: 1954-12-21, - has the look and feel of patent 2391678, SQS-4
2709796 Automatic target training, Isaac P Rodman, Nolle Alfred Wilson, Allen A Chernosky, Leon G S Wood, Navy, App: 1945-03-30, W.W.II, Pub: 1955-05-31, - for searchlight SONAR. Cites 2666192 by Hunt et al. also see 2987698 for range gating.
2762447 Cavity radiometer, Walter G Cady, Navy, 1956-09-11, - o improve the art ofunder water radiation-pressure-measuring apparatus
2791756 Target doppler indicator, Leon G S Wood, Paul B Sebring, Navy, App: 1946-06-11, W.W.II, Pub: 1957-05-07, - for active SONAR. Mentions: "The recorder may be any of several known types of which an example is manufactured by the Sangamo Electric Company, Springfield, Illinois, and described in a publication of that manufacturer entitled "Instructions for Type CAN-55070 Range Recorder.” see Sangamo patent 1350485.
2987698 Indicating a selected target echo in an echo wave train obtained by echo ranging, Isaac P Rodman, Nolle Alfred Wilson, Allen A Chernosky, Leon G S Wood, Navy, App: 1945-03-30, TOP SECRET, Pub: 1961-06-06, - range gating, Sangamo Electric Co electro-chemical chart paper, trace gets much darker when return signal appears - maybe the start of waterfall displays.
2991445 Echo ranging system, Haynes James Burney, Charles H Lanphier, Sangamo Electric, 1961-07-04, - spiral sweep PPI (Wiki) type CRT display of range and bearing. SQS-4
3016513 Fm echo-ranging system, Karl S Van Dyke, App: 1943-05-26, TOP SECRET, Pub: 1962-01-09, -
3497868 Echo ranging system, Charles H Lanphier, Sangamo Electric, App: 1957-06-17, TOP SECRET, Pub: 1970-02-24, - A cylindrical stack of four fixed rings of 48 transducers (7.5 degrees). Prior Art SONAR systems worked on the searchlight principle where it took about 4 minutes to make a 360 degree scan. An improved Prior Art system was the "OMNI" where the transmitted ping was in all directions but only a segment of the transducers were used for receive as described in patent 2515154. Mentions SQS-4 MOD 4 NAVSHIPS 92283 (A).
3613069 Sonar system, Cary Boyd B Jr, Fenlon Francis H, Gen Dynamics Corp, Oct 12, 1971, 367/92, 367/104, 367/107, 367/101 - combines two Tx frequencies (Mixer Transducer & Pump Transducer- higher SPL), 12, 48 & 60 kHz.
4194246 Noisemaker beacon, Ralph P. Crist, US Navy, 1958-05-12, -
4320474 Saturation limited parametric sonar source, John M. Huckabay, Reuben H. Wallace, Secretary Of The Navy, Mar 16, 1982, 367/138, 367/92 - phased array?
4777627 Extendible sonobuoy apparatus, John C. Congdon, Magnavox, 1988-10-11, - DIFAR
4939702 Barrier sonar, Francis J. Murphree, Secretary Of Navy, Filed: Jul 19, 1968(12 year delay) Pub: Jul 3, 1990, 367/138, 367/87, 367/93 -
4998224 System for providing improved reverberation limited sonar performance, Mar 5, 1991
5138587 Harbor Approach- Defense Embedded System, (Navy), 367/136, Aug 1992
5144487 Expendable moving echo radiator, (Navy), 367/1; 367/137; 367/165, Sep 1992 - countermeasures equip
5235558 Choke point bistatic sonar, Harvey C. Woodsum, Joseph J. Stapleton, Gte Government Systems Corp, Aug 10, 1993, 367/92, 367/104, 367/15, 367/908 -
5808580 Radar/sonar system concept for extended range-doppler coverage,
6018493 Sonar Suspension Apparatus, Dowty Maritime Sys, Jan 25, 2000, 367/16; 367/20; 367/153; 367/155; 367/165; 441/33 -
6707760 Projectile sonar, Andrew C. Coon, Howard Allen Lazoff, Richard Phillip Taschler, Raytheon, 2004-03-16, - a surface ship fires special shells (explode at set depth) and using sonar processes the returned sub echo.

Dr. Breed & Hughes

5134369 Three axis magnetometer sensor field alignment and registration, Allen K. Lo, Wilbur W. Eaton, Jr.Ben R. Breed, Raytheon (Hughes), 1992-07-28, -
5239474 Dipole moment detection and localization, Wilbur W. Eaton, Jr.Ben R. Breed, Raytheon (Hughes), 1993-08-24, - based on Anderson Localization (Wiki)
5617099 Adaptive filtering of matched-filter data, Ronald W. Warren, Ben R. Breed, Raytheon (Hughes), 1997-04-01, -

Launching

Photo from Wiki Sonobuoy page

From Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet (2005):
The P3C Orion. . . tail-mounted ASQ-81 Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) and 48 external (fuselage) sonolbuoy chutes and four in-flight reloadable (internal) chutes; a total of 84 buoys normally are carried.

P#C Orion External Sonobuoys being installed

Note The silver cylinder on the top of each sonobuoy.
It's a gas generator that's electrically triggered.
Cartridge-Actuated Device = CAD
MIL-C-83124
An alternative to using compressed gas from a tank.
See patents directly below.
Fig 1 from patent 3905291:

3905291
Cartridge-Actuated Device and Launching Assembly using
same, G.T. Corbin, Sep 16 1975, 102/430; 42/96

2707904 Sonobuoy Dispensers, Breeze Corp, May 10, 1955, 89/1.51; 367/3 - revolver,
3093808 Air-dropped miniature sonobuoy, George J Tatnall, Albert F Scarcelli, George A Gimber, US Navy, 1963-06-11, -
3266372 Shipping and launching container, Harold J Mack, Albert F Scarcelli, US Navy, 1966-08-16
3451306 Safe and Arm Ejection System, Susquehanna Corp, Jun 24 1969, 89/1.1; 89/1.51; 102/259; 102/357 -
3905291 Cartridge-Actuated Device and Launching Assembly using same, G.T. Corbin, Sep 16 1975, 102/430; 42/96 -
4026188 Modular Buoy System, Sandars Assoc, May 31 1977, 89/1.51; 102/351; 102/352; 102/354; 102/406 -
4263835 Sonobuoy Launcher System, Navy, Apr 28, 1981, 89/1.51; 89/1.3; 89/1.806; 89/1.818 - bouys loaded from outside
4397433 Revolving-cylinder jettison device for transporting and releasing buoys on and from Aircraft, , Aug 9 1983, 244/137.4; 89/1.51; 89/1.801; 244/118.1 -
5052270 Multi-sonobuoy launch container with constant force spring, Navy, Oct 1 1991, 89/1.51; 244/137.4 -
7278416 Pneumatic projectile launcher and sonobuoy launcher adaptor, Lockheed-Martin, Oct 9, 2007, 124/72; 89/1.51 -

Got this hydrophone from Fair Radio. It consists of a bladder just under five feet long and about three inches in diameter filled with mineral oil (or something similar). Inside there are eight cylindrical Rochelle Salt Crystal doublets, each about three inches long with about a three inch gap between sensors (series or parallel connection?).

In the Combat Information Center magazine for July 1944 (Vol. 1 No. 5) there's an article on harbor defense that mentions both a sonobuoy with vertical hydrophone array (radio has 12 mile range and hydrophone has 1,000 yard range) as well as multiple hydrophones laid on the bottom and connected to multi-conductor cable.

At the cable end of the hydrophone is a matching transformer with 25 Ohm output impedance. Frequency response of 1Hz to 20 kHz (i.e. young human hearing range).
The internal construction seems to be steel cylinders spot welded to two steel rods that tie them toghther. The crystals are glued into the cylinders and wired in parallel.
If buried in the ground as is the mineral oil will leak out leaving air voids. If repackaged in a PVC pipe the sound would travel up and down the pipe wall which doesn't happen with the current rubber bladder. So maybe some type of flexable hose would be a good replacement?

The idea is to bury it and have excellent low frequency (below 20 Hz) response. The Infra sound sensors use garden hose with a pin hole leak.

Official Description:

Hydrophone, U. S. Navy Harbor Detection, Sonic, NT-51038F; P/O type JR-1 Harbor Detection Equipment.

Sensitive listening, frequency range 1 - 20 thousand cycles per second; with 8 Rochelle Salt Crystal Doublets each approx. 3" x 2" x 1", in metal frame w/matching transformer to 25 ohm line, in Castor (?) Oil, encased by heavy rubber jacket 56" long x 2 1/2" in diameter; with 9 foot rubber covered cable 1/2" O.D. w/2 flexible copper wires insulated, plus 2 steel strain wires; to be used down to 400ft. depth while withstanding high pressure explosion waves. Mfg by Brush Development Company.

How can the transformer work over that frequency range?

3 Feb 2012 - When the 999 average spectrum plot finishes I'll have a look at the impedance.

Fig HP1

Hydrophone, U.
S. Navy Harbor Detection, Sonic, NT-51038F; P/O type
JR-1 Harbor Detection Equipment.

Fig HP2 Transformer

Hydrophone,
U. S. Navy Harbor Detection, Sonic, NT-51038F; P/O
type JR-1 Harbor Detection Equipment - Transformer

		White	Red	Black	Green	Blue
Case Ground	White	-	Opn	Opn	Opn	Opn
	Red	-	-	Opn	Opn	Sht
	Black	-	-	-	Sht	Opn
	Green	-	-	-	-	Opn
	Blue	-	-	-	-	-

The Red and Blue terminals are physically in line.
The Black and Green terminals are physically in line.
The White wire is not an electrical connection but rather is where a couple of steel cables attach for supporting the weight of the hydrophone.
It's not clear what this is.

HP 4395A Plot 1 Hz to 20 kHz RBW: 1 Hz, True RMS detection, 16 averages:
8 Crystal
Hydrophone spectrum 1 Hz to 20 kHz into 50 Ohm HP 4395A

HP 4395A Plot 1Hz to 20 kHz RBW: 1 Hz, True RMS detection, 999 averages (54.6 hours):
HP 4395A
Plot 0 to 20 kHz RBW: 1 Hz, True RMS detection, 999
averages (54.6 hours)

HP 4395A
Plot 0 to 20 kHz RBW: 1 Hz, True RMS detection, 999
averages (54.6 hours)

HP 4395A Z transform Impedance Real & Imaginary
HP 4395A Z
transform Hydrophone Impedance Real & Imaginary

HP 4395A Z transform Hydrophone Impedance Smith Chart with Marker List (It's a 50 Ohm device!)
HP 4395A Z
transform Hydrophone Impedance Smith Chart with Marker
List

Hydrophone Patents

The Submarine Signal Company (Wiki) developed the first hydrophones. They received a block of patents all with the same application and publication dates.
The idea was to ring a bell under water and hear that sound with an underwater microphone.
Note in Telephone technology by 1889 the Carbon Mike had replaced Bell's dynamic mike and the Long Pole receiver was the cat's meow.

768567 Fig 1 Underwater Bell

768567 Submarine signaling, Arthur J Mundy,
Submarine Signal Co, App: 1902-04-23

768567 Fig 2
Telephone transmitter and receiver

Here's the block of 7 patents all granted on the same date with sequential numbers:
768567 Submarine signaling, Arthur J Mundy, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1902-04-23, Pub: 1904-08-23, -
768568 Sound transmitter and receiver, Arthur J Mundy, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1902-04-23, Pub: 1904-08-23, -
768569 Telephone-transmitter, Arthur J Mundy, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1902-04-23, Pub: 1904-08-23, -
768570 Sound transmitter and receiver, Arthur J Mundy, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1902-04-23, Pub: 1904-08-23, -
768571 Sound transmitter and receiver, Arthur J Mundy, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1902-04-23, Pub: 1904-08-23, -
768572 Sound transmitter and receiver, Arthur J Mundy, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1902-04-23, Pub: 1904-08-23, -
768573 Submarine sound-direction finder, Arthur J Mundy, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1902-04-23, Pub: 1904-08-23, -
------------------------ end of Submarine Signal Co block of hydrophone patents -----------------------

1378960 Method of and apparatus for detecting under-water vibrations, Warren Horton Joseph, Western Electric 1921-05-24, -

1381640 Detecting underwater vibrations, Warren Horton Joseph, Western Electric, 1921-06-14, -

Carbon microphones 7 & 8 or 7 & 9 are fed to the telephone receivers 11 and 16 and can be used to get a rough bearing to the source of sound.

1624412 Submarine signaling, Joseph W Horton, Western Electric, Filed: 1919-10-31, W.W.I TOP SECRET, Pub: 1927-04-12, -
Fig 1: Carbon mike
Fig 2: Dynamic mike
Fig 3: Dynamic mike (to be used with an amplifier)

1576459 Electric retardation line, George W Pierce, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1921-12-24, Pub: 1926-03-09, -

"The present invention relates to electric retardation lines, and more particularly to a retardation line for introducing definite time retardation of electric currents in a manner such that currents of a complex character will be retarded in a rational and predeterminable way, with out essential distortion, over a significant range of frequencies. The present invention results in a considerable extension over previous retardation lines the range of frequencies for which the retardation time is independent of frequency." - This is a very important point. "The present invention, however, is not limited to the application of the retardation line herein disclosed, to an electric compensator, ..."

I wonder if coax transmission lines were know then? Ans: Yes (Wiki)

The Fenwick 1977 antenna patent is based on Time Delay Beam Steering where the lobes are frequency independent. Yet there are still many "phased array" antenna systems where the main lobe modes with any change in frequency, probably because they are much lower in cost to make.

1682712 Electric compensator, George W Pierce, Submarine Signal Co, App: 1919-06-25, Pub: 1928-08-28, -

Although there is a "steering wheel" used to point the SONAR beam, it is just an electrical switch, there is no mechanical connection to a moving SONAR array.

For the switching scheme shown in Fig 2 to work the array needs to be self similar, like a cylinder where the elements are straight lines.

This is analogous to the motor driven Geionometer used on the receive only Wullenweber antenna array (Wiki). Since it dates from early in W.W.II the sound based patents shown here predated it.

1893741 Arrangement for directional transmission and reception with a plurality of oscillators, Hecht Heinrich, ELAC Electroacustic GmbH, Priority: 1928-01-14, Pub: 1933-01-10, -

Fig 4 placement on the bottom of the sea (or on the bottom of a harbor).

1969005 Apparatus for the directional transmission and reception of wave energy, Hecht Heinrich, ELAC Electroacustic GmbH, 1934-08-07, -

1997974 Apparatus for the directional transmission or reception of wave energy, Rudolph Wilhelm, ELAC Electroacustic GmbH, 1934-10-23, -

1995708 Electrical compensator for the directional transmission or reception of wave energy, Fischer Fritz Alexander, ELAC Electroacustic GmbH, App: 1929-11-21, Pub: 1935-03-26, -

2473974 Underwater sound detecting and indicating system, Schuck Oscar Hugo, Navy, App: 1944-05-18, W.W.II, Pub: 1949-06-21, - Hugo has a number of SONAR patents.
Omni-directional 14 kHz transmit but rotating directional receive beam. Spiral scan on CRT.

2592738 Electronically controlled low impedance phase shifting device, Stanley R Rich, Navy, App: 1945-09-19, Pub: 1952-04-15, -

The U.S. BQR-2 & BQS-4 SONAR domes are a based on the 1929 German compensator.
The use of "phase shift" networks is a problem in that the pattern is a function of frequency. Much better to use time delay which can be frequency independent.

2684449 Commutator tube, Stanley R Rich, Jr Edwin E Turner, Raytheon, App: 1946-03-19, Pub: 1954-07-20, - for use with the SONAR system of patent 2786193 below.

2703396 Underwater echo range and bearing apparatus, Stanley R Rich, Navy, App: 1944-11-11, TOP SECRET, Pub: 1955-03-01, - The key benefit it reduced time to make a 360 degree search.

Fig 1. TVG = Time Varied Gain. Scope shows spiral pattern. Also see: SSQ-53A Audio Analysis Patents 2418846 where the Tx and Rx elements rotate at different speeds.
Fig 3 thin Nickel laminations with coil.

BQR-2 and/or BQS-4 SONAR?

2786193 Underwater sound system, Stanley R Rich, Raytheon, App: 1948-03-10, Pub: 1957-03-19, - no mechanical moving parts. Uses commutator tube patent 2684449 above.

2138036 Compressional wave sender or receiver, Kunze Willy, Submarine Signal Co, 1938-11-29, - Quartz crystal, Rochelle-salt, cited by34 patents
2616223 Device for converting electrical energy into mechanical oscillation energy, Jonker Gerard Heinrich, 1952-11-04, - cited by 23 patents.
2631271 Tubular hydrophone, A.L. Thuras (New London, CT), Sec of Navy, Mar 10, 1953, 367/168 - CRT-1
3255431 Hydrophone, Glenn N Howatt, Gulton Ind, 1966-06-07, - piezoelectric - looks like a lolly-pop
3266011 Hydrophone, Massa Frank, Dynamics Corp of America, 1966-08-09, - low cost for sonobuoy
4965778 Helical magnetostrictive core line hydrophone, David E. Parker, Markay Malootian, Secretary Of The Navy, Oct 23, 1990 (21 year delay), 367/168 -

Brush Development Co. Patents

Their early work with Piezoelectric devices (Wiki) was for microphones and speakers used in air. But this was long after the Germans, see SSQ-53A Ref 18.

1906758 Crystal and method of producing the same, Kjellgren Bengt, Brush Dev Co, May 2, 1933, 117/69, 117/68, 117/926, 252/1, 562/580 - Rochelle salt - but the methods seem the same as used today for silicon or any other crystal.
2105010 Piezoelectric device, Baldwin Sawyer Charles, Brush Dev Co, Jan 11, 1938, 381/190, 310/331, 367/164, 601/2, 367/161, 381/173 - Rochelle salt disk or plate or stacks or grids of them, mike or speaker
2126437 Apparatus for generating electrical waves - tubes
2269403 Piezoelectric unit - loudspeaker for use in air (for similar loudspeaker see: LS-685/U Crystal Loudspeaker)
2413462 Transducer, Massa Frank, Brush Dev Co, Filed: Jul 30, 1942, Pub: Dec 31, 1946, 367/157, 310/340, 381/190, 310/337, 310/362, 367/163 - early hydrophone (no projector function)
2440903 Underwater transducer, Massa Frank, Brush Dev Co, Filed: Jan 6, 1944, Pub: May 4, 1948, 367/160, 381/190, 381/163 - "piezoelectric and magnetostrictive transducer devices adapted to function underwater either as a microphone or as a loudspeaker." 38 patents reference this one

Aircraft
CRT-1 Sonobuoy
Magnetics - Magnetostriction, Sound Bug
Helmholtz coil -
Helmholtz Resonator & Tuning Forks
Torpedoes, Mines, Depth Charges
Submarines
GEO_ID - TRC-3, PEWS, USQ-42, Turd
GSQ154 - All GSQ-154
GSQ160 - Frequency Disconnect -GSQ-160, USQ-46, TS-2963, PP-6446 - TCw - cylindrical module pinouts.
GSS26 - AN/GSS-26 minimal info
Intrusion Alarm Patents
USQ_Rx - Igloo White, USQ-42, USQ-46 details,
PSR-1 - now on it's own page (July 2007)
Modular Outdoor Intrusion Sensors (REMBASS?)
Astronomy - UFOs - Richard Muller Physics Lecture 11 - Waves 1

Ref 1. Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 18th Edition (2005) by Norman Polmar
Ref 2. The Ears of Air ASW: A history of U.S. Navy Sonobuoys (2008) - Holler, Horbach & McEachem
Ref 3.Scientists Against Time, James Phinney Baxter, 3rd ed, 1946 - 1952 (Wiki)
Ref 4. An Ocean in Common: American Naval Officers, Scientists, and the Ocean Environment, Gary E. Weir, 2001, ISBN: 1-58544-114-7
Ref 5. Design and Construction of Crystal Transducers, NDRC Summary Report Vol 12, 1946 (407 pages) - University of California Division of War Research [UCDWR]
Ref 6. The Evolution of the Sonobuoy from World War II to the Cold War, Holler, Jan 2014.
Ref 7. Sonobuoy History from a UK Perspective: RAE Farnborough's Role in Airborne Anti-Submarine Warfare, Clive Radley, 2016 -Chapter 4: The first operational Sonobuoy, the AN/CRT-1, used by the USA and the UK in World War 2.
Ref 8. Submarine (Tom Clancy's Military Reference), 2003 - mentions 3" signal/decoy ejector (pg 69), Submarine Launched Oneway Transmitter (SLOT) also uses the 3" launch tube (pg 70)
Ref 9. History of Communications-Electronics in the United States Navy, L. S. Howeth, 1963 - U.S. Early Radio History - Ch 26: Dev of Underwater Sound and Detection Equipment, pg 297
Ref 10. Principles of Underwater Sound by Robert J. Urick, 3rd ed, Hardcover ISBN: 9780932146625
Ref 11. Wiring Vietnam: The Electronic Wall, Anthony J. Tambini,2007 - some mention of sonobuoys (Exhibits at: Patuxent River Naval Air Museum & USS Hornet Museum).
Ref 12. History of Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems Inc. - The History of Sonobuoys - "from October 1942 to the war’s end in 1945, the U.S. Navy had ordered 150,000 sonobuoys and 7,500 sonobuoy receivers". An NDRC document actually states 160,000 so reality is 150/160k.
Ref 13. Batcats: The United States Air Force 553rd Reconnaissance Wing in Southeast Asia by Sikora & Westin, 2003 -
Ref 14. EC-47: Acoubuoy, Spikebuoy, Muscle Shoals and Igloo White.pdf by Chris Jeppeson 1999 -
Ref 15. Photo 10-26-45 Acme news: Arthur Gremer, design engineer; Francis Burger, supervising engineer; George Rogers, chief engineer; Mark Grant, design engineer. Announced to public around October 1945.
Ref 16. History of Communications-Electronics in the United States Navy, 1963 (html, pdf)

Ch XXVI Development of Underwater Sound and Detection Equipment (html)
Ch XXXI The Navy and the Patent Situation (html) - W.W. I
XXXIX SONAR (html)

Ref 17. Probing The Oceans For Submarines -- A History of the AN/SQS-26 Long-Range, Echo-Ranging Sonar (a538018.pdf) 266 pgs

1. Introduction
2. History
3. Launching Program
4. Full Scale Experimentation & Development
5. Prototype Testing
6. Supporting R&D
7. Rubber Dome Window
8. Equip Ops & Tactical Employment
9. Fleet Performance
10 Conclusions
11. End Notes
App A: Event Chronology
App B: Personnel by employer
Index

Looking for patents based on names mentioned in Ref 17.
2434469 Pressure-proof reproducer, William A Myers, App: 1944-07-01, Pub: 1948-01-13, -
2537052 Tuning means for ultra high frequency signal generators, Andrew V Haeff, Charles B Smith, Robert H Mellen, App: 1945-08-30, Pub: 1951-01-09, -
2563829 Cable seal, James W Fitzgerald, Burton G Hurdle, Carlton L Morse, App: 1946-04-17, Pub: 1951-08-14, -
2694868 Echo repeater, Edwin M Mcmillan, William A Myers, App: 1943-08-03, Pub: 1954-11-23, -
3209314 Sound beacon, William A Myers, Vaughn G Mckenney, App: 1944-08-09, (SECRET for 21 YEARS), Pub: 1965-09-28, -
3229245 Echo ranging display system, Burton G Hurdle, Jr Robert J Mackey, 1966-01-11, -
3246289 Resonant underwater hydrodynamic acoustic projector, Robert H Mellen, 1966-04-12, -
3307142 Three-color echo ranging display, Harold J Doebler, 1967-02-28,
3403374 Underwater hydrodynamic acoustic projector, Robert H Mellen, Berman Robert, Kenneth L Moothart, Navy, 1968-09-24, -
4473896 Tactical Expendable Device, Harrison T. Loeser, Harold J. Doebler, Navy, 1984-09-25, -
5526323 Method and apparatus for interpretation of sonar signals, Robert M. Chapman, GD, App: 1965-09-28, (SECRET 31 YEARS) Pub: 1996-06-11
5911172 Retractable underwater turret, Kyrill V. Korolenko, Navy, 1999-06-08, -
6052335 Multiple-frequency sonar system, Kyrill V. Korolenko, Navy, 2000-04-18, -
6229761 Estimating ship velocity through the water and over the ground, Kyrill V. Korolenko, Henry Ralph D'Amelia, Henry Robert D'Amelia, Navy, 2001-05-08, -
6868768 Surf zone mine clearance and assault system, Thomas J. Gieseke, Kyrill V. Korolenko, 2005-03-22, -
7940602 Real-time system and method of underwater depth discrepancy detection, recordation and alarm notification, Kyrill V. Korolenko, Navy,2011-05-10, -

Ref 18. Hitler's Naval War, Cajus Bekker, 1971 - Around 1939 the German Subs had pretty much the same problems that the U.S. had starting in 1942. Torpedoes that ran deep, Magnetic exploders that did not work, contact exploders that did not work. Haven't yet seen circular running mentioned.
Ref 19. US Naval Weapons, Norman Friedman, 1983 (no copyright notice) - Excellent information not in other books about how decisions were made.

1. Guns (surface fire)
2. Fleet air defense before 1945
3. Underwater ordnance
4. Fleet are defense after 1945
5. Air-to-air weapons - See China Lake
6. Surface-to-air missiles
Appendidces: Guns, Fire Control Systems, Gun Mounts, Armor Penetration, Airborne Radars, Sonars, Sonobuoys, Torpedoes, Mines, Depth Charges, ASW Projectors, ASW Missiles, Guided Missile Launching Systems, Surface-to-air Missiles, Bombs, Nuclear Weapons, Air-to-Surface Missiles, Surface-to-Surface missiles.

Ref 21. Pushing Horizon: Seventy-Five Years of High Stakes Science, Ivan Amato, 1998 -
Ref 20, Ref 22. Principles and Applications of Underwater Sound, Originally Issued as Summary Technical Report of Division 6, NDRC, Vol. 7, 1946, Reprinted...1968 (pdf 321 pages) (Print on Demand) [at the time I ordered the print on demand book there was no free on line copy. Maybe ordering the POD book freed it up?]

Part 1: Basic Principles of Underwater Sound
Part 2: Echo Ranging
Part 3: Listening

Ref 23. Naval War College Newport Papers 16; The Third Battle, Innovation in the U.S. Navy's silent Cold War struggle with Soviet Submarines, Owen R. Cote Jr, 2003

This is an excellent overview of the cold war ASW approach by aircraft, surface ships and other submarines.
The USS Nautilus (SSN-571) had the machinery anchored to the hull and so generated a large amount of noise. That led to a new class of subs using "rafts" to isolate machinery and dampened flexible tubing to move water in or out to lower the acoustic signature of our subs.

1. From Holland to the Second Battle (end of W.W.II), the first 50 years
2. Phase 1: German Type XXI & early cold war - SOFAR channel,
3. Phase 2: ASW & the two Nuclear Revolutions, 1950 - 1960 -

BQR-2 (Wiki), BQR-4 (Wiki), p32:CRT-1, SSQ-2 (JPROC), LOFAR
QHB sonar: scanning, 25 khz, 19" trans, 1,800 yds @ 20 knots
SQS-4 sonar: 15 khz, 5' array, 8,000 yds (DASH, QH-50)
SQS-23 sonar: 5 khz, 8' array, 10,000 yds
SQS-26 sonar (Wiki): 3.5 khz, 11 - 40 miles
HENs (Wiki: Hotel, Echo, November)

4. Phase 3: ASW and the Happy Time, 1960-1980

P-3 Orion (Wiki)
SOSUS (Wiki) LOFAR,
LAMPS (see: AM-6536/ALR-54 LAMPS Radar Warning Receiver Front-end)

5. Phase 4: ASW & accoustic Parity, 1980-1990

"Because the Akulas did not produce powerful, continuous, narrowband tonals, transient tonals often provided the best initial detection opportunities at long range."
SURTASS (Wiki)

6. Forth Battle? Subs & ASW after the cold war

Ref 24. Aircraft and Submarines: The Story of the Invention, Development, and Present-Day Uses of War's Newest Weapons, Willis J. Abbot, 1918, 567pgs (pdf)
Ref 25. Underwater Acoustics and its Applications. A Historical Review. L & I Bjorno, 1999 (pdf)
Ref 26. UoTX: A Guide to the Maurice Ewing Papers, 1912, 1925-1974 -
Ref 27. The Acquisition of Sonobuoys for the U.S. Navy, May 1976, 10 pgs, a033812.pdf - AQA-7 then AQA-9, SSQ-53 & SSQ-50 (then SSQ-62).
Ref 28. AN/AQA to AN/AQS - Equipment Listing -
Ref 29. Technologies for Sonar Processing, 11 pgs, (19-04-South.pdf) - examples of Time-Frequency and Time-Bearing plots.

LOFAR display: Y-axis newest time at top, X-axis frequency, i.e. a Waterfall display.
Bearing Time Recording: Y-axis newest time at top, X-axis bearing, i.e. another kind of Waterfall display.
"Before 1985, the sonar images produced by the signal processors were printed to thermal hard-copy paper and then analyzed. Each data tape generated about 1,000 sheets of hard-copy paper, or more than 100,000 sheets for a single SSBN submarine mission. Each image was printed on dry silver paper, which was quite expensive in the quantities required."
Authors: Hugh M. South, David C. Cronin, Samuel L. Gordon, Timothy P. Magani. - no patents by any of them

Ref 30. Naval SONAR, 1953, NAVPERS 10884

Ch 12 Sound-Range and Depth Recorders - electrochemical wet paper feed roll stored in vapor-tight tank. 2-speed paper advance motor and 2-speed left-right stylus motor.
Ch 13 Submarine Listening Equipment - JP-1, JP-2 & JP-3 manually trained hydrophone,
Ch 17 SONAR Training Equipment: QFA-6 Attack Teacher - made by Sangamo Electric Co. because 2 electric meter mechanisms were used to move mirrors to position a spot of light on a screen. The meters respond to E * I *COS(phase) which matches the needed math for position plots. (I=ships speed, E=COS(heading from East)

Ref 31. FAS: ES310 Introduction to Naval Weapons Engineering Course Syllabus - Under Water Acoustics & SONAR: Introduction, Enviornment, ASW Systems (Bearing Time History), Sonobuoys: DICASS, DIFAR, VLAD
Ref 32. Approved Navy Training System Plan for the Navy Consolidated Sonobuoys N88-NTSP-A-50-8910B/A, September 1998 -

The sonobuoys discussed in this NTSP are all A-size: length 36 inches, diameter 4 7/8 inches. The sonobuoy weight varies by manufacturer and buoy type, but will not exceed 39 pounds.

The BT, DIFAR, LOFAR, DICASS, VLAD, and DLC sonobuoys are used in conjunction with the on-board systems of the P-3C, SH-2G, and SH-60B/F aircraft.

The P-3C Update III, SH-60B Upgrade, SH-2G Upgrade and SH-60F Upgrade are potential recipients of the ADAR sonobuoy.

The AN/SSQ-110 EER sonobuoy will operate with the P-3C Update III to form the EER System. The AN/SSQ-110A EER sonobuoy will operate with the P-3C Update III to form the EER and Improved EER Systems, respectively. The SH-60B Upgrade, SH-2G Upgrade, and the SH-60F Upgrade are potential recipients of the EER sonobuoy.

SSQ-36 Bathythermograph
SSQ-53D/E Low Frequency Analysis and Recording (LOFAR)
SSQ-62B/C/D/E Directional Command Activated Sonobuoy System (DICASS)
SSQ-77B Vertical Line Array DIFAR (VLAD)
SSQ-86 Data Link Communications (DLC)
SSQ-101 Air Deployable Active Receiver (ADAR)
SSQ-110/A Extended Echo Ranging (EER)

Technical Manuals

TM
Title
Format

NAVAIR 28-SSQ-500-1 Sonobuoy Instruction Manual Hard copy

NAVAIR 28-SSQ-500-4 Basic Introduction to Air ASW Sensors CD-ROM

NAVAIR 28-SSQ-500-4A Basic Introduction to Air ASW Sensors (Confidential Supplement) CD-ROM

NAVAIR 11-1-107 SUS Technical Manual Hard copy

NAVAIRINST 4010.3A Sonobuoy Inventory Cord Report, Control & Disposition CD-ROM

NWP 3-20.5 P-3 TACMAN Hard copy

NAVAIR 01-75PA-75 P-3 A/B/C Airborne Weapons, Storage, Loading Manual Hard copy

NWP 3-21.64 SH-60F TACMAN Hard copy

NAVAIR H60BB-LWS-000 SH-60B Airborne Weapons, Storage, Loading Manual Hard copy

NWP 3-21.63 SH-60B/LAMPS MKIII TACMAN Hard copy

NWP 55-2-SH2/LAMPS MKI SH-2G TACMAN Hard copy

Ref 33. RP33 Fleet Oceanographic and Acoustic Reference Manual - 1999, 234 pgs,
Ref 34. NASA Technical Memorandum 85727, Review of Underwater Acoustic Systems and Methods for Locating Objects Lost at Sea, Nov. 1983, -

Development Spec. DuKane Model N15A234: 10 kHz pulse 12.5ms every 1.4 seconds. 8 ea 1450 Mercury batteries, 240 Hours operating life (10 days), 2.340" dia x 7" long.
Photos:
Fig 1. ACR EPIRB
Fig 2 SUS Mk 59 Mod 5 Explosive Wt. 1.90 lbs, Total Wt. 4.80 lbs.
Fig 3 TDRSS tracking method
Fig 4 North Atlantic Ocean-depth profile
Fig 5 Down-looking sonar 30 deg beam
Fig 6. DuKane Model N15F210B FAA approved underwater sound source
Fig 7 Burnet Model 590 FAA approved underwater sound source
Fig 8 Dukane N15M210 commercial version of naval Mk 87 Mod 0 with optional mounting bracket.
Fig 9 DuKane recovery aids used on early NASA missions
Fig 10 DuKane N15A217 long range Appolo unit w/bracket.
Fig 11 DuKane N15A234 severe environmental conditions
Fig 12 DuKane N15M210 delayed turnon timing device in end cap
Fig 13 Deep submersible (SCRAB) to 6,000'
Fig 14 Navy "Deep Drone"
Fig 15 Search transceiver/receiver block diagram. spread spectrum Tx 9062 & 11.875 kHz.
Fig 16 Underwater transponder/transmitter block diagram
Fig 17 model of underwater depressor transducer vehicle
Fig 18 Fixed beam, towed transducer platform using NRL type depressor (Rx @ 30 - 40 kHz & 9 - 12 kHz)
Fig 19 48-crystal beam forming underwater platform @ 10 kHz
Fig 20 Proposed concept for Fig 19

Ref 35. The Naby's Best-Kept Secret: is IUSS Becoming a Lost Art?, D.M. Maskell, 2001 (DTIC: ADA401150.pdf) -
Ref 36. History of the Anti-Submarine Measures Division of the Tenth Fleet, 7 Dec 1981, 137pgs - depth charges, IN early 1941 SONAR was blind when a sub got within a few hundred yards of a ship with SONAR because the pattern was mostly horizontal. "One phase of anti-submarine measures which later made a decisive contribution to success in 1943 was practically non-existent at the close of 1941. This was naval anti-submarine aviation. The decisive importance of naval aviation in an anti-submarine war seems not to have been recognized prior to the outbreak of hostilities. Fortunately its importance was recognized even later by the enemy. " "The development of the sono-buoy* aircraft searchlights* rockets* and the Mark 24 mine all occurred after 1941." "The use of Army planes and personnel reporting as Sea Frontier Commands, but not under control of CominCh, led to an intolerable administrative situation whose liquidation was one of the main objectives when TENTH Fleet was created in 1943." "The Mark I sono-buoy was first dropped from a blimp on 3 April and was in production by June 1942." Sep 1943 German GNAT acoustic homing torpedo is deployed. The FIR countermeasure "singing saw" worked, nullifying the GNAT. A chronology is on pdf page 120 covering 27 June 1941 to 12 June 1945.
Ref 37. The Age of Orion: The Lockheed P-3 Story, David Reade, 1998, 223 pgs - pg.18: "The AQA-3A JEZEBEL long range (passive) acoustic signal processor/recorder system and its associated ASA-20 JULIE "Explosive" echo-locating system." The AQA-3 appears to have the same front panel as the AQA-1, but slightly different top just behind the panel.
Ref 38.Submarine Torpedo Tactics: An American History Illustrated Edition by Edward Monroe Jones & Shawn S. Roderick, 2014, 232 pgs -
Ref 39. A Brief History of U.S. Navy Torpedo Development, E.W. Jolie, 1978 (HNSA.htm)
Ref 40. Subband Energy Detection in Passive Array Processing, Bono, Shapo, McCarty & Bethel, (ADA405484.pdf)
Ref 41. Sea shadow (Wiki, HMB-1) - The Polaroid Concept (Sonar One Step Camera, Ultrasonic) -
Ref 42. F-117A of The Seas: Lockheed Skunk Work's Sonar-Invisible Submarine -
Ref 43. ASDIC and SONAR in the RCN -
Ref 44. Meeting the Submarine Challenge: A Short History of the Naval Underwater Systems Center, 1997 (Google), 397 pgs -

5122807 Motion-compensated direction finding system, Peter M. Trask, Gregory J. Majewski, Navy, 1992-06-16, - "The motion compensated direction finding system of the invention has especial utility for buoys released from undersea vessels released to sea surface."
2821709 Antennas, Fucci Salvatore, 1958-01-28, - stacking VHF & UHF antennas on a mast.
4554554 Quadrifilar helix antenna tuning using pin diodes, Ralph C. Olesen, Robert A. Sainati, John J. Gropelli, Jr.Andrew J. Stanland, Navy, 1985-11-19, - Band 1:250 - 270; Band 2: 290 - 315 MHz & a 5 Band version for 260 to 400 MHz.
UHF SATCOM buoy, now designated AN/BRT-6
6859180 Gravity-actuated submarine antenna, David F. Rivera, Navy, 2005-02-22 - buoyant cable antennas (BCA) that works for SATCOM. (see AS-3379A BCA)
7577405 Disposable radio communication device (buoy), Charles Philip Amidon, Navy, 2009-08-18, -
7559288 Recoverable optical fiber tethered buoy assembly, Charles Philip Amidon, Navy,2009-07-14, -
6711095 Expenable/recoverable voice and data communications system buoy, Danny Daniels, Navy, 2004-03-23, - AN/BRT-6?
432 patents assigned to the US Navy relating to "VLF", 99 Navy patents with "extremely low frequency"

Ref 45. Expendable Communication Buoys - Gabler Naval Technology borchure (GABLER-Naval_ECB_2021-05_EN.pdf)
Ref 46. Broadband Passive Sonar Tracking, Brinkmann & Hurka, 2009 (cd-2397.pdf) - Atlas Elektronik - ISUS 100 brochure (ISUS100.pdf)
Ref 47. OEG Report NO. 51, ASW in WOrld War II, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, 1946 -

Part 1 History of Antisubmarine Operations
Part 2 Antisubmarine Measures and their Effectiveness
Part 3

Hickory Aviation Museum - P3-C interactive tour - Grab circle behind pilot's seat and look up to see this periscope sextant mounted in ceiling of P-3.
The Cutting Edge ASWS-3 Viking 1980 VS-24 (23:50 training video)

Sub Killers Part 11960 Walter Cronkite S2F Tracker - USS Randolf exercise

Sub Killers Part 2 S2F -
Sippican's expendable probes - temperature, sound velocity, conductivity, etc.
Sonar Training Record Series D16: training sonobuoy audio from records
Expendable Radio Sonobuoy Training Records, 15P3: training sonobuoy audio from records
USS Pampanito Operating Equipment: sounds
Net and Boom Defenses - Ordnance Pamphlet 636A June 1944
Welcome to USS PAMPANITO (SS-383) - SS-383 Sonobuoy web pages - Manual for Expendable Radio Sono-Buoy Training (phonograph) Records -
Chapter 16 SOFAR, Harbor Defense, and other SONAR Systems - Fig 16-9 shows the above hydrophone. - JM-4 sonobuoy schematic dia -
Naval SONAR -
WiNRADiO AX-61S Sonobuoy Telemetry Antenna- 135 to 175 MHz.
Harvard Underwater Sound Laboratory. Records of the Underwater Sound Laboratory : an inventory
OEG REPORT No. 51, ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE IN WORLD WAR II, Charles M. Sternhell and Alan M. Thorndike 1946 - links to contents do NOT work
Scientists create the loudest possible (underwater) sound - SLAC: In brief: Record-shattering underwater sound - cavitation puts an upper limit on how loud sound in water an be.
University of Bergen - Sonobuoys - to use SSQ-57 LOFAR for scientific use with modified ICOM 8500 receiver
Acoustical Society of America - Search for Sonobuoy -

1979
4109232
4114135 Acoustic device, Clarence J. Funk, Navy, 1978-09-12, - vertical line array, doppler, LOFAR
4121190
4114137 Directional Sonobuoy
4013756

IUSS*Caesar Alumni Association - Articles & Briefings - Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS) = SOSUS + SURTASS

Box label (Fig 1): Hydrophone and Retainer Assembly 1 ea. NOAS 58-548C Hazeltine Corp Mfg/Contr A22267-1 A-IA-8X-6/60 Sub-Item 5 Sensitivity Minus _____ db	6 EL SH HYD (6 ELement Small Hydrophone HYDrophone?) Cable can: 4" dia x 5-3/8" high This is smaller than an A Size sonobuoy (4-7/8"). Maybe fits inside an A-Size? Hydro Cup: 2" OD x 5" high Cup holds 5 hydrophones + cup-end hydrophone for 6 total.
Fig 1 OEM Box	Fig 2 unknown total cable length. No depth option, always the same.	Fig 3 latch mechanism (not clear how it works)

	2710458 Underwater acoustic decoy, Reed Donald G, Sec of Navy, Filed: Jun 14, 1945 (10.0 year delay), Pub: Jun 14, 1955, 434/6, 114/20.1, 367/1, 434/25 - passive SONAR training device Fig 1: either 3x32" or 4x43", most likley 3x32" Fig 9: either 3x24 or 4x32" This may or may not be launched from a sub.
	2981927 Underwater sound transmitter, Vaughn G Mckenney, Sec of Navy, Filed: Apr 4, 1946 (15 year delay), Pub: Apr 25, 1961, 367/1, 455/18, 114/20.1, 360/6 - returns SONAR pings at same frequency but offset in time (very similar to RADAR countermeasures). see Radar Warning Receiver Fig 1 shows a length/diameter ratio of 11.5, so if 3" dia then length is 34", if dia is 4" then length is 46". Since a yard or meter shows up as a practical length then I'd assume this is a 3 x 34" device. Mentions: 2793589 Buoyancy control device, Atchley Raymond D, Filed: May 3, 1944, (13 year delay), Pub: May 28, 1957, 102/414 -
	3379273 Powerful sound impulse generation methods and apparatus, Stephen V Chelminski, Bolt Technology, 1968-04-23, - the "airgun" mentioned by AAron in Sub Brief: Analysis: Seismic Airgun - used for geology of the ocean bottom. Has the look and feel of the Gamewell Diaphone Air Horn used at fire stations to call firemen and as a Fog Horn.
	5003515 Submarine emergency communication transmitter, Albert S. Will, Frank C. McLean, Sylvan Wolf, Samuel H. Kauffman, John C. Hetzler, Jr., Charles A. Lewis, George E. Maxim, Secretary Of The Navy, Filed: May 28, 1964, (27 year delay) Pub: Mar 26, 1991, 367/131, 367/145 - Image flipped so that it's oriented as if in the water. There are 7 drop bombs which are released by explosive bolts and they explode after 20 seconds so that their depth will be controlled (probably within the sound channel (see Roswell Connection above). If the sink rate was the same as the Mk IX depth charge (15 fps) then after 20 seconds it would be down to 300 feet which is too shallow to get into the SOFAR Channel (Wiki). I suspect the time delay is really much longer to that the drop bombs get into the SOFAR Channel. The timing of the drop bomb release translated into one of a number of coded messages. The length/diameter ratio is very small so will not help to determine its dimensions. See other Albert Will patents
	5044281 Submarine flare with vertical attitude determination, Peter Ramsay, Brian W. Whiffen, Gerald M. Bushnell, Victor Nanut, Robert C. Czigledy, Robert J. Swinton, Maxwell J. Coxhead, Timothy R. Clarke, Australia, Sep 3, 1991, 102/340, 102/224, 102/351, 102/357, 102/354 - The length/diameter ratio is 12.67, so: 3" x 38" or 4" x 57", seems to indicate it's 3 x 38".

Fig 1 LOFAR waterfall with frequency on X-axis. You can get this from an omnidirectional sonobuoy	Fig 2 Side by Side LOFAR waterfall and Bearing Time Recording (BTR) waterfall
Fig 5 Composite acoustic data display Top display Frequency waterfall. (frequencies 0 to 2400 at bottom) Left display Bearing waterfall (bearings 0 to 360 at right). Lower right (main) display Frequency-Bearing display	Fig 6 Correlogram Frequency-Bearing display
Fig 7 Pictorial of the frequency/bearing area of Fig 5

Sonobuoy SSQ-	Channels
41, 41A, 41B, 38, 50, 53, 57, 62	1-31
36	12, 14, 16
71	3, 5, 7
47A, 47B	1 to 12

Fig 1 Front	Fig 2 Back
Fig 3 Inside top to right.	Fig 4 Inside Maybe precision wire wound resistors at right side.

Fig 1	Fig 2	Fig 3	Fig 4	Fig 5
Fig 6	Fig 7	Fig 8	Fig 9 Chesapeake Instrument Corp. Shadyside, MD	Fig 10 Hydrophone Mod. SB 154C Auditory Capacities in Fish.pdf 5cm dia x 1.5cm thk barium titanate -89 decibels (re 1 volt per microbar of sound pressure) and a frequency response essentially flat from 50 cps.
Fig 11	Fig 12	Fig 13	Fig 14	Fig 15
Fig 16	Fig 17	Fig 18	Fig 19	Fig 20
Fig 21	Fig 22	Fig 23	Fig 24	Fig 25

TM	Title	Format
NAVAIR 28-SSQ-500-1	Sonobuoy Instruction Manual	Hard copy
NAVAIR 28-SSQ-500-4	Basic Introduction to Air ASW Sensors	CD-ROM
NAVAIR 28-SSQ-500-4A	Basic Introduction to Air ASW Sensors (Confidential Supplement)	CD-ROM
NAVAIR 11-1-107	SUS Technical Manual	Hard copy
NAVAIRINST 4010.3A	Sonobuoy Inventory Cord Report, Control & Disposition	CD-ROM
NWP 3-20.5	P-3 TACMAN	Hard copy
NAVAIR 01-75PA-75	P-3 A/B/C Airborne Weapons, Storage, Loading Manual	Hard copy
NWP 3-21.64	SH-60F TACMAN	Hard copy
NAVAIR H60BB-LWS-000	SH-60B Airborne Weapons, Storage, Loading Manual	Hard copy
NWP 3-21.63	SH-60B/LAMPS MKIII TACMAN	Hard copy
NWP 55-2-SH2/LAMPS MKI	SH-2G TACMAN	Hard copy

Sonobuoys & Outdoor Intrusion Detectors

Background

Submarines & the Noises they Make

Sonobuoys

Submarines Diving

Types of Sonobuoys

CNU-239/E Shipping Tube

A Size

Operational Life

Radio Transmitter

Sonobuoy Receivers & Radio Channels

Generation Zero

1st Generation

2nd Generation

3rd Generation

USQ-46 (USQ, below)

Black Box

Sonobuoy Frequency Table

Command Function Select (CFS)

Directional Frequency Analysis & Recording type acoustic sensor (DIFAR)

DIFAR Patents

Earth's Field Magnetic Detectors

Reserve Batteries

Salt water activated magnesium

Reserve Battery Patents

Salt water activated silver chloride

Light, Emergency Sea Rescue Marker

Photos

Table of Sonobuoys

Operation

Battery

SUS: Signal Underwater Sound (see SUS Mk 84 web page)

Sonobuoy Aircraft Systems

Receivers

ARR-52 sonobuoy Aircraft Receiver

R-1170/ARR-52A

ARR-52 Patents

General Sonobuoy Receiver Patents

ARR-75

Other Sonobuoy Aircraft Systems

Bathythermograph (Wiki: BT)

Sippican

Outdoor Intrusion Detectors based on Sonobuoy Technology

Link between Vietnam Intrusion Detectors and Navy

Construction

1st Generation

Spikebuoy - seismic sensor

ADSID

Acoubuoy - microphone

Arfbuoy - repeater

ARFBUOY Acoubuoy

Mines for Noise

USQ-42 Receiver

R-1617A/USQ-46 Receiver

Description

Operation

GSQ-171

TS-2963 Test Set (Transmitter)

PP-6446A/USQ-46 Power Supply (Receiver, Test Set)

GSQ-154

GSQ-160

Patents

Sonobuoy

Calibrators & Test Sets

Patent Citations (11)

Magnavox

SONAR

Dr. Breed & Hughes

Launching

Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) (Wiki)

ASQ-8

MX-1361 Three Channel (X, Y, Z) Magnetic Sensor

C820 Control Panel

17H-4 Gamma Slinger

References

Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) Patents

SONAR Countermeasures

Hydrophones

Hydrophone Patents

Brush Development Co. Patents

1^st Generation