Spy tape recorder.
I will have to temporarily use this name,
since the present is not exactly known to me yet.
However, Kharchenko VG On the website of his
virtual museum -
http://rw6ase.narod.ru
reports that probably this recorder was produced since
1971 under the name "Bat"
(Летучая мышь).
I'd like to believe that it is true, but
so far this information has not been confirmed by
anyone. At
one of the forums suggested to me that such devices were
made of Kiev Institute of MARS (formerly named. Manuilskogo), apparently by order of the GRU (Main
Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the
armed forces of the USSR) as a reliable source you know
exactly what they were used in military intelligence. Judging by the marking on the details, he
made in 1973 in the USSR.
This exhibit received the collection of my friend in
Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Fortunately, he decided
that such an interesting instance is better to be in the
collection accessible to all, rather than just lying at
home on the shelf.
Video
review
Recording and playback after repair
The recorder has the dimensions 138 x 90 x 17 mm and
weighs 380 grams. Structurally the device is made, as a
military unit. The body - chassis milled from a single
block of some alloy, titanium is possible. The upper and lower lids of
aluminum. The top lid has a circular window for visual
inspection of the rotation reel. In the middle of the
cover is her retainer. To open the lid should press the
button on the side. In this lock is released and the lid
is easily removed.
Photos can be enlarged
The speed of magnetic tape is stable, there capstan and
pinch roller. However, in this design rubber coating is
capstan, and not pinch roller, as it is accepted
everywhere. Miniature motor is positioned horizontally,
and the movement of it on the flywheel is transmitted
via belt. Clamps the tape with felt lining and brass
pinch roller summarized by turning the lever with the
red knob. The fine tapered portion of the flywheel is
pressed against the rubber roller capstan, which is an
intermediate rubber-covered roller is connected to the
winding mechanism.
In
the photo on the left off the recorder. In the photo on
the right clamps the tape and pinch roller summed up,
the recorder is ready to work.
The design of the
recorder is well thought out and constructed on a high
technological level. The workmanship of all the details
of the mechanism is very high.
There is
hitchhiking. For its operation using one of the guiding
pillars, located next to the flywheel. This stand
isolated from the body, and closes on it a metal ribbon,
glued on both ends of the winding reel. In this case,
the control circuit shuts off power to the device.
On
the left is seen hitchhiking tape guide pin, isolated
from the body. In the photo on the right is visible
metal strip contacting tape guide pin on the body.
The
recorder uses tape-width 6.35 mm on metal reel diameter
53 mm. Depending on the thickness of the tape, the reel
can be made 1 - 2 hours of recording (on one track). After that you can
flip the reel, and continue recording on the second
track. To fix the reel to reel table are twisted
round the spring and, within the coils corresponding
grooves.
Includes reel to have a plastic adapter to listen to
recordings on a standard tape recorder.
Rewind to the recorder is not available,
but its implementation has a special unit with the
transmission. It is worn on top of the respective reel,
and rewind is performed manually with a rotating handle.
In this guide pin device is inserted into the hole to
lock the top cover recorder. Rearranging the device as
desired, can provide fast rewind the tape to both sides.
Also
included is a simple device for winding in the form of a
plastic handle with three pins at the end.
Both heads, universal
and erasing, manufactured specifically for this model,
and have dimensions of 10 x 10 x 8,5 mm. Voltage
recorder 4,8 v, carried out by 4 batteries of type "DEAC"or D-0,1
to 1,2 v. To use the battery D-0,1 in the battery
compartment inserted ebonite adapters suitable diameter. Current consumption of the recorder when
recording, 35 ma, while playing 40 ma. On the front side of the recorder are two
connectors. One, located in the middle, intended for
connecting an external switch, and the second for a
microphone and external amplifier is playing. Connector
for the switch has a swivel lock, and to connect the
microphone and external amplifier is used throughout the
five-pin connector with thread.
If you remove
the bottom cover, allows access to internal wiring and
the electronics board. Three board electronics and wires
are placed in machined grooves and cavities of the
monolithic body. Used wire type MGTF in Teflon
insulation. Apparently, the next assembly is the control
circuit board recording modes - play - hitchhiking, and
stabilizer motor speed. Since the switch is absent, the
control circuit switches modes depending on what is
plugged in a microphone or an external power play. In
the opposite side of the body located circuit board
recording, and erasing the generator. All boards are
covered with a protective lacquer, and there are no
signs of repair.
Inclusion
of the recorder by using remote switch - button. The set
includes two such switch with wire of different lengths,
and one without any wires, combined with the connector.
To
activate the voice recorder should press the button, and
to pull off her back.
Outer playback amplifier configured as
an aluminum capsule size 73 x 36 x 16 mm and weighs 50
grams, and assembled on the transistor 6. It has two
parallel output jack for headphones. Power supply to the
amplifier is supplied from the recorder, which explains
the fact that the current consumption during playback
(40 mA) is greater than the record (35 mA).
Also
included is
a
device
for
fast
demagnetization
Lena
(all
coils
at once),
battery charger,
oiler,
and
miniature
tubes
with
spare
screws
and
adhesive tape
for
bonding
tape.
There is also a
metal
strip
for
hitchhiking.
Microphone type "Neva" have dimensions 30 x 11 mm, and
weighs 25 grams.
On their reverse side has a pin for fixing microphones
to clothing. In the photo on the right twin microphones,
both connected to a single connector.
In the photo on the left bracket,
designed to work the recorder from an external power
source. Stub is inserted into the battery compartment,
and closes its contacts. In this case the supply voltage
can be fed through a connector for an external switch.
In the photo on the right nipple and a spare five-pin
connector.
Recorder needed repairs. Instead of destroying the old
rubber coating capstan had to wear on him a segment of
rubber tubing (nipples), to replace a stretched belt,
and carry out preventive maintenance mechanics. Also
required to remove a dent in the rubber roller capstan.
Such indentations are formed on the rubber from the
prolonged pressure of the metal shaft, when the tape
recorder for a long time do not use. In this case, I'm
stuck under a piece of wire promyatoe place the required
thickness. In this case, gum up, and leveled a dent.
Wiring was intact, the recorder records and plays, but
the playback volume is low. The reason for this is that
the electrolytic capacitors over time lose their
properties. Judging by the marking, the capacitors in
the recorder are between the ages of 38 to 40 years, and
it is for them very much. Unfortunately I do not know
how many transistors used in the circuit of the recorder.
To satisfy curiosity, would disrupt the ideal order
factory assembled, and do it without the pressing need
not want.
On the left is visible at the bottom of a
dent on the rubber roller capstan. In the photo on the
right set new rubber ring
Apparently, this
design is original, and prototypes of a foreign
proceeding was not. However, this is rarely the case.
Much of Soviet technology, especially audio and
television, was copied from foreign originals. Examples
are many. For example, in the photo below, two nearly
identical recorder. Left of the Soviet
"Яхта-1М"
(Yacht-1M), and to
the right Swiss "Nagra SNST".
Detailed information about the Yacht-1M recorder is
available on the page
"Yacht-1M_Yavir-1".
Photo sent to me by a collector of their
rarity audio Hungary, known in the appropriate forums
under the name "Quad". Both the recorder is in his
collection.
