In the past, we purchased two of the 309L-2 ALE controllers from Mike Murphy in San Diego as we wanted to learn more about how ALE would work. As normal, without documentation, it is a bit of a challenge to make them work.
The 309L-2 series was the first generation of ALE technology and was paired with the HF-8096 Fixed Site Controller. Collins marketed it under than name of "SelScan" in 1980 and it seems to be the original basis for Federal Standard 1045. However, we are unable to confirm this. The 309L-2 series while designed for use on aircraft HF systems, did find it way into a number of land based systems. It was the basis of the US Coast Guard ALE system as well as the COTHEN system operated by the US-ICE group. There was also a matching ALE unit (HF-8096) for HF-80 series radios which is described elsewhere in this site. We understand that the data rate was 300 bits per second. We also understand that the key size was either 40 bit or 64 bit depending on who and where it was used
Note that this ALE controller uses a special control head which is the 514A-12. It is a generation step after the digital control head, the 514A-7 which provided for stored channels.
So far what we found is that the 309L-2 unit has three connectors.
The use of them is as follows. (Look at at the internal photos also.)
J1 Power (DC powered)
J2 Control of the the associated Collins Receiver-Transmitter such as the 671 series radio and to the 514A-12 Control unit
J3 Programming port ("Fill")
J1 uses these pins:
|
A |
Grey |
|
B |
Blue |
|
C |
not in use - no connection |
|
D |
not in use - no connection |
|
E |
White (seems to be for the signal ground) |
|
F |
Red (+28 vdc power?) |
|
G |
Black (Ground?) |
|
H |
Not in use - no connection |
J2 has many connections - seems to be for the control lines and the audio connection
J3 has all pins in use. Note while this appears to look like a normal military audio connector, it is not. It is actually smaller.
|
A |
Unknown but should be ground |
|
B |
Unknown |
|
C |
Unknown but normally fill request or load acknowledge |
|
D |
Unknown but should be for the fill data |
|
E |
Unknown but should be the for the fill clock function |
|
F |
Unknown |
More photos to be added - just need the time to do it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 309M-1 Series ALE System Part Number Equipment Type Description ALE 523-0773444 NTN Selscan Automatic HF Comm. System Pilot Guide ALE 523-0776622 NTN ALE Control Processor 309M-1 Int. Maintenance ALE 622-6792-001 514A-12 Control ALE 622-6792-002 514A-12 Control ALE 622-6792-003 514A-12 Control ALE 622-6883-001 994C-1 Mount, Hard ALE 622-6883-002 994C-1 ALE Mount, Shock Isolated ALE 622-9628-005 309M-1 ALE Processor ALE 751-0236-002 NTN HF Control Connector Kit ALE 752-7615-001 NTN ALE Connector Kit ALE 752-7616-001 NTN Conn. Kit, 514A-12/13
If anyone has information on this unit, it would be great.