WHAT IN THE HECK IS THIS??? "EATM RADIO TRANSMITTER MOTOROLA SABER" EDM Ports, microwave receiver?

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

FOUND ON THE INTERNET. A BRIEFCASE WITH SOME SORT OF WEIRD PURPOSE??? Has apparently a microwave receiver and a VHF or UHF SABER for a transmitter. The EDM TX and RX connectors have some associated cables. "EDM" Electronic Dance Music? Or???

https://www.ebay.com/itm/317481464580?_skw=motorola+saber&itmmeta=01KRDGPZ0W5KJETP4F21XEAA70&hash=item49eb5eb304:g:uc8AAeSwKkRpAunO&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA8DKQclQvzFwZQpmMrsO4LuoFb4NOqdIw%2FF1EtsD%2FN8G7DZ4pR0eDi0VMnAYVfl3hdBSpv0MvUdYsOiiqsOtfbeGCbCvM%2FUwqIdoapEzZFUzk6Cew1gLwywYxN6mepOMVJAhzB6rEk%2BWH4Hw8rkVZvADSW4cfIQqaGjM1933FH7NYKMLz41GR6hZJyQ2sV0uiA3pTkyEn5TR3j%2BY6g8y1etBk8DAoyG%2B2ow5T1qGzk6JVYyeoRR40wc%2FUqBk8gOqrb41PDENC%2FWDaI5EClks1eHNYTRVQN0iuScqIVbzbBsKDCmnAfNPxVhsG2RvyiYJA0g%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR87w27DDZw

 

[littona]

An old briefcase repeater? It's been a while since the Motorola SABER was in use.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

An old briefcase repeater? It's been a while since the Motorola SABER was in use.

The Saber is a surprising choice for the transmitter. I note it is a Securenet capable radio due to the housing length. But that could just have been a design coincidence. It is apparently repeating or transponding with something from a microwave input from best I can see. But why the EDM (Data?) ports? Why would the LO and IF be broken out on the front panel?

 

[prcguy]

Its probably a repeater for a covert microwave thing to VHF or UHF. You could probably measure the LO frequency and figure out what the microwave receive frequency is. The LO and IF typically break out for troubleshooting or alignment.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Its probably a repeater for a covert microwave thing to VHF or UHF. You could probably measure the LO frequency and figure out what the microwave receive frequency is. The LO and IF typically break out for troubleshooting or alignment.

I would thing for a wire, but then what is with the "EDM" TX and RX?

 

[prcguy]

I would thing for a wire, but then what is with the "EDM" TX and RX?

Maybe programming for the Saber and microwave receiver?

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Maybe programming for the Saber and microwave receiver?

It seems overkill for the task to have all those multi pin cables. So you have this potentially wide bandwidth microwave receiver intercepting something and then transponding it (broadcasting one way) on a 25 KHz BW channel. Maybe it is an intercept receiver for a microwave band? I am tempted to buy it just to reverse engineer it. But I don't need another project in my compressed lifetime. Maybe I can donate it to the Saveitforparts YT guy. Its in his wheelhouse.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Maybe it detects UFO's and sends out an alert.

 

[prcguy]

So maybe the FBI or ?? has bugged a place using a hard to detect bug that transmits at some really high frequency to avoid detection. A microwave receiver/repeater nearby could receive that, maybe use an audio squelch so the repeater only transmits when audio is detected then rebroadcast to a local FBI DES encrypted VHF repeater via the Saber. The briefcase thing appears to be a one way device so its not for normal two way comms.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

So maybe the FBI or ?? has bugged a place using a hard to detect bug that transmits at some really high frequency to avoid detection. A microwave receiver/repeater nearby could receive that, maybe use an audio squelch so the repeater only transmits when audio is detected then rebroadcast to a local FBI DES encrypted VHF repeater via the Saber. The briefcase thing appears to be a one way device so its not for normal two way comms.

FBI it could be. It runs only on domestic 110V mains so CIA/NSA could be ruled out. The cables are still weird and overkill. Maybe it interfaces with some archaic pen register? Odd no local audio recording. Also odd, no apparent battery back up.

 

[KevinC]

I'm old and forget things, but I "seem" to remember seeing one of these when I did DEA work in the early 90's. If I remember correctly it was for a bug/wire to retransmit over a frequency everyone had access to. Keep in mind I could be completely misremembering the whole thing or I saw something similar.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I'm old and forget things, but I "seem" to remember seeing one of these when I did DEA work in the early 90's. If I remember correctly it was for a bug/wire to retransmit over a frequency everyone had access to. Keep in mind I could be completely misremembering the whole thing or I saw something similar.

It really makes sense it would be something like that. What is weird are the EDM interfaces.

 

[prcguy]

I'm old and forget things, but I "seem" to remember seeing one of these when I did DEA work in the early 90's. If I remember correctly it was for a bug/wire to retransmit over a frequency everyone had access to. Keep in mind I could be completely misremembering the whole thing or I saw something similar.

Early 90s would be prime time for a Saber.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Early 90s would be prime time for a Saber.

And Cocaine Cowboys (and Miami Vice!!)

 

[Cameron314]

Looks like some test equipment to me. Maybe upconverting from the Saber?