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Some equipment in the Marine Corps is so valued that it has been around for
generations and still operating at top capacity. One such piece of gear is the
AN/TRC-170.
The Tropospheric Scatter Microwave Radio Terminal, or the AN/TRC-170, is a
communication link that transports data from one position to another. Marines
during the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 2-17 near Yuma, Ariz., are
using this reliable piece of equipment to communicate back to Marine Corps Air
Station Yuma from their field position.
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April 26, 2017 - The Tropospheric Scatter Microwave Radio Terminal,
or the AN/TRC-170, is being operated during the Weapons and Tactics
Instructor Course 2-17 near Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona.
The AN/TRC-170 is used to transfer data, internet, phone, and emails
within 100 nautical miles to a point target on the receiving end.
This version of the AN/TRC-170 has been commissioned in the Marines
Corps since the 1980’s. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cody Lemons)
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“The purpose of the AN/TRC-170 is to be a link between two major sites,” said
Sgt. Matthew George, an AN/TRC-170 operator assigned to Marine Wing
Communications Squadron 28, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft
Wing.
“It is a point-to-point contact,” said George. “It can reach up to 100 nautical
miles and you can pass data, internet, phone, and email. All of that is coming
through the AN/TRC-170.”
Although it looks like an intricate piece of equipment, it only takes about 45
minutes to set up with four Marines, and about half that time to take down, said
George.
The AN/TRC-170 may be the most reliable piece of communications gear in the
Marine Corps.
“It’s a solid piece of gear” said George. “Ever since we’ve had these set up,
it’s been a solid signal. Once it is set up and is going, it takes a lot for it
to break. It is extremely reliable.”
“It has been up since March 17th and we have had no down time,” said Cpl. Austin
Hardin, a TRC-170 operator assigned to MWCS-28, MACG-28, 2nd MAW. “We are at
around 960 hours of non-stop communication. It’s super reliable.”
Not only has this version of the AN/TRC-170 been reliable, but it has also been
around since the 1980’s, with earlier versions coming before that.
“All the old gear that was used way back when is actually still in there,” said
George. “So if we had to, we could go back and use the old gear. We have the
option to actually switch back and forth to fall back on, but we have yet to
have to do that.”
To demonstrate how long these machines have been commissioned in the Marine
Corps, Hardin says his friend met and ex-Marine at a Veterans Affairs who used
to actually work with an earlier version of the AN/TRC-170 during his time in
the Vietnam War.
“Some people hate on the AN/TRC-170,” said Hardin. “The VSAT guys have satellite
time that costs thousands and thousands of dollars but we still have these in
commission and they are super cheap compared to what they have. They have been
around for so long and they are still kicking, they are strong. They are like
the workhorse of communications.”
Though there is more advanced technology out there nowadays, the AN/TRC-170
still pulls in a crowd.
“Everyone wants to see them when they come out here,” said Hardin. “Nobody wants
to see the VSAT or the radios; they want to come see the AN/TRC-170.”
There’s an old saying of, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That saying stands
true for the AN/TRC-170.
By U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Cody Lemons
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
The U.S. Marines
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