USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Class: Photographs

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1)

Photo taken by her conversion yard, Ingalls SB, Pascagoula, Miss., and released by the Pacific Missile Range (PMR), Point Mugu, Calif., in May 1961 before she became operational with the range on 1 November 1961. Her initial antenna fit included an AN/FPS-16 tracking radar antenna on the port side of the transverse deckhouse forward of the bridge house, one square quadruple element acquisition antennas on top of the tripod mast, two more atop the forward kingposts, and a possible single element acquisition antenna on the tripod.

Photo No. None
Source: Shipscribe

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1)

Underway on 5 April 1961. Note the weather balloon hanger facing to port aft and the standard Navy high frequency broadband discage HF transmitting antanna on the stern.

Photo No. USN 1051598
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file)

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1)

Photo by the Pacific Missile Range (PMR), Point Mugu, Calif., dated November 1961. The quadruple element acquisition antenna on the lattice tripod has been moved to the forecastle, but the two similar ones remain on the kingposts forward of the bridge. The ship's navigation radar (SPS-10 or equivalent) is located just below the unidentified disk antenna on top of the stump of the ship's former second mast.

Photo No. None
Source: Shipscribe

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1)

Underway off the California coast on 1 November 1961, configured as in the previous image.

Photo No. USN 1058324
Source: Shipscribe

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1)

Underway circa June 1963. The quadruple element acquisition antenna on the forecastle has given way to a new diamond-shaped antenna, the ship's navigation radar has been moved to the top of the tripod with its place being taken by a small single element tracking antenna, the after mast now supports a horizontal high frequency directional log periodic troposcatter antenna, and the standard discage antenna on the stern has been replaced with a much taller lattice antenna, probably also an HF discage.

Photo No. Unknown
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC)

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1)

Underway 7 June 1963 showing the antenna changes made in 1962 or early 1963.

Photo No. USN 1091935
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC)

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1)

Underway in a photo received in Washington, D.C., in June 1965. The two large high frequency communications antennas aft are clearly shown.

Photo No. KN-11701
Source: Shipscribe

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1)

Being guided into her berth at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by the harbor tug Ottumwa (YTB 761), in a photo released in 1967. Note the details of the log periodic and discage antennas near the stern. The stack now has "ears" on the sides for the boiler smoke instead of a single outlet on top. The tug served from 1961 to 2002.

Photo No. Unknown
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file)

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Photo taken by her conversion yard, Ingalls SB, Pascagoula, Miss., and released by the Pacific Missile Range (PMR), Point Mugu, Calif., in May 1961 before she became operational with the range on 1 November 1961. Her initial antenna fit included an AN/FPS-16 tracking radar antenna on the port side of the transverse deckhouse forward of the bridge house, one square quadruple element acquisition antennas on top of the tripod mast, two more atop the forward kingposts, and a possible single element acquisition antenna on the tripod. Photo No. None Source: Shipscribe
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Underway on 5 April 1961. Note the weather balloon hanger facing to port aft and the standard Navy high frequency broadband discage HF transmitting antanna on the stern. Photo No. USN 1051598 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file)
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Photo by the Pacific Missile Range (PMR), Point Mugu, Calif., dated November 1961. The quadruple element acquisition antenna on the lattice tripod has been moved to the forecastle, but the two similar ones remain on the kingposts forward of the bridge. The ship's navigation radar (SPS-10 or equivalent) is located just below the unidentified disk antenna on top of the stump of the ship's former second mast. Photo No. None Source: Shipscribe
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Underway off the California coast on 1 November 1961, configured as in the previous image. Photo No. USN 1058324 Source: Shipscribe
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Underway circa June 1963. The quadruple element acquisition antenna on the forecastle has given way to a new diamond-shaped antenna, the ship's navigation radar has been moved to the top of the tripod with its place being taken by a small single element tracking antenna, the after mast now supports a horizontal high frequency directional log periodic troposcatter antenna, and the standard discage antenna on the stern has been replaced with a much taller lattice antenna, probably also an HF discage. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC)
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Underway 7 June 1963 showing the antenna changes made in 1962 or early 1963. Photo No. USN 1091935 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC)
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Underway in a photo received in Washington, D.C., in June 1965. The two large high frequency communications antennas aft are clearly shown. Photo No. KN-11701 Source: Shipscribe
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) Being guided into her berth at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by the harbor tug Ottumwa (YTB 761), in a photo released in 1967. Note the details of the log periodic and discage antennas near the stern. The stack now has "ears" on the sides for the boiler smoke instead of a single outlet on top. The tug served from 1961 to 2002. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file)