Wireless of the Week - week 34

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

If something could wave, buzz, blink or flash it could transmit a message. With the event of morse code and electricity in the late 19th century the army developed battery operated signal lamps controlled by a morse code key as one of its first practical light signalling devices. Lamp signalling had drawbacks. It had to be line of sight between stations and could be intercepted. On the other hand it could be used from cover (unlike semaphore flags), was fast, lightweight, easy to use and even the interception problem was limited by having lamps with narrow beams that could be carefully aimed towards the receiver.

This Canadian lamp was made by Northern Electric Company Limited in 1941. The lamp itself is a “Lamps Signalling Daylight Short Range Projector Mk.II” comprising of a lens, bulb and mirrored parabolic reflector in a cylindrical aluminum body. On the top is a sight for aiming and on the bottom a socket that allows the lamp to be mounted on either a tripod or sectional ground spike. A cable attached to the lamp connects it to the morse key mounted in the wooden carrying case. The brass ring on the back is to lift it out of the case.

The wooden case is a bit of a mismatch as it is from a British lamp made by C.A. Vandervell & Co., Ltd. in 1918. It is 6” wide, 9-1/2” deep and 9-1/2” tall. It has two compartments each with its own lid, one for the accessories, such as the ground spike, lens filters and spare bulbs, and the other for the battery. The morse key is attached to the underside of one lid and an instruction plate to the other. The lids have a canvas lip to prevent water from entering.

Operating the lamp was very easy. All the signaler had to do was set the lamp up on its spike or tripod, hook up the battery, aim it towards the receiving station and begin tapping out his message on the key.

Despite lamp signalling being practical, one gets the impression that during WW2 its biggest use was not so much on the battlefield as it was for training new Signal Corps recruits on the parade square