11 Set stuff

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by cletrac

Well, this time the 11 set sold for the buy it now price of $1200. I guess they must be worth that much!

I recall buying three of them for 50 bucks each , would have been 1990. Not as complete as that set just sold but the power supplies were in the deal. Included in the same deal were three British 22 sets with power supplies , ah the good old days ! I paid 100 bucks in the mid 90's for a B2 spy suitcase set , I had 3 of these sets at one time, one sold recently for 5k$ , madness if you ask me. I ran out of space and the sets in my collection were deteriorating from dampness , wardrobes stuffed full of stuff, under the house, whats the point, we cannot take it with us to the grave.

A chap in NSW had shipping containers jammed full of this stuff, he died, the wife had to deal with it all, the vultures came out of course.Found the story here http://www.portabletubes.co.uk/sitefiles/colin.htm

His main site is here http://www.qsl.net/vk2dym/

[cletrac (RIP)]

Wireless training in England.
This picture is for sale on ebay.

[Tim Bell]

Aerial Coupling Unit C for Ws11 - appears to be in good condition - not mine...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aerial-co...s/192419008345

Starting Price @ £19.99

Tim

[Ron Pier]

Does anyone have a definitive answer to the type of antenna base used for 11 sets in British trucks (especially the 8 cwt's). I have this image which shows two types. Strangely they are named as MK1* and No1 ? The MK1* is shown on an 8 cwt, but is it British or Canadian? The second drawing shows a No2 and what looks like a rubber No3.

What is the number of the more squat base as fitted to UC's? I'm just trying to sort out what is what with these. Ron

[Chris Suslowicz]

The base with the toothed ring and spring (so that it can be rotated to get the clamp into a convenient position and have some flexibility on a moving vehicle) is Aerial Base No.2 and the insulator is made of ebonite (like the Insulator W/T 'B' used with the ground spike)).

The other one is Aerial Base No.3 and is a hollow rubber moulding with a heavy clamping ring for bolting it to a flat plate, and a brass socket with clamping screw and wing nut to take the aerial rod. It's rather bigger than the No.2, but doesn't require the cage for the spring mounting.

Chris.

[Ron Pier]

I get that Chris! But have you any idea about the other base's? MK1* and No1 And which one is correct for my PU8/4 and anyone got a close up picture for scaling?
So far I've made a scaled up copy of the MK1* as it's clearly shown on an 8cwt truck. Ron

[Mike K]

Ron

Maybe the base Mk1* is a pre-war 1930's issued base. That first pic shows a antenna setup on a pre-war 1930's Mk1 Morris PU 8 cwt , the top locker was not fitted on these early PU's and the antenna base is seen sitting on a tripod .

The later and more common type base, the No.1, has the rubber water shed cover.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Ron Pier

I get that Chris! But have you any idea about the other base's? MK1* and No1 And which one is correct for my PU8/4 and anyone got a close up picture for scaling?
So far I've made a scaled up copy of the MK1* as it's clearly shown on an 8cwt truck. Ron

1940 Z1 VAOS entry:

Cat No. ZA.7833
List of Changes B 3092
AERIAL BASES No.1
Price (each) £1 12s 0d

Ebonite insulator; fitted with brass clamp and guide for aerial lead; mounted in magnesium alloy socket (toothed) fitted with M.S. chain; and 1 magnesium alloy ring (toothed); approx 7.3/4-in. x 5.1/2-in. x 5.1/2-in., overall; used on vehicles fitted with Masts, duralumin.

-----------------

Later on, there's a list of stores for Wireless Set No.1, and this seems to show the evolution of Aerial Base No.1.

Aerial-Bases

Mk.I
ZA.7540
List of Changes A 9104, B 731

Ebonite, with brass socket and shield.

-------------------------------------------------------

ZA.7544 SHIELDS. (Price each £0/0s/4d)

Rubber disc, 6-in. dia. x 1/8-in thick

-------------------------------------------------------

Mk.1*
ZA.7548
List of Changes B 731

Ebonite, 4-in. dia., fitted with brass clamp and magnesium alloy socket.

ZA.7552 SPIKES
List of Changes A 9104 B 731

M.S. 12-in. long x 1/2-in dia., with flange and footplate welded on.

-------------------------------------------------------

Mk.II
ZA.7560
List of Changes A 9104 B 731
Comprising G.M. serrated base, bracket; leaf spring and chain; and Wireless Set, No.1 aerial base, Mk.I or Mk.I*

-------------------------------------------------------

Mk.III
ZA.7564
List of Changes B 70 B 731

Comprising 2 toothed rings, 1 upper and 1 lower; 1 helical spring; and Wireless Set, No.1 aerial base, Mk.I or Mk.I*

-------------------------------------------------------

Now, from that lot I reckon that Aerial Base No.1 evolved from Wireless Set No.1 Aerial Base Mk.1, via Mk.1*, Mk.2 (with leaf spring) to Mk.III (with helical spring) and then was renamed when Wireless Set No.1 became obsolete.

N.B. the '*' against a mark number indicates a modification, so Mk.1 (or no mark number) is the original design, Mk.1* is the first modified version, Mk.1** is the second modified version, and Mk.II is a redesign or replacement. The * method of denoting modifications was OK for things that didn't change much (such as weapons), but rapidly became an utter shambles when it came to rapidly-developing things like wireless sets.

Further on in the VAOS is the Complete Station List for Wireless Set No.1 in various roles. 1B is the interesting one "For use in Trucks, 8-cwt., 4-wheeled, wireless", and that lists:

Aerial-bases Mk.1 or Mk.1* (1)
Spikes (1)
Aerial-bases Mk.II (0)
Aerial-bases Mk.III (1)

Mk.I or Mk.1* is clearly the ground station aerial, because it comes with a spike mount with footplate and is issued for ground and vehicle station.

Mk.II is likewise specific to tanks, being specified for the Light Tank 1C.

Mk.III is specified for the vehicle station.

So Mk.1 is for demounted operation of the set and Mk.III was permanently fixed to the vehicle.

By the time the W.S.11 came along, I suspect all this had been consolidated into "Aerial Base No.1" for general vehicle use and "Insulator W/T 'B'" for ground station/dismounted operation.

Does that help at all?

Chris.