Wireless Set No. 52 Canadian - Project

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Hi Chris.

The Satchel referenced in the 52-Set Manual is Satchels Signal No. 1 (ZA 6292), but the manual goes on to state a number of variations of this particular satchel exist and all are compatible.

My 1944 RCA 19-Set Mk III came with Satchel Signal No. C1 (ZA/CAN 2120).

My Canadian used but partly American made Mk II 19-Set has a USA made satchel with large block letters across the top flap saying SATCHEL SIGNAL. No ZA or CAN numbering at all on it at all.

Interesting also how the words, Satchel, Satchels, Signal and Signals morphed around as well.

David

There was a war on at the time and I don't think they were too fussy about the wording.

I have a few of the US satchels (came in the Pershing (T26E1) install kit) and some Canadian ones (Jelco 44, possibly others -they're all boxed up pending a proper inventory and photo session).

I have this tendency to collect webbing items with ZA, YA and some WA stores codes, in the hope of producing a definitive list (and illustrated catalogue) at some point.

Chris.

[David Dunlop]

This is to set the record straight regarding an error I discovered this past weekend regarding information I has provided back in Post # 52.

In that earlier post I had identified the original paint inside my Coil, Aerial Tuning case as being an excellent example of No. 2 Brown. It is not.

Something compelled me to take the back cover off the coil case on the weekend and take it outside into the sunlight for a closer look. Surprise, surprise! It was not even close to being brown. Turns out to be a very original example of the flat Olive Drab (OD) Green Marconi was using on their 52-Set equipment.

To be certain, I brought my wooden 52-Set Tool Box to the patio and opened it up in the sunlight as well. When I placed the back cover from the coil case inside the Tool Box (which also has original paint inside it, the two colours were a perfect match.

The final, third test was to lug out the Spare Parts Box and open it up. It is lined inside with KimPak, however the visible woodwork inside also matched the OD Green on the other two items.

Happy with all that, I took the back cover from the coil case to our local RONA Store yesterday and had them scan it for matching in the paint shop. I now have one quart of paint available for refinishing both tool boxes.

If anyone is interested in the formula from RONA, it is as follows and was mixed with one quart of their SICO EVOLUTION 863-503, Base 3, in Eggshell Finish:


R 7
V 19
X 1 19 1
Y 1 3


One other observation I had on wartime paints over the weekend it that different finishes of the same colour, give differing visual results. The darkest colour appears to come from a flat finish. If the finish has a fine ‘wrinkle’ to it, the colour lightens. It lightens even more when the finish reaches a full wrinkle. I cannot help wonder if this effect is the result of light reflecting from all the different ridges, surfaces and angles on a true wrinkle finish?

David


NB: For some reason the first two colour codes are getting pushed to the first column. The '7' for R and the '19' for X should both be in the second column, directly above the other '19' and the '3'.

[David Dunlop]

This little pile of bits turned up last week in a bunch of surplus electronics that was headed to the dump, a friend tipped me off about. Some 19-Set pieces were also in the piles of stuff sorted through.

My apologies for the busy background. it was the only available spot for a quick photo. Basically a bunch of mic cases, two NOS headset harness wires, an NOS clothes clip and rubber Pye Connector, three NOS 813 valves (the boxes were riddled with mouse pee) a pair of NOS 6V6G's and a ceramic tube socket assembly that might be 52-Set Sender related. The jury is still out on that however.

David

[David Dunlop]

A good friend of mine out Edmonton way found this in his pile of vehicle parts while reorganizing his shop. It arrived in the Mail today in the middle of a snow storm.

Interesting to note that the manufacturer is none other than Campbell Manufacturing Company Limited, the same firm that made the Canadian 20 and 34 foot telescopic steel aerial masts.

There are traces of NATO Green paint on the midsection of the ceramic insulators, which would indicate this aerial base was in service late in its career. Should clean up quite nicely.



David

[David Dunlop]

I have had a chance to compare this Aerial Base C2 to the diagrams of it in the 52-Set Instruction Manual. It looks like only two pieces are missing: a small wire D-ring at the very bottom of the assembly, used to retain the wing nut, and, the large 9-inch square, 1/4-inch thick, brown, phenolic plate which fits between the two ceramic insulators.

Drawings of the plate with specifications are provided in the Instruction Manual for everything except the central hole in the plate.

In order to provide effective RF Insulation in transmit mode, this central hole at the very least has to be large enough to safely clear the central conducting core of the aerial base. At its largest, it might be sized to allow the large collars of the two ceramic insulators to lock into the plate on either side to hold the aerial base in position.

Is there a surviving phenolic plate assembly out there somebody can reference the central hole size from, for me?

David

[Chris Suslowicz]

Hi David,

Assuming the upper and lower ceramic insulators are 'stepped', then the hole in the mounting plate should match the smaller diameter of the insulator, and there will be a rubber or leather washer under the upper insulator to keep rain out of the vehicle. (There will also be a square gasket that goes under the mounting plate for the same reason - I'm not sure what (if anything) they did to seal the mounting bolt holes, unless the square gasket also did that.)

I've got the British equivalent of the roof insulator, which is a ceramic mushroom of considerable size and weight supporting Aerial Base No.3 to provide flexibility for use on the move. Because Base No.3 was never intended to be fed from underneath (and was probably not up to the task for WS53 or ET4336) it's bypassed electrically by four braid straps and the mushroom does the insulating job. That lot mounts via a Tufnol plate (or to a steel bracket behind the cab on the "wireless light" vehicles) and I suspect the plates and gaskets are similar in external dimensions.

Chris.
(Not going anywhere (except possibly back to bed) at the moment, I have a foul cold.)

[David Dunlop]

Thanks for your feedback, Chris, and for reminding me to get my Flu Shot soon. Hope you are feeling better in time for work next week.

There is, indeed, a noticeable step at the wide ends of the upper and lower porcelain insulators. Both also have what I thought were thin, hard fibre washers around the steps. A closer look after reading your post and I realized they are dried out leather. Several other fittings along the aerial base also have these gaskets and I think if I can track down a bottle of Neatsfoot Oil locally, they should all revive nicely. So I shall size the centre hole on the phenolic plate to fit the insulators.

As for the lower side of the plate, Chris, the edge is lined with a thin gasket that does cover the 8 mounting bolt holes. It looks to be about 1 inch wide and looks like it could either be cork, or a material I cannot think of the name of at the moment. Kind of a synthetic cork, made of little black, grey and brown speckles, all fused together.

David