W.S. No. 19 Aerial Socket Type 386

[David Dunlop]

I recently purchased a pair of the above, NOS in their original packaging from Oct 1943, and am now curious as to what, exactly they were used for on the 19-Set.

The information on the package is as follows:

10H/2449 Qty 2
SOCKETS
Type 386

CTTS/Stores No. 13201/C6(c)/CB25d

They were packaged by a company known as Vernons Industries Ltd., which was located in Birkenhead, across the River Mersey from Liverpool, England. This company seems to have had a history of supplying equipment to the RAF.

These sockets can best be described as a T-shaped extension that clips into either of the A-Set or B-Set sockets on the front of the 19-Set Transceiver. Once installed, they would bring the open socket forward from the face of the set about 1.5 inches. The wire locking clip from the set socket can engage a raised metal notch on the side of the socket body to lock the socket in place. The socket in turn has it's own wire clip which can lock an aerial lead to it.

The interesting thing is that the T at the midpoint of the socket body has a nickel plated hex head aerial cable mounting assembly on it. I have no idea why this particular socket was created or issued. It looks as if it could be used to connect two different aerial leads to either the A-Set or B-Set of the Transceiver, but you would need some sort of separate switching system to move effectively between two different aerials and I cannot see any gain in operator efficiency in doing this as opposed to just swapping out the two leads directly to the set.

One other possibility that comes to mind is that perhaps this socket was created so that the A-Set aerial could always be connected to the set via this T Socket, but the operator could still use the open end to connect a Crystal Calibrator to the set whenever that became necessary for accurately tuning in a specific frequency on the set.

If anyone has experience and/or information on this Socket, please jump in.

David

[Bruce MacMillan]

That style of connector was designed by Pye in England originally for airborne radar. The p/n 10H/2449 is a RAF stores number. I suspect it belongs to something airborne, not a WS19.

The Pye history website says it was used post war commercially up to 1969.

[David Dunlop]

Thanks, Bruce. I suspected when I researched Vernons that the sockets might not be 19-Set after all. Do you have any idea what airborne radar the RAF might have been using in 1943?

[Bruce MacMillan]

AI (airborne intercept) and ASV (anti-surface vessel) radars developed in 1939. These were in use and upgraded until 1945.

There's a bit of history here:
http://www.pyetelecomhistory.org/pro...ms_1939_-_1946

and more info here under Airforce/RAF&RCAF/airborne search & gunlaying
http://www.qsl.net/pe1ngz/signalscollection.html