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  #1  
Old 15-05-15, 15:06
David Dunlop David Dunlop is offline
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Default 19-Set Crystal Calibrator

One of these is currently on eBay out of Canada. The interesting thing about it is that it has been refinished in semi-gloss NATO Green, and an aluminum NATO Stock Tag fastened where the original factory stenciling would have been located. I cannot read the actual NATO Number, but the item is identified as: 'CALIBRATORS NT-11'. I never knew they were in service long enough to get that kind of recognition.

Wonder when they were finally dropped off the books?

David
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  #2  
Old 05-06-15, 10:11
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sapper740 sapper740 is offline
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I'm not sure when they were dropped but one of my crystal calibrators arrived in it's original, sealed box and has a RCEME inspection tag dated Nov, 18, 1959 from "202 BASE" RCEME Workshop. It was obviously never used after that date.

CHIMO!

Derek H.
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  #3  
Old 05-06-15, 11:47
Dean (Ajax) Dean (Ajax) is offline
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I know some Cadet corps were still using them in the mid 70s.

Dean
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  #4  
Old 23-09-17, 16:04
David Dunlop David Dunlop is offline
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Anyone ever noticed these things are not waterproof by the wildest stretch of the imagination?

I have mine mounted horizontally on top of the Power Supply of my 19-Set Mk III. It in turn is mounted on a Carriers No. 23 'Breadboard'. The problem with this configuration, is the presence of the calibrator prevents the canvas cover from being securely fastened down to the carrier on the left side.

When I look at my Mk II 19-Set, mounted on a Carrier No. 21, with canvas cover, there is no way a calibrator can be mounted on that set and still have a functioning canvas cover.

A special canvas cover was developed for the Variometer. Does anyone know if a canvas cover, or storage case was ever produced for the crystal calibrator?

David
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  #5  
Old 23-09-17, 22:15
Chris Suslowicz Chris Suslowicz is offline
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I think the calibrators were intended for use inside radio trucks, rather than anything where the set was exposed to the elements or liable to condensation dripping on it.

The British used a separate wavemeter (Class 'D' No.1) which was still not waterproof (initially, though there was a later version that was immersion proof when the lid/accessories container was clamped on). They were really only issued to control stations in higher formations during WW2 as far as I can make out: everyone else used the netting call from the control station who would pick a clear spot as close to the assigned frequency (on his dial) as possible.

Frequency inaccuracies were the main reason for post-WW2 sets being designed for crystal control, not to mention simple operation because the user might be getting shot at while trying to contact the net.

Chris. (G8KGS)
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  #6  
Old 18-08-19, 04:22
David Dunlop David Dunlop is offline
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Default 6-Pin Crystal Calibrator Power Plugs

Finally! One of these elusive little things has showed up on eBay from Utrecht, Netherlands under Item Number 173996967599. First one I have ever seen, considering every Calibrator Kit from Canadian Marconi was equipped with one.

On the very sad side, however, somebody during the life of this connector, deemed it necessary to hack the calibrator feed cable from it and cut off the brown resin ID ring. You can still see the ghost of where it was fitted to the cable.

Soooo sad!


David
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6-Pin Crystal Calibrator Dogbone Remains.jpg  

Last edited by David Dunlop; 18-08-19 at 13:32. Reason: Typo.
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  #7  
Old 18-08-19, 05:32
James D Teel II James D Teel II is offline
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That’s terrible!

By the way, my crystal calibrator dog bone is a 12 pin.
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  #8  
Old 18-08-19, 08:08
Chris Suslowicz Chris Suslowicz is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David Dunlop View Post
Finally! One of these elusive little things has showed up on eBay from Utrecht, Netherlands under Item Number 173996967599. First one I have ever seen, considering every Calibrator Kit from Canadian Marconi was equipped with one.

On the very sad side, however, somebody during the life of this connector, deemed it necessary to hack the calibrator feed cable from it and cut off the brown resin ID rig. You can still see the ghost of where it was fitted to the cable.

Soooo sad!


David
My suspicion is that 333288844505 from the same seller may have been part of the calibrator at some point. (It's the right sort of cable with no outer jacket over the braid.)

The calibrator power leads were available in all three varieties: 6-6, 12-6 and 12-12, as were the control cables for the RF Amplifier No.2 (British WS19HP), but I don't think there was ever a power lead that supported both units.

Chris.
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  #9  
Old 18-08-19, 14:01
David Dunlop David Dunlop is offline
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Good eye, Chris.

I had seen that cable and it made no sense to me as is, but if you put the small steel tube, mounting clip and binding cord back on it behind the Pye Connector, there you have it...the output line from the chassis of the calibrator!

I suspect the small 3-pin Jones Plug fitting on the connector dog bone was needed for a project, which sealed its fate. Doubly sad, as I bought one a couple of years ago in case I needed it for my Remote Supply Power Cable for my 52-Set and it was a new manufacture item with ‘Made in Mexico’ on the label. But then why go to the trouble of removing the ID Ring from the dog bone? All it would have had on it was a small column of three ‘PL/C’ Numbers that give no real clue as to the purpose of the connector on their own.

Hopefully, now that we have seen the remains of this one, more of these useful calibrator pieces will start showing up in complete usable condition. There must be a number of Mk II 19-Set owners out there who would like to fit a calibrator to their set. I would bet some Mk II sets are already out there with the slow motion drive fitted to the frequency dial for calibrator purposes, but no proper dog bone anymore.

David
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  #10  
Old 19-08-19, 00:09
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Rod Salter Rod Salter is offline
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Default plug

I have purchased items from this particular seller 5 stars

The dog bone at the current bid is around $80 Australian and another 75-80 to post, this make ws19 parts expensive down under

There is another seller with dog bones who will not answer contact messages

All I NEED is the 2 pin plug as were connected to the control cables for the RF Amplifier No.2 and also the 2 pin power plug

At the moment I have a plug from an old jug cord for the power lead and it looks bad

I do not have a calibrator or the plug lead and have decided I can live without one in my collection, so bid on, I will watch from the radio room

thanks
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  #11  
Old 19-08-19, 01:35
Chris Suslowicz Chris Suslowicz is offline
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Originally Posted by Rod Salter View Post
I have purchased items from this particular seller 5 stars

The dog bone at the current bid is around $80 Australian and another 75-80 to post, this make ws19 parts expensive down under

There is another seller with dog bones who will not answer contact messages

All I NEED is the 2 pin plug as were connected to the control cables for the RF Amplifier No.2 and also the 2 pin power plug

At the moment I have a plug from an old jug cord for the power lead and it looks bad

I do not have a calibrator or the plug lead and have decided I can live without one in my collection, so bid on, I will watch from the radio room

thanks
The eBay prices are insane. Current issue (current since the 1930s) chain-link insulators are being offered at 10 GBP or more when the MoD price on the label is 1.280 GBP for the single link insulator and around 4.6 GBP for the 3-link. There is the occasional bargain about, but some of the sellers are adopting the P.T.Barnum approach and waiting for the "One True Sucker" to pay them 50 GBP for a 12-way plug.

(/RANT)

The small and large 2-pin free sockets are both "Multi-Purpose Parts" (The large one was used for power input to the RF Amplifier No.2, R107 (for AC Mains) and the Typex cipher machine rotary converter (12V DC in and 250V AC out) - OK, there was a war on and Health & Safety was a fair way down the list of priorities. The small one was used for the RF amplifier control input, and the WS22, WS31/38/88 AFV power supply/LF amplifier, PCR power supply and R109 power input connector. There should be lots of them about but I suspect they all got scrapped with the power cables for the copper and brass content once the sets became obsolete.)

You could probably cut down the 4-way socket used on Microphone Hand No.4, 4A, 8 or 16 to make a reasonably good copy of the small 2-way one.

Since they are all very scarce, I will keep a look-out for them at the radio rallies and junk sales in future. They do occasionally turn up at sensible prices.

Chris.
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  #12  
Old 19-08-19, 07:56
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Rod Salter Rod Salter is offline
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Default plug

Thanks Chris,

Learn something new every other day

If I can get original plugs there is a rubber maker in town who can mould some look alikes

They will work and look OK I think, only not Bakelite


Actually I am working at making the moulds for the ws19 drop sockets and plugs, to have some made up, then use the old contacts to assemble them

The rubber process is a simple procedure, the making of the mould is a little more of an exercise

fortunately the outer covers seem the same

trying to get my head around making the spaces and leave the air where the rubber will go

maybe other plugs could be made too, for anybody, but the moulds are the expensive drama if you not able to make your own

amazing what he makes, the mind boggles

Last time I was there he was making replacement door seals for some huts in the Antarctic

Was his phone number in the referdex or on the wall by the phone, like "Hey ring that bloke and get some new seals, I'm over these leaky doors"

How did I find him, easy, I got lost and wandered in to ask directions, I was in there for ages, looking and talking

rod

PS. found an empty coat pocket coming down under from the UK in the near future, so clicked the mouse on 2 of 6-12 dogbones. Some fiddley soldering coming soon. Anyone want a 12-12?

Last edited by Rod Salter; 19-08-19 at 11:53. Reason: add ps
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  #13  
Old 23-08-19, 20:19
James D Teel II James D Teel II is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David Dunlop View Post
Hopefully, now that we have seen the remains of this one, more of these useful calibrator pieces will start showing up in complete usable condition. There must be a number of Mk II 19-Set owners out there who would like to fit a calibrator to their set. I would bet some Mk II sets are already out there with the slow motion drive fitted to the frequency dial for calibrator purposes, but no proper dog bone anymore.

David
Like I said, my calibrator has the 12 pin dog bone. I’d gladly trade my 12 pin for the correct 6 pin.
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  #14  
Old 06-09-19, 22:56
Chris Suslowicz Chris Suslowicz is offline
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There is a supposedly 6-pin calibrator lead on eBay UK at the moment, but I would urge caution: it looks more like a modified control lead for the British RF Amplifier No.2 and the connector on the flying lead is completely wrong for either purpose (being an 8-way Jones socket instead of a 3 way one or a 2-pin socket for the amplifier control).

Might be useful for other purposes though.

eBay item number: 163850463951

Chris.
(Closer look: It's British and has been re-wired with modern cable and wrapped in tape by the look of things.)
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  #15  
Old 07-09-19, 17:37
James D Teel II James D Teel II is offline
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I saw that. He won’t ship outside of the UK anyway. You’re talking about this one:
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FD44EA0D-1221-462F-BDB6-8D1195DBA547.jpeg   7C00095A-6F20-465A-A935-4B38683BAE70.jpg   23F63135-4F70-4537-ABC8-50AAB78D833F.jpeg  
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  #16  
Old 08-09-19, 18:26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James D Teel II View Post
I saw that. He won’t ship outside of the UK anyway. You’re talking about this one:
I see there's one bid on it and 7 days to go. Let me know if you want me to put your maximum bid on it and post it to you if successful. Ron
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  #17  
Old 08-09-19, 19:33
Chris Suslowicz Chris Suslowicz is offline
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I was thinking of bidding on it (with the intention of putting the correct socket on the flying lead - and probably rewiring it with 7-core cable rather than the apparent individual wires they have used), but if someone else wants it I'll pass it by.

Chris.
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  #18  
Old 08-09-19, 20:58
James D Teel II James D Teel II is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz View Post
I was thinking of bidding on it (with the intention of putting the correct socket on the flying lead - and probably rewiring it with 7-core cable rather than the apparent individual wires they have used), but if someone else wants it I'll pass it by.

Chris.
If you’d like to buy it, repair it, then sell it to me I’d take you up on it. I need a 6 point and as seen above, have an excellent 12 point to trade.
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