Canadian C42 Era Wireless Hierarchy

[David Dunlop]

I've been an owner and fan of the C42 Set for a couple of decades now and only just realized they are primarily a vehicular wireless set. Now I am wondering what other FM wireless equipment was introduced into the Canadian Army in the early 1960's to fill out the communications nets from the vehicles in the field up through the various HQ levels?

Was it a complete British Larkspur package, or a composite of equipment from various sources?


David

[Bruce MacMillan]

Here's a few that were used. CPRC26, PRC25, PRC77 & PRC510 for manpacks.
The PRC77 was combined with the AM2060 to become the GRC160 vehicle set.

The military did many trials comparing UK sets with US equipment. The Library & Archives in Ottawa has listings for these tests. They may not be released to the public though.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce MacMillan

Here's a few that were used. CPRC26, PRC25, PRC77 & PRC510 for manpacks.
The PRC77 was combined with the AM2060 to become the GRC160 vehicle set.

The military did many trials comparing UK sets with US equipment. The Library & Archives in Ottawa has listings for these tests. They may not be released to the public though.

Interesting... that means the WS19 control unit (17?) I saw in eBay with "510" in place of the usual WS38AFV, WS31AFV or WS88AFV position for the 'C' set was probably Canadian and for the PRC-510 rather than my original thought of the A510. (It makes a lot more sense that way: the PRC-510 had an option of a 24V vehicle supply unit.)

On the declassification of documents: if Canadian rules are anything like the UK ones then anything classified "RESTRICTED" or below should expire after 30 years and be available to the public. (You may have to ask, of course!) The actual hardware is two generations out of date, and unlikely to be in service anywhere.

Chris.

[David Dunlop]

Bruce. Any idea what was being used higher up the chain at various HQ levels? Sets that would have replaced a 19 HP, a 52-Set and other AM sets in that output power range.

David

[Bruce MacMillan]

Post WW2 saw the significant increase in the use of low band FM stuff. I think that what equipment was used might have depended on where the army was. With the CAOR in Germany it made sense to use Larkspur as there were ample British supplies. Working with the Yanks the VRC family of equipment appeared.

CW was still big in the 1960s but AM was replaced with SSB. The Canadian Army was known to use Collins, Harris, Hammarlund, RACAL & TMC items. I have some photos somewhere of the old WW2 era AT3 xmtrs at Watson Lake being replaced with new Harris units.

The use of RTTY was becoming more common, especially between HQs.

The concept of mobile units using a WS19 to talk to a command vehicle then having that message passed on via a WS52 was replaced with VHF links. I had my M152 configured with back to back C42 sets in rebroadcast role. That way any fm set, mobile or pedestrian, could talk through the repeater to further up the chain.

[Mike K]

Those larkspur sets may still be in use in places like India ..don't laugh . The Indian military and its various spin offs have a habit of hanging onto and manufacturing ancient obsolete equipment . Look at the current TV news items for example, the riot squads in India are still armed with SMLE rifles . I am sure I spotted a CMP truck in use only a few years ago.

I reckon the C13 is about the most useful Larkspur set . .. I think the C13 was a later issued set ( early 60's ? ) compared to the C42