Wireless of the Week - week 17

[Bruce MacMillan]

The WS18 was ubique though, used in all theatres of war. Because the xmtr/rcvr are independant units only the faulty unit had to be replaced. This was done by loosening one screw on the back. The SCR300 was a more complicated set.

The WS18 did have it's issues. The WS58 was intended to replace it but never happened. The WS46 came to be the set du jour.

What we also see is the focus of schools of development. The British spent their resources on low freqency HF AM/CW sets. The US also had these sets with the BC611, GRC9, etc. They were quick to move to low band VHF FM.

The SCR300 was friendly in that anyone could talk on it. The WS18 needed someone trained in CW to use that mode. Mind you FM has it's limits as well. It wasn't very good for weak signal work because of the nature of FM & the squelch circuit. Weak signal CW could often get through.

By the end of the war it was clear that infantry sets were moving to FM.

[Mike K]

I found this description of the SCR 300

http://www.ww2gyrene.org/equipment_SCR_300.htm

[Jon Skagfeld]

Bruce is currently (like right now!) displaying most of the above radio sets in a modular tentage set up along the flight line at Camp Borden as part of the 100th anniversary of both the RCAF and the Signal Corps.

Attendance was very good, however weather was not favourable for some flight demonstrations. Skyhawks got cancelled on Saturday due to high winds (wow, did the winds ever batter our modulars!). And battered it did get when a CF18 screamed directly overhead...ear splitting.

The Signal Corps display was under the auspices of the Hamilton Signals Association, with Bruce providing a display of WW II "portable" manpack radios.

In addition, a variety of vintage Signals equipment was on display. Two chaps were dressed in WWI khaki as Signal Officers, two WLCs,such as Signal Corps DRs would ride, were parked outside the mods. There were heliographs, a UC 10 switchboad hooked up to a TA43/PT with kids could talk back and forth with.

A long time member of MLU as well as OMVA, and Ferret Club, was Frank von Rosenstiel. He was appointed 2 i/c of the exercise and did a commendable job in getting things together. (Maybe he should have been LOG instead of RCEME...OK, it's a joke.)

He arranged for a CUCV MRT, a CUCV Line truck, and a CUCV cargo truck (used for shuttle services) all in support of the display.

Parenthetically, if any of you have served in Borden in the past and visit now, you will be amazed (perhaps dismayed) at the changes.

There must have been millions upon millions of bucks spent to create the new infrastructure. If you are an "ol' timer", guiding yourself around is a lost cause...the old landmarks that you used to know just ain't there!

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Thanks for the event update Jon. I concur about the wind....the modular tent did more flying than the aircraft on Sunday. Here's the 'man-pack' lineup.

Originally Posted by Jon Skagfeld

Bruce is currently (like right now!) displaying most of the above radio sets in a modular tentage set up along the flight line at Camp Borden as part of the 100th anniversary of both the RCAF and the Signal Corps.

Attendance was very good, however weather was not favourable for some flight demonstrations. Skyhawks got cancelled on Saturday due to high winds (wow, did the winds ever batter our modulars!). And battered it did get when a CF18 screamed directly overhead...ear splitting.

The Signal Corps display was under the auspices of the Hamilton Signals Association, with Bruce providing a display of WW II "portable" manpack radios.

In addition, a variety of vintage Signals equipment was on display. Two chaps were dressed in WWI khaki as Signal Officers, two WLCs,such as Signal Corps DRs would ride, were parked outside the mods. There were heliographs, a UC 10 switchboad hooked up to a TA43/PT with kids could talk back and forth with.

A long time member of MLU as well as OMVA, and Ferret Club, was Frank von Rosenstiel. He was appointed 2 i/c of the exercise and did a commendable job in getting things together. (Maybe he should have been LOG instead of RCEME...OK, it's a joke.)

He arranged for a CUCV MRT, a CUCV Line truck, and a CUCV cargo truck (used for shuttle services) all in support of the display.

Parenthetically, if any of you have served in Borden in the past and visit now, you will be amazed (perhaps dismayed) at the changes.

There must have been millions upon millions of bucks spent to create the new infrastructure. If you are an "ol' timer", guiding yourself around is a lost cause...the old landmarks that you used to know just ain't there!

[Frank v R]

I want to thank both Bruce and Jon for coming out to help show Sigs History , we all served with 709 Comm Regt, the wind was nuts , had to get up at 03:30 to make sure our part of the show did not move from the flight line to the RCEME school, we were not able to use spikes at the location due to electrical, gas , water lines in the ground so the trucks became the way to keep everything on the ground , parked the vehicles on top of the mods flaps on the windward side and everything stayed put and we got back on the cots, the Mat Techs will be busy this week fixing or writing off Mod that was damaged all up and down the flight line , very happily no one was injured, we were also using a prototype mod set up off the back of the MSVS, only 6 have been produced , the weather will help with the report and mods needed on the kit,

[Russ Gregg]

The wind also made it a great day to unwittingly get burnt to a crisp. It was nice to meet you Bruce and to see the extensive display of radio equipment you had on display. Also good to see you again Frank. The low point of the show for me was the young lady in uniform at the gate offering me the cheaper seniors ticket. Despite sticking around after the airshow to watch all the armour depart and let traffic dissipate it still took 45 minutes to drive the 12 km home.

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Russ Gregg

it still took 45 minutes to drive the 12 km home.

I had a car like that once. lol.