Leads , aerial No 5 Canadian

[Robert Bergeron]

Here is number 35 : Lead No 5 estimated as being 6 feet in length previously. Anybody who has had the chance of working / living in a defensive position knows that you don’t want a mast / aerial on top of your position . 20-30 feet away from the trench / command post / bunker is better whatever the tactical situation. The farther the better because the opposition used binos . Now the question remains : Coaxial or single wire ? There is nowhere to plug a Pye connector on the variometer to feed the antenna so single wire . As the list says : No 3 lead , single . Coaxial was only used to feed B set aerials , in this setup anyway except for the one feeding the A set variometer . Comments , remarks ?

[Robert Bergeron]

Here is a 6c lead wire posted for sale by Frank v R in 2015. Much shorter version than the No 3 referenced in my discussion but single wire again. The caliber or size of the wire sure looks impressive .

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

Here is a 6c lead wire posted for sale by Frank v R in 2015. Much shorter version than the No 3 referenced in my discussion but single wire again. The caliber or size of the wire sure looks impressive .

That's another part of the kit, again for use with the 34-ft mast, when the mast is used on the vehicle roof.

The metal plug is the same diameter as the bottom 'F' rod, and plugs into the aerial base (No.8 or No.10), and the slotted lug connects to the screw terminal on the mast insulator.

The wire is about 7mm o.d. (as used to make the 7C lead) and looks like the Cable, Electric, P11 used for most of the British aerial leads (still in use today).

Best regards,
Chris.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

Here is number 35 : Lead No 5 estimated as being 6 feet in length previously. Anybody who has had the chance of working / living in a defensive position knows that you don’t want a mast / aerial on top of your position . 20-30 feet away from the trench / command post / bunker is better whatever the tactical situation. The farther the better because the opposition used binos . Now the question remains : Coaxial or single wire ? There is nowhere to plug a Pye connector on the variometer to feed the antenna so single wire . As the list says : No 3 lead , single . Coaxial was only used to feed B set aerials , in this setup anyway except for the one feeding the A set variometer . Comments , remarks ?

For remote aerials there was a special kit (I saw the box for it on eBay last year but all the lid fittings had been removed). This was used with the WS22 and (British) WS19HP, and is fairly scarce. The kit contained a "Set Unit 'J'" with a couple of short leads to connect to the set aerial output and earth, and a Pye co-axial connector plus a movable link to select different capacitor values for better matching. The other (mast) end of the kit was "Aerial Unit 'J'" consisting of a variable inductor and a plug-in thermocouple meter plus other components. (The meter was selected from a range with different current ratings to match the set output power - they're quite fragile and burn out very quickly if overloaded.) Completing the kit were several lengths of coaxial cable with Pye connectors each end, and barrel connectors to link them together. I'm not sure of the number or length of the cables in the kit and have never seen a manual for it, but I'd guess they would allow 20 - 25 yards between set and mast.

There are photographs of some of this kit on Keith Watt's page:

https://www.royalsignals.org.uk/photos/ws22/index.htm

I'm gradually accumulating parts of that kit (unfortunately most of them have been heavily modified by radio amateurs or stripped of the silver wire by scrap dealers), and will eventually get myself a set that I can try out.

(The WS19HP (British) has co-axial output so does not require the 'Set Unit 'J'")

Best regards,
Chris.

[Chris Suslowicz]

I had further thoughts, and went through the Wireless Set No.52 manual for the Truck & Ground Station, as lots of parts are common to the WS19 Canadian....

Kit No.1 contains "Leads, Aerial No. C7" which connects the WS52 sender and receiver (and is the one David Dunlop had to manufacture for his WS52).

Kit No.2 contains two of "Aerial Lead ASSY C1", which connect the Aerial Tuning Coil No.2A to the Aerial Base C2 in the vehicle, and also Leads, Aerial No. C6 which connects the sender to the Aerial Tuning Coil 2A (that lead (C6) is included with the coil.

Kit No.3 which is mostly accessories for the mast kit contains ZA/C 10318 Leads, Aerial No.5 and a second Leads, Aerial No. C6 - this time to plug in to the socket on Aerial Base C2 and link it to the terminal on the mast when that is used on the vehicle roof.

The section dealing with the setting up of the ground station advises picking the site for the mast first, then erecting the wireless tent, making sure the table is close enough for the Leads, Aerial No.5 to reach from the set to the terminal on the mast. That lead is 6 feet long, so the tent will be tucked up close to the mast and within the circle of guy ropes.

The WS52 manual is an entertaining read, as long as you don't have to carry out some of the steps: the table must be capable of supporting 270 pounds. "Lift the Set onto the table. If it seems that something more than gravity is working on the Set, have courage; it weighs 255 pounds."

Anyway, it looks like the Aerial Leads were common to multiple sets and eventually got redesignated as "Connector, Single, No.?" to make life easier for the ordnance stores and reduce duplication of stock.

Chris.