TASMA 'jeep radio'

[Mike K]

TASMA ( Thom & Smith ) were a well established Australian radio manufacturing company based in Sydney. Looks like TASMA were trying to cash in on the 'Jeep' craze by marketing a rugged domestic receiver . I have spotted numerous marketing campaigns in the late WW2 era newspapers, adverts relating to the 'Jeep' , stuff like clothing and kids toys and other items.

I had the chance to buy one of these TASMA Jeep radio sets, thinking it was a ex-military set , but it looks like it was made and marketed as a civilian set. The advert dates from late 1945. Willys-Overland was awarded the 'Jeep' trademark some time after 1945 , but retailers here in Aust. are still advertising shopping 'Jeeps' to this day.

Short history: https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hers...mpany_id=10083

During World War Two Tasma manufactured transmitters and radar sets, and also 100 million plastic bullet tip cores for 303 ammunition, as well as many other mass produced items.

The requirements of the military during WWII and the Korean War with low, Government regulated profit margins took a great toll on Tasma and they suffered appalling losses.[2]

Thanks to Ray R. A manual for the TASMA amenities receiver is on-line at: https://www.tuberadio.com/robinson/Manuals/AM5.pdf The cct diagram is dated April 1944.

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

I had the chance to buy one of these TASMA Jeep radio sets, thinking it was a ex-military set , but it looks like it was made and marketed as a civilian set. The advert dates from late 1945.

How much money is 49 GNS?

[Lynn Eades]

I guess it was Guinea? which equaled 21 shillings (20 shillings was a pound) So one pound, one shilling.
1 pound = 240 pennies, eight half crowns. 12 pennies in a shilling = old guy knowledge.

[Mike K]

Can't believe my luck. I found a TASMA jeep radio .

I have to revise my earlier thoughts , the TASMA does appear to be a amenities receiver made for the military but the jury is still out. It is quite a heavy set, finished in Khaki Green. In common with other brands of amenities sets the power source is a 6 Volt car battery. Unusually, the Tasma has a wooden case. For some reason, the Short Wave band in the set covers a narrow frequency range , maybe the Army amenities broadcast stations operated within this frequency band.

Also found another amenities set , made by Australian Sound Systems. The tags says " Supplied by Aust. Army amenities service " The band change is done by removing the tuning unit and turning it upside down !

I had a Stromberg-Carlson ( Aust.) amenities set years ago.https://www.tuberadio.com/robinson/museum/5V15/

Another Aust. brand is AWA , they made a amenities set for the Aust. army and a similar set for the USAAF in Australia, reverse Lend-Lease https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/amalga..._ic_17020.html

Post-war set https://www.tuberadio.com/robinson/museum/Electrosound/

German set https://www.tuberadio.com/robinson/museum/WR1P/

[David Dunlop]

Nice find, Mike.

I assume this is a similar concept to the Pye series of communications receivers out of England during the war?


David

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Nice find, Mike.

I assume this is a similar concept to the Pye series of communications receivers out of England during the war?


David

Yes David . Here is a restoration https://www.radiomuseum.co.uk/pcr.html

[Mike K]

The U.S. manufactured amenities sets were known as 'morale' receivers . I have found a few different types.

https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/Minerva.htm

http://wd4eui.com/Minerva_Tropicmaster.html

https://www.tuberadio.com/robinson/museum/REH/

https://usradioguy.com/r-100-urr-1944-morale-radio/

https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/Navy_REP.htm

https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/SLRM.htm

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/indust..._6000_bac.html

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/for...cast-receiver/

German example

https://www.rfcafe.com/references/ra...tober-1945.htm

[Mike K]

A Trove search has found a advert from late 1945.

I had one of these Stromberg-Carlson amenities sets with New Guinea provenance, a soldier had type written his name and service nr. on the set.

"Purchased from the ACF commissioner at Wewak Sgt. CG Adamson" this set is now in the Aust. War Memorial storage facility. I took the S-C set to Corowa one year and had it receiving, it is the 6 Volt version.

Another amenities set , unknown brand. The leads/alligator clips are for the 6 V lead acid battery https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C67407

[Mike K]

The Aust. Sound Systems amenities set. I could not find much on the A.S.S. Company, other than they fulfilled a contract for loudspeaker systems for the army in 1942.

These A.S.S. amenities sets were built to last: they have a large high fidelity speaker mounted within a solid case. I can barely carry the set, it must weigh around 15 kg .

The metal case has a circuit diagram and a list of Aust. broadcast stations and frequencies. Most of these Aust. AM broadcast stations were on air into the 1980s. To change bands , you undo the knurled knobs, remove the tuning box and turn it 180 degrees and push it back in.

Some effort has been made to water proof the set, with a rubber gasket around the front edge and the tuning box has it's own rubber gasket.

The valves in the set are typical 2 Volt filament battery tubes of the era and the same type of tubes were also used in the No. 11 set ( Aust.)

A comprehensive article on the set https://www.tuberadio.com/robinson/museum/V5/