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Old 06-05-16, 00:53
Bruce Parker (RIP) Bruce Parker (RIP) is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
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Default Wireless of the Week - week 12

Field phones are a staple of battlefield communications. Developed in the late 19th century based on emerging telephone technology, the first purpose built field phones were manufactured by the British for the 1899-1902 Boer War.

The idea was simple: a rugged box with a morse key (later a headset), something to create an audible tone for the incoming signal, a power source and posts to connect wires to other telephone devices. The phones were easy to use and reliable but had a few problems. First, you had to physically run wire between the sets (dangerous for the signaler doing so), and these wires were very susceptible to breakage or intentional cutting by the enemy. During the First World War, the ability to detect field phone signals was developed compromising their messages, especially when only a single line was used instead of two and the phone was grounded literally to ‘earth’. This problem was solved by a clever Signals Captain named Fuller and his Fullerphone (which will be covered later), however there remains confusion and many still refer to all British field phones as ‘Fullerphones’ which they are not.

The Telephone Set D Mk.V is a forward area field phone, one in a series Tele D sets of various marks dating back to the First World War (British field phone types are designated by a letter and are usually referred to by the term ‘Tele’, hence this unit is commonly known as a ‘Tele D’). It is powered by two 1-1/2 volt X cells and can operate over 10 miles voice and up to 20 miles W/T or ‘morse’. Tele D sets can operate together in pairs, connected to an exchange switchboard or to a remote control unit (RCU) allowing it to transmit on a wireless set.

This Canadian example was made by Phillips Electrical Works in Brockville, Ontario in 1944. It is 10“ wide by 6-1/4“ tall by 4-3/4“ deep and weighs 9 lbs. The unit is housed in an aluminum case with a lid that opens giving access to the set. Instructions and a wiring diagram are printed on metal plates attached to the inside of the lid. Located on a shelf inside the unit is the ringer, posts for the wire connections, a morse key (perhaps the smallest one of all commonwealth keys), provision for the X cells and the removable buzzer with its adjusting knobs (adjusting for the tone of the incoming CW signals). Below is space to store the handset and its 4 pin connector on the left under the ringer. A metal tab inscribed with the instruction “”PRESS KEY WHEN FINISHED” slides out to become a cradle for the handset.

The best part about this particular Tele D is the great big stylized "C Broad Arrow" acceptance mark on its cover. Make a Canuck like me proud.
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