Signal Corporation 19-Set Mk II

[David Dunlop]

A friend of mine just picked up this very nice American made (Signal Corporation) 19-Set Mk II.

Interesting to see use made of available American components. Not sure that Signal Corporation was a major player in American 19-Sets so they may have made do with what they could. The meter is deeper than the standard 19-Set meter, so it was shimmed with a bakelite ring at the front of the set to get the terminals at the back of the meter to line up properly with its circuit board. Also the American style knobs are quite evident.

What caught my eye was the large, black 'M' stencilled in the front lower right corner of the set. Anyone seen this before and know what it means?

David

[Bruce MacMillan]

The Signal Corps is the US Army Corps of Signals. They didn't make the sets. Zenith, RCA & Philco were prime contractors.

Not sure about letter M, could reflect mixed hardware like metric/imperial. Maybe Chris will know.

[Chris Suslowicz]

I reckon it's "Modified" (and built that way).

Specifically to use Supply Unit No.2 or the Eicor twin dynamotor supply via the 12pin to 6pin dogbone.

Field (workshop) conversions sometimes had the power input connector painted red, and I think this is the "factory original" late-WW2 production.

(I have a US Mk.II with Eicor supply unit and installation kit for a T26E1 Pershing with 90mm gun. These only saw limited trials in the UK before the war ended and there was no further requirement for more Lend-Lease equipment.)

If it is the power supply modification, then pin 1 of the input connector should have an insulated wire (for the 'A' set relay line) instead of a chassis connection. (It's there to switch the supply unit to transmit mode and start the HT2 dynamotor.) The "missing" earth connection was provided by the dogbone screening (or an extra conductor in the case of the plastic/fabric covered versions).

Chris.