C42 Service Usage

[David Dunlop]

How many of the British Commonwealth countries used the C42 Set postwar and was it used outside of the Commonwealth at all?

David

[rob love]

Pretty sure I saw a C42 being used in the movie "the God's must be crazy". Would that count as non-commonwealth use?

[maple_leaf_eh]

Wouldn't it be easier to determine which British vehicles were equipped with C42s, and then make your list?

[David Dunlop]

Hi Terry.

I initially thought of that, but vehicles have a tendency to outlive their wireless equipment in service and when the vehicles move to a new user, the wireless equipment does not necessarily go with them.

I am basically curious as to the amount of distribution of the C42 globally. Parts at the moment are relatively easy to come by in the UK and Canada currently, but it might be useful to know where else spares may be located down the road.

From what I have read, the C42 and it's clone, the C45 were supposed to be specialized equipment for the Royal Artillery and Amoured Corps (can't recall who was supposed to use what), but it all seemed to morph into the C42 becoming the dominant set with more users than initially intended.

David

[Mike Kelly]

I recall seeing a big pile of C42's in ham radio supplies in Melbourne in the early 1980's. They were selling them for 5 bucks each but the calibrating xtal was missing from them ..I didnt buy any of them but later on I did buy two B47's ? I used one of those B47's on the 6 metre ham band and it worked well. the freq. was 52.525 , the old simplex FM channel in Melbourne .

I remember going to Aussie disposals in Dandenong with a friend, we bought the last four B47's they had for ten bucks each . They also had a large HF set they were giving away for free a ex navy Murphy UK made set , the guy told us they would scrap it if nobody took it away . They also had a lot of 19 set morse keys there , I bought a pile of them as they were NOS stock , with the thigh straps , 5 bucks each Ah the good old days !