Wireless serendipity

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

I went on a road trip last weekend to Toronto and Montreal to recover a few radio sets.

I had been after a Wireless No.29 A set for many (many many) years and had given up hope, satisfying myself with the bits for a 29 I did have. Next was a Wireless No.1 which, given that they only made 1800 of them just prior to WW2, not many survived much less Canadian issued ones. Last (well, there were a few more actually but those aren't relevant to my purpose here) was a British Wireless No.88 'Mortar' version that was in development at the end of the war but wasn't issued until 1947.

So here goes. First pic is the No.1 which is probably the only wireless set in Canadian service in 1939 at the start of the war (No.11's came out in 1938 but under the circumstances the Brits were probably reluctant to ship any to Canada at the time and Canadian made ones weren't available until 1941) and the No.29 which is the last radio Canada developed at the very end of the war. The first and the last. Oh, and should anyone out there want to start their own personal quest to complete a 29 set I can start them off with a B set and a power supply unit that are now surplus to my needs.

Second pic is a tribute to Louis Meulstee's "Wireless for the Warrior Volume 1, Wireless Sets No.1 - 88". In the pic is his book together with a Wireless Set No.1 and a Wireless Set No.88. The first and the last. And no, I shan't try to assemble all 88 for a grand family pic.

[David Dunlop]

Bruce,

Can you post a photo of what looks like a brass pocket watch holder on the No 1 Set? Chris S was just talking about it on another Wireless Thread.

Great find by the way!

David

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Bruce,

Can you post a photo of what looks like a brass pocket watch holder on the No 1 Set? Chris S was just talking about it on another Wireless Thread.

Great find by the way!

David

Sure. I'm not sure of the metal. Not brass, not steel, harder than aluminum. Thin nickle maybe?

[Mike Kelly]

Great find, the No. 1 set . I know of a guy in NZ with one . He told me it performs very nicely . The markings on your example , looks like a Canadian arrow ?

The signals units here used them too, a very small number of them were issued before the war . A pre war militia veteran in Adelaide, Colin Wagner, used the No. set , I believe he is still alive . Andrew Tostevin in Adelaide has compiled some info . His scan of the manual is here http://tosty.id.au/BRIT-1-MANUAL-AU/

[Bruce MacMillan]

M.W.T. Co. Ltd is Marconi in the UK. I suspect this is one of the sets that was obtained by Canada for training. Inside you'll probably find valves, not tubes.

RCCS was in a sorry state prior to the war due to austerity. In the 1920s & 1930s they were still using WW1 equipment as well as commercial sets.

The first set actually made for the army was the WS1 made by Northern Electric Co. Ltd. They made 100 sets. That would be a nice set to find.

Nice score on the WS29. That's one that is on the rarity list.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Bruce MacMillan

M.W.T. Co. Ltd is Marconi in the UK. I suspect this is one of the sets that was obtained by Canada for training. Inside you'll probably find valves, not tubes.

RCCS was in a sorry state prior to the war due to austerity. In the 1920s & 1930s they were still using WW1 equipment as well as commercial sets.

The first set actually made for the army was the WS1 made by Northern Electric Co. Ltd. They made 100 sets. That would be a nice set to find.

Nice score on the WS29. That's one that is on the rarity list.

Bruce, the No. 1 is definitely a British made set but has the C broad arrow not only painted on the case but inscribed under the "Wireless No.1" nomenclature on the radio face appearing very much like it was done at the same time. This would almost indicate the set was made for Canada rather than a batch of regular British ones being assigned to us. Do you know how Many British No.1 sets Canada received and when?

[Frank v R]

see Bruce , everything comes to those who wait (a very very long time)

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Sure. I'm not sure of the metal. Not brass, not steel, harder than aluminum. Thin nickle maybe?

See if this works, it's nickel plated brass.

[Joe C]

I have located a 1934 authority from the Privy Council to purchase 25 No. 1.B. sets (for vehicles) from the UK for use by the Canadian Corps of Signals.

Full text: http://www.rcsigs.ca/index.php/Privy_Council_1934/2004

This might not have been the only acquisition but it does indicate that Canada had these relatively early in their life.

Photos of Canadian Vehicles outfitted with WS No. 1 can be found here: http://www.rcsigs.ca/index.php/Wireless_Set_No._1

Joe

[Joe C]

My previous post showed where Canada purchased WS No. 1 from the UK in 1934 and it is one of that that type (maybe multiple batches) that Bruce has with it's combination of makers stamp and c broad arrow markings.

Bruce MacMillan stated in his post that RCCS purchased 100 WS No. 1 made by Northern Electric... that is found in the Corps history published in 1963.[1] That got me looking...

I visited the Museum in Kingston today and saw one of the NE sets. The one on display was manufactured in 1937 and is serial "NC 80". The dials appear to be a different colour than the original Marconi set... haven't looked yet to see what else may be different.

Now that I know they're out there, I just have to find one of my own!

Joe

[1]: http://www.rcsigs.ca/index.php/Histo...nals_1903-1961