g0ozs

Hi Gareth and Welcome I have had three Simca SUMB trucks over the years - sadly I don't have space for one at home now Iain

Thanks all. I think because it failed quite a long time after starting (and I haven't attempted a restart being aware of the lockout), smoke came out the burner air intake and there was a strong "cooked plastic" smell coming out of the heater something got very hot indeed so not an ignition failure - I would have thought more likely one of the fans (or its motor) - my own guess is the burner fan/motor (as I could still hear at least one fan when it had begun to blow the hot smell into the caravan, and the smoke came out the intake rather than the exhaust pipe so there can't have been any airflow through the burner) - on reflection I think the fan noise was louder than usual the last few times I used it so maybe bearings had worn out ? I will perform the extraction in due course and advise my findings, but I suspect a new heater may be in order if the heat damage is non-trivial It won't be an easy job because (like a lot of things done by whoever fitted out my trailer as a mobile bar in the past) it has been put together with no thought of ever dismantling it so I think it will be an all-day job. At least it happened after the worst of the winter. I am actually quite tempted to go all-electric if a replacement is needed as my use (as a radio cabin) is nearly always mains powered. Iain

I am not sure if this belongs in electrics but can't see a better option .. My NCRS box trailer was fitted (after it left service) with an Ebersbacher diesel heater which works quite well. This morning when I was working on a radio in the trailer I had it on for an hour or so when I began to smell fumes - more of hot plastic than diesel - and a few seconds later it all went quiet. On exiting the trailer I saw white smoke emerging from the burner air intake pipe so rapidly switched it off. I've checked that the battery is OK and the fuel tank is not dry so it would appear to be a failure of the heater itself. Has anyone had a similar experience and if so did they find the root cause ? The heater is deeply buried in one of the antenna storage boxes under the trailer so extraction is going to be a pain if required and the more I know in advance the better ... Thanks in advance Iain

Hi Rosie Glad to see you back - I had been thinking it was a long time since you had posted anything Iain

Guy Worth talking to Graeme McGreish at PTS Norfolk near Swaffham - he probably still has some unmodified radios and access to an ex-REME technician who could do it for a fee. A few years ago I would have done it but my close vision is a problem these days and I don't feel confident of working on other people's radios without risk of collateral damage, Have you asked Steve if he could modify a radio if you got it elsewhere and sent it to him ? Regards Iain 73 de G0OZS For those interested: http://www.clansman-radio.co.uk/351-10m-mod.pdf

Is it the kind with a locking lever that runs in a 1/4 circle slot on the inside ? Looks like I haver a similar issue with a rear door lock on 35KL88 - it locks OK if the lever on the inside is in the "up" position and I find a small piece of Blu-Tack stops it from moving when the door is closed - I suppose I should really dismantle the lock and find why it is loose of course ! Iain

I have two - neither perfect (one I can pump for ages but seems not to hold any pressure, and one seems to have a few bits missing) - the initial reason for getting them has passed so I am happy to negotiate with anyone who can make use of them (there might well be enough good parts to make one good one between the two, but as I have no immediate need I don't feel like taking the time) They were already quite expensive 2 years ago (one from e-Bay for around £100 and one from Withams for £75) Iain

Congratulations on the successful hunt - I look forward to the restoration thread !

Andy Even at 6m and 4m it prevents a cut-to-length 1/4 wave rod from matching (I tried it with an antenna analyser to help me) which is why I bypassed the transformer. I think it is only useful when used together with the TUUAM for matching electrically long elements - the standard 2m rod antenna is just about a 1/4 wave at 30MHz but 1/2 wave or longer at the top end of the band so will naturally be high impedance and inductive across most of the potential tuning range. The transformer gets the impedance down and the TUUAM tunes out the inductive reactance. As a consequence if used with resonant antennas cut to length it steps down the impedance so at resonance it is well under the expected 50 ohms and does not match with the transformer present. Iain 73 de G0OZS

This could equally be posted under British Vehicles or "I May be stupid but" (perhaps without the May?) This is somewhere between a cautionary tale and a query for help with damage assessment. Today I went to start my 1991 Landrover Defender 90 GS (2.5 NA Diesel), having driven about 70 miles on Thursday with no problems, and it turned over without firing - I must have heated for a count of about 20, as I usually do, and then turned over for about the same time, noticing that it was rather slow doing so. I paused to think and turned repeated the process after about 30s thinking I hadn't heated for long enough (which was the mistake) by which time I noticed smoke emerging from the left hand edge of the bonnet and switched off fast. By the time I got out and lifted the bonnet there was quite a lot of smoke drifting between the left side of the engine and the left wheel arch so the source wasn't obvious. On investigation I find that I had turned the light switch past OFF to CONVOY when I got home on Thursday night and the battery was down to 11.8V which explains the reluctance to start. I got a booster pack and when I tried to start there was a "click" from the left side of the vehicle but it made no attempt to turn. I also notice the "Brake" indicator comes on when I turn the key past heat to start - I can't remember if that is normal when starting or another aspect of the fault (can anyone check?). I've checked the fuses and cant find any blown so I assume the smoke was from wiring or the starter solenoid/motor assembly. As it turned over until I switched off on seeing the smoke I'm guessing I damaged the solenoid rather than the motor ? Has anyone had a similar problem ? I'd prefer not to replace the motor if I only have to do the solenoid ! Has anyone replaced the Solenoid or the Motor+Solenoid assembly in the field (or driveway) without workshop facilities - are there any things you learned to do differently in the process, so I can avoid doing the same ? Can anyone recommend a link to a good legible copy of the wiring diagram for early 90's 2.5 NA GS Defenders ? I have a civil 2.5 NA diesel diagram from pp 106-107 at http://landroverweb.com/Pdf-files/Manuals/Defender-90-110-workshop-manual-5.pdf but it would be good to know if there is any difference from the Military version around the starting area. I've run out of daylight and time for today so will update next week if I get a chance to work on it Iain

Andy What I've done to avoid the need for a TUUAM on 4m and 6m (so should be equally valid for 2m) is to bypass the transformer in the VHF spacer ring - it's easily done to unsolder the transformer connections and link the BNC centre directly to the screw where the wire tail from the antenna base attaches. Just remember to subtract the length of the wire tail from the length of the cut down rod - I think because the wire tail is almost a one turn coil when assembled it actually has more electrical effect than its length would suggest and you will end up trimming the rod shorter still - this was noticeable at 70MHz (4m) and will be much more so at 2m, I expect. Regards Iain 73 de G0OZS

How many in a bundle, as I guess it will be more convenient for you to request multiples of that ? Regards Iain

The best book on SOE Equipment I have found is "Secret Warfare" by Pierre Lorain - this has detail of the Welrod and De Lisle (as well as many radios) ISBN-10: 0856135860 Iain

Richard I have more EVHF pineapples than I know what do do with, so get in touch once you get the mast .. The rigging (although not the base plate, although that's only needed if not mounting the mast on the vehicle) are also the right size for the 12m version of the RACAL 700-series Clansman mast (the one with lever operated locks rather than pins) btw Iain

Hi The WS19 group have the manual http://www.royalsignals.org.uk/ant.html document 1127, free if you join - Chris S is both a moderator and a member here and can probably help you through the process. There is a contents sheet at http://portablemasts.com.au/Clark/clarkp18.htm and a brochure at http://www.clarkmasts.be/english/Products/PDF/Military/PU-Masts.pdf HTH Iain

Dave Welcome here - I am also in Suffolk near Mendlesham Regards Iain

Hi The 3 way LT box certainly was ok running a 353 at about 12 amps on transmit so 15 amps for the BV isn't a big stretch especially if the other two sockets are drawing little current. The 4 LT way box is only a little bigger and has substantial bus bars inside and high current contacts on the input connector (more copper area than the 50A PSU output socket, to be sure). I can probably find you one if it helps. I would be a little concerned about MDF if there is likely to be condensation in the cab or a substantial weight on it - my experience is that MDF deteriorates if damp and deforms under load. So plywood or hardwood planks probably a better bet for the shelf ? Iain

Really impressive job - congrats on getting it together and going before the winter sets in ! I shall keep the photos on file for when I need to do something this thorough with 35KL88 Iain

Conveniently near for us too

Mike Dave is 30 miles closer - size wise i think i could tow it with the car ok but I would need to get a civilian trailer board first - I only have one for the Landrover which only has a NATO hitch, so I will be happy for him to have first refusal on the job Regards Iain

Mike What empty weight is the trailer ? Regards Iain

I have a 90 with the same engine - I generally count to 5 on hot days, 10 normally and 20 in freezing conditions before starting and it usually starts quickly Regards Iain

Hi The connectors are early versions of the Hubbell twist-lock family see http://www.hubbell-wiring.com/Press/PDFS/Hub9815.pdf and the current range catalogue at http://hubbellcatalog.com/wiring/catalogpages/section-b.pdf - the modern mains voltage ones range from 15 to 30 amps. Probably for charging medium sized radio and light vehicle batteries 30A per battery would be more than adequate - even 15 amps per socket is more than 1/10 of the stated 133 amp capacity anyway. Regards Iain

I have had this in the past - it was a browser problem if I recall - try using firefox if you used IE, or vice versa.

In the past in similar circumstances my dad on his farm generally jacked a bogged vehicle a few inches at a time (using a railway sleeper or similar under the jack to spread the load on the ground) and pushed wood or stones under the bogged wheel with each lift using a long stick to avoid going under the jacked vehicle - the key is to get a firm base under the jack after digging a hole to get it under the vehicle, so it lifts the vehicle rather than push itself into the ground - but the landrover and the old grey tractor were neither of them as heavy as this. How far down is solid ground in this case ? I wonder if you could get an air bag under it between the wheels on the side that sank (see ebay item 322291516936 - if meant for a Jackal it will handle the weight) ? In the absence of a Tirfor I've used an engine hoist for a short pull of a foot or two to get a 2wd vehicle with spinning wheels onto a rubber mat or a board but it wasn't this heavy or this deeply stuck - it looks like there is space for that if you can hammer an iron bar into the floor for an anchor and have a strong enough hoist or chain block? Hope this helps Iain