Larkspur-man

Hi, I have a larkspur setup, including a C11/R210 - photos can be seen on my QRZ.com page, under my radio amateur call sign G3YVW. Note the C11 setup in the photo is my setup, that is they did vary slightly depending upon the vehicle/application. Also on my QRZ page are photos of a complete FV432 command post and FV433 Abbot radio comms setup, for those who may be interested! Brian

Just wondering if anyone has a ‘scrap’ Abbot or one they are breaking/spares available? I have a complete Abbot (FV433) and command post (FV432) working radio comms set up in my garage(see photo) and I am now looking for a couple of extra ‘peripheral’ items to add to it. These are the: *Induction Loop JB FV562042 (mounted on the inside turret top) for the FV433. See photo below. *Internal and external electrical ‘batten’ boxes for the FV432 (for remote comms and line terminal box connections). Many thanks, Brian

Hi Richard, Yes please! You want to PM me with details, etc? Brian

Andy, meant to say, interesting you have obtained the gun computer. Reminds me of the FACE computer from the command post/FV432 - now I wouldn’t mind getting hold of one of those (1960’s era!) to power up. Last one I saw was around early 1970 in service but don’t know if any have survived to this day, even in a museum? Brian

Hi Andy, many thanks for that, PM me when you are ready, with cost, my address details etc. Out of interest, what part of the country are you/the Abbot located? Brian

Many thanks Andy, appreciate that, just what I need. Presumably you are replacing the Larkspur RLB box with the bigger Clansman Radio-Lines box. You will see from my photos that I ‘appear’ to have an RLB box already, but as I couldn’t get one anywhere, I made up one myself using a ‘surplus’ Abbot 5W amplifier for the case, fitted extra connectors and switches and designed/built a board to fit inside to produce the correct functions, as per the circuit. So yes, it does actually work, and you wouldn’t know the difference from the outside, but I know it’s not the real thing!! Regards Brian

🤣 I think it would take longer to take off my garage wall than it would to actually fit into an Abbot! I will also send you a PM. If anyone else is reading this and has an Abbot they are breaking or know of someone who has one, I’m trying to get hold of the Larkspur radio/line interconnecting box (which the commander’s headset plugs into) and also the master battery switch. Photos below. Brian

Just finished my latest project - putting together a complete Abbot and command post comms system. Used the Larkspur B48 radio on the command post, and the ‘later’ fit on the Abbot - the Clansman 351 - interfacing into the existing Larkspur harness and control boxes via the Clansman IBRA box. Fully working and operational, including via both radio and line comms, and also the induction receiver unit via a ‘turret’ loop. The top section in the photos is the command post, the bottom section the Abbot, with the smaller section being the driver’s controls, fed via the ECC box, also showing the external speaker underneath. Brian (Radio call sign G3YVW)

Hi, yes you will need a Clansman ‘Amplifier AF Loudspeaker’ (I use one of these on a Larkspur (R210 receiver) set). As well as the 12 pin harness connections it also has the 7 pin ‘audio’ connector input socket, selectable on the front panel ‘EXT’ position, which you ought then to be able to plug straight in to the audio socket on the 351. A 24V supply will of course be required. Brian P.S. I see that LRseries have a new one listed… https://www.lrseries.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=41770&search=Clansman+af+amplifier

Andy, Pity I wasn’t interested in this when I was at the school of electronic engineering (SEE) at Arborfield in the early 70s! I seem to recall there was an abundance of ‘Précis’ documents based on various equipment’s EMERS. I haven’t been to Lyneham yet but it’s on my list. Brian

Many thanks Clive, I will start digging! Brian

Hi Clive, It was me that replied to your EMER comment - not Andy, but yes, understand about the EMERS and I have those for the 351/2 set, including user handbooks for the Abbot and the radio sets. So now (it appears) I’m on the lookout for a CI - COMMUNICATIONS INSTALLATION document for the Abbot…If you know where/if these can be located? Thanks, Brian

Clive, Unfortunately I don’t have EMER D320…9 nor do I know what it is for - presumably the actual vehicle? Andy, I’ve only ever seen one photo of the Abbot with the 351/352 fitted but can’t make out if it has the 20W amp or not. All the other Abbots viewable on-line including one I actually managed to physically get into had the radio gear removed. Brian

Thanks Gordon, yes I can see that the 20W is not needed for the gun, noting also that the Larkspur B48 that was replaced by the Clansman had less than 1W output. I was just trying to ensure the setup was as close to the original as possible. I have a 20W amp anyway so not a problem either way. Brian

I’m finishing my Abbot comms set up, exactly as originally fitted, including all Larkspur boxes and the Clansman IBRA Larkspur interface unit. I have the Clansman 351 ready to ‘go in’ but can’t quite find anywhere to actually confirm whether the set was a 351 or a 352 (with the 20W amplifier) . No document I’ve seen specifically states which set, more often the document would just state ‘351/352’ which doesn’t really help, unless either set could have been fitted? Ant help/advice much appreciated. Brian

Hi Richard, there’s some really good items in that auction, not sure if we can bid from here (UK) but no doubt there would be horrendous transport costs back to UK for the (heavy) radio type items… Brian

Thanks for your help Andy, I now have the Clansman box on its way to me as well as the ECC Emergency crew comms JB, and also now the emergency 3 pronged microphone for the JB. Which leads me on to one other thing - the foot-operated acknowledge switch (operated by the No.1/commander) - I would like to get hold of one of these - feeds into the Radio-Line box - for authenticity, but I’ve never seen one, there are no diagrams/pictures of one and I couldn’t find one still fitted in the Abbot I visited recent,y. Any idea what make they are/type, etc, used anywhere else? Brian

Thanks for that Andy, I will keep my eyes open for the part 3 (revised) just out of interest. Not sure when production on the Abbots actually stopped in the factory, but during any retrofits of the radio gear, presumably it was only the radio, c/w it’s ATU, aerial base and associated bits that were changed as all of the cabling would have course have had the brass Plessey Mk4/7 connectors, which the Clansman didn’t use. The newer 5W amplifiers also used these Plessey connectors. And I’ve never seen a Clansman version or equivalent of the (Larkspur) Radio-Line Interconnecting box that sits in the turret at the right hand side, top, ajacent the commanders seat?? Brian

Hi Andy, yes I do have the full Abbot user handbook, but this only details the Larkspur fit. Army code 14311, dated 1965. Have never seen any other versions/issues. I think I will keep to the ‘later’ Larkspur 5W amplifiers (although I do have the valve versions anyway) - will look a better installation/set up. Brian

Hi Andy, Many thanks for that. I’m obviously going for the original Larkspur fit, as that’s where my interest lies. Also I have obtained a couple of Larkspur 5W amplifiers (same dimensions as the Abbot I box and Radio-Line box - designed for the Abbot, although I haven’t seen any pictures of these fitted (I haven’t actually seen many internal pictures of different Abbots!) especially with a complete radio set up. I believe these 5W amplifiers - as per the EMER - were meant to replace the old Larkspur valve amplifiers - AF 2 No. 1 - part of Apparatus Loudspeaking No. 19 - although there is a Clansman amplifier of similar dimensions which may have been used with the all-Clansman fit? Brian

Thanks Gordon, I have had several bits from him already, but I’ll try him for the J.B.s Brian

Good afternoon, This is my first posting on this forum, so hopefully it comes out right! I’m in the process of putting together a (working and authentic) complete Abbot and command post (FV432) radio and line communications system, to complement my other Larkspur radio communication projects and equipment (see my radio amateur call sign G3YVW on QRZ.com). I have the command post equipment, repaired and tested, but need to complete the Abbot equipment. I was able to visit the Muckleburgh Military collection a few weeks ago in Norfolk, very kindly being given permission by the owner, to have unrestricted access to one of their Abbots. This has helped me greatly see how the system is put together in practice and to see the items I am still in need of. I am putting together the Larkspur version of the comms system, rather than the later updated Clansman version, although I understand that it was only the radio (Larkspur) that was replaced with the Clansman (352?), all of the wiring and harness items from the original Larkspur fit remaining the same. So the items I am on the lookout for, maybe from someone who is breaking an Abbot, or from an Abbot no longer required, etc are:- Larkspur B48 VHF radio Radio-line Box - see photo Intercommunication junction box - see photo Intercommunication junction box (FV562042) - see photo Emergency crew junction box - see photo Receiver Induction unit as used by the crew (with the induction loop) - see photo Many thanks for reading this, and hopefully someone out there can help! Brian