g0ozs

Majorweld The 250W amp required a 50A supply and the circular connectors were a little over an inch outside diameter with about 1/2 inch spacing between the two pins. The other Clansman equipment generally used a 15A fused supply and the connector was about 1/2 inch diameter with pins on 1/4 inch or thereabouts pitch. Hope this helps Iain

Hi The Clansman radio kit that fits the mounting rails is now all withdrawn from service (being fixed frequency and not encrypted so more dangerous to the operator than the enemy in a 'high intensity' conflict). Most of it has been disposed of by Withams and is finding its way through the e-Bay and dealer network to radio amateurs and vehicle owners. To use the Clansman equipment apart from the 250W UK/VRC-322 on transmit legally would require at least an intermediate amateur radio license (the foundation license is too restrictive) and the VRC322 with higher power output requires an advanced license. The courses and exams required are run by local radio clubs and are relatively cheap compared with a full complement of radios. Quite a few people have installed but do not operate the equipment and don't seem to have any legal difficulties in FFR landrovers etc - if you were concerned about legality it wouldn't be too difficult to get a local radio amateur or ex REME radio technician convert the sets to receive-only operation (for example by disconnecting the press to talk connections on the headset/handset sockets). Receive only operation on the amateur and broadcast bands is completely lawful. For pure display purposes there are in any case a lot of dead radios suitable for repair or display around as the general experience of those of us who bought direct from Withams was that about 40% were in need of repair as the Army seems to have replaced dead sets from surplus stock rather than mended anything in the last few years. I hope this helps Iain

Majorweld I cant comment on this particular build as it wasn't one of the ones I saw intact at Withams - for what its worth the rails on the low shelf across the front look like they are 6 inch/15cm spacing centre to centre so will accommodate any of the RT321 HF radio, RT353 VHF radio, ATR adapter teleprinter radio, and DMU digital master unit. The mounting on the raised table beside the map board looks like the rails are 10 inch centre to centre which can only be the Amplifier RF 250W for UK/VRC-322 high power HF which would likely have had the TURF250W tuner mounted on top. A further hint to the existence of the 250W amp will be a super-sized 2-pin power outlet somewhere on that side of the comms body. Cabling-wise it makes sense to have the RT321 driver next to the 250W amp and tuner so I would suggest on the lower shelf mounting L to R a RT353, a RT353 and an RT321 - if you want you can mount a DMU on top of each 353 and an ATR on top of the 321, which will also drive the 250W amp and tuner. Probably there is a document somewhere with the fitting instructions for this setup which will confirm or deny the theory if it can be found. But the map board suggests HQ rather than relay station and 2 x VHF nets with an HF rear link seems quite plausible. Regards Iain 73 de G0OZS

Hi Alistair Welcome to HMVF Iain 73 de G0OZS

It was heading north between Colchester and Ipswich around 17:40 - my daughter saw it and was very impressed too !

Clive, all I will be writing something to my MP and MEP to post on Tuesday. In my case I have an unmodified (as far as the 8 point test for DVLA vehicle identity goes anyway) French SUMB truck but a literal interpretation of the historic vehicle exemption requiring original spare parts and original appearance would mean removing what I consider essential safety equipment added since it came to the UK such as a passenger (right) side wing mirror, reversing light, left dipping headlights (an MoT failure if not changed as I learned the first year I had it) and rear fog light ! I think as a minimum modifications necessary to meet safety standards that would otherwise apply to vehicles of similar size and type should be permitted (and encouraged?) to historic vehicles as they are in the public interest as well as the owners' interest - I haven't seen this aspect of the problem mentioned anywhere yet ? Regards Iain

Hi If not a 439 then another possibility is that the Plessey Vampire radio direction finding (DF) sets taken to the first Gulf war in 1991 were transferred from Landrover 101FC carriers to FV432s - if this was one it would have had a 21M Clark SCAM mast on the roof and fittings for a sloped table/console with 6 approx 1 foot x 18 inch modules stacked 3 wide and two high. Is there any remaining evidence of its military registration - if so I know someone who may know Regards Iain

Hi Phil What bands are you planning to use with the 857 ? Having bypassed the transformer is probably a step in the right direction (although on HF the Clansman whip bases were used without the cylindrical matching section that contains the transformer anyway). If it helps the original HF setups used either the RT320 with its internal tuner or the VRC-321 with TURF-25W, both of which are basically designed for electrically short antennas needing extra series inductance. Ensuring that the other side of the antenna feed is well grounded via the side stalk to the vehicle is also essential unless a counterpoise wire is used. The whips to fit the base can be assembled as 2, 3 or 4m lengths officially although I have seen amateurs use up to 5 - it is possible by choosing the right number to get close to a 1/4 wave on 20m, 15m and 10m with a little trimming of the top section! On VHF they were used with the TUUAM Auto-ATU and the additional matching transformer was needed in the base - TUUAM is intended to work with an electrically long 2m antenna (would be 1/4 wave around the bottom end of the 30-76Mhz military VHF band). I have pruned a set of 2 elements for 6m and used them with an HF base moderately successfully in the past. As amateurs operating on narrow bands we can use optimisations that weren't practical for the military. In particular you will likely find a trimming the elements to 1/4 wave and using a 1/4 wave counterpoise wire attached close to the feedpoint helps with both HF and VHF to keep RF out of the vehicle (so the vertical element and counterpoise act as a dipole) Hope this helps Iain 73 de G0OZS

Malcolm I cant help with the radio installation in this specific vehicle but if you need to see detail of the Clansman sets themselves I am happy to take photos (if the ones at http://www.g0ozs.org/clansman do not have what you need). Louse Meulstee's site http://www.wftw.nl/larkspur/larkspur1.html or Petra Henderson's http://www.henderson-tele.com/royal-signals/rby/rby/larkspur.html are probably the best free resources for Larkspur. 1976-1982 is the period of transition from Larkspur to Clansman so either fit is correct for the period - more likely to be Clansman towards the end of the period. Regards Iain

Clive I will be interested in the outcome of this because I have a similar problem with the SUMB which was registered at it's minimum empty weight to get under 3500KG when imported (I believe by the Gunbus Company) but will be at least 3800KG with the radios, bench and extra batteries in. At the moment it is empty and I am still working on mechanical issues so can run under 3500kg with the spare wheel and benches out - hopefully by this winter I shall be ready to start on the insides so the weights need sorting soon Regards Iain

Headset connections URL: http://www.g0ozs.org/clansman/audio.shtml

Shaun You can find the Clansman audio connections on my website http://www.g0ozs.org/clansman - the headset is actually stereo so connections are 1) wire left and right ear pins together and connect to speaker output of CB or PMR 2) connect microphone + to mic input of CB or PMR 3) connect PTT to PTT of CB or PMR 4) connect Microphone - and ground of headset to ground of PMR Note that this will work only for non - ANR headgear - the ANR ones also need power at 18-24v so can't be easily adapted for use with 12v radios. Handsets are much the same except that there aren't separate left and right earphones of course You will need a separate in line PTT (pressil) box with the headsets - handsets have a built in PTT switch. You will probably need to make a junction box with a 7 pin socket for the headset or handset and leads to the separate microphone and audio sockets of the CB. You may well find it cheaper to buy a used ARFAT or IBHA box on eBay and strip out the insides than buy the 7 pin socket and a waterproof box separately Hope this helps Iain --- I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?gurx0f

AndyM I didn't see a registration - I don't remember looking behind the Abbot though LordBurley I remember the old open days when the USAF were there - I used to help operate the ipswich radio club station - I didn't spend a lot of time there on Sunday so can't comment on what remains beyond the museum area. There were bus tours but I didn't have time to take one this time Iain

Final batch I'd like to thank any of the vehicle owners who may be forum members for bringing their vehicles along - the show was well worth the visit ! Iain

And a few more ...

Dear All Herewith a few pics from Bentwaters this afternoon ... enjoy ... Iain

Just remembered - there was also a Welbike between the jeep and the green Champ Iain

I was able to drop in for an hour yesterday morning - although this is a general vintage car show there is a small section - this year a half-track, a jeep,2 champs and 3 landrovers were present. Please find attached some photos Hopefully next year the SUMB will be able to join as well Iain

Pete Probably the only other thing to do is to trace the connections with an ohm meter one set of contacts at a time - I can't see a way to investigate it in the assembled state other than by drilling holes to get at the links between tubes of cells with voltmeter probes If all the individual links at top and bottom of the case have continuity when tested then it may also be worth trying a different brand of c-cell or packing the tubes with a coin in case the cells you have are slightly too short and don't make contact reliably when the case is fully closed up (I have had that issue with other battery packs than Clansman in the past - the problem is worse when the negative contact in the pack is a flat plate rather than a spring, in my experience) Regards Iain

The other problem I have had with 350 batteries (both the c-cell and sealed rechargeable variants) is the contacts on the top being compressed too far to touch the studs on the radio - if so the voltage measured across the battery terminals with a meter is ok but the radio works intermittently or not at all - then bending them out a little should cure that Regards Iain

Dave Thanks for that - I make that about 38 psi forward and 40psi rear ? I will give it a go when I next do a long road run and see how it works Regards Iain

SWL (short wave listener) since 1975 livensed as GM1WCK in 1986 and G0OZS in 1991. I am still active - mostly Sunday morning VHF nets and GB2RS news readings on 144MHz FM and HF special events as home QTH (location) is too noisy at RF for HF and neighbours too near for high power VHF - I bought the SUMB as a self propelled tent and mast base but it has become a project in it's own right ! I used to be active in RAYNET emergency communications and used to be a regular at the Rougham airfield events which first sparked my interest in MVs - military radio goes back to being fascinated by a TA signals unit using the field next to my playgroup when I was about 4 and my dad (ex RN) being a lifelong listener .. Iain 73 de G0OZS

Ian The full technical manual is available to members from the Vintage & Military Amateur Radio Society archives - the subscription is £20.00 pa which is probably less than a dealer will charge for the manual ! The headset and handset to fit it are ST711015 and ST711014 or the loudspeaker is MA·998. There is a free specification sheet at http://www.pmrconversion.info/manuals/racal/PRM4031.HTM The audio pinouts - Figure 3 - are about half way down. Pattern 104 connectors to fit are available from various manufacturers and dealers - you could try Farnell or F.C Lane or Weald Electronics - these can be used to rewire Clansman audio gear, or you could try to dismantle the plugs and change the keying. You may also find the Racal-Manpacks Yahoo group helpful in your quest, Regards Iain 73 de G0OZS

Congratulations Joris - best wishes to you all !

Frederic There are a number of us with French vehicles - in my case a Simca Marmon SUMB - I hope there will be enough of us to justify a 'French Vehicles' section eventually! Regards Iain