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Hi A lot of it is quite similar to the Simca SUMB I used to drive - the main difference is switch rather than lever control of the transfer box and diff lock. I never did French at school so am not really an expert but I had to learn a bit of automotive vocabulary to use and repair the SUMB. The sections relevant to the transfer box are b6 and b7. I believe the switches PV/DV are Low/High ratio and 4WD is automatically engaged in low ratio. DF/AR is the diff lock control. The PV lamp lights in 4WD low ratio and the light under the switches lights if the diff lock is engaged. The blackout lighting control is different from the SUMB I think - the right hand settings are for on road driving - you likely have to pull out or press button A and turn fully clockwise to position 5 to get normal road driving light functions (so important to check that before driving off) Hope this helps Iain

In the end I gave most of my father's travel and reference books to the school library (apart from a few firearms related ones that found homes via this forum). I do have another batch to clear (the librarian says she has no more room) - I think for the military ones I will offer them here again when I get round to it Iain

I think mixed fuel engines were quite popular at one time - when I was very young in the 1960s my father had a Fordson 1/2 track tractor with a petrol-paraffin engine that used magneto ignition and switched to paraffin/kerosene once it was warm - I seem to remember huge clouds of white smoke and a very vicious starting handle with a habit of trying to whack my dad ! I suppose the idea is that Petrol is easy to cold start but kerosene or diesel are (were?) cheap Iain

Lacing was certainly the preferred solution for BT/GPO things - at least internal to equipment until about the time I started in the '80s - likewise internally to the Clansman equipment

Bob When was that taken - it looks somehow late 70s or early 80s to me ? Iain

Andy I'm not sure what the "official" configuration is (Alien may be able to advise?) - I think the top 2 have to be a middle and top and you can then put 1 or 2 bottom sections below it for 3 or 4m - you could probably improvise 3 bottom sections in line for a 3m antenna in a static station where the extra top weight and wind resistance are less of an issue Regards Iain

It looks like the floor plan of a landrover driver's compartment (front at top) ? The shaded areas would be on the floor - cutting instructions for non slip mats maybe ?

Hi I had a few of the sections at one time but never a complete mast kit - whatever it is goes back to the Larkspur era as I got them at a Leicester radio rally before 1990. If what you have is what I had, then they differ from the more recent RACAL ones in that the outside is fluted and the green is closer to NATO than olive, if I remember rightly. I don't think they are actually Larkspur because the 1950s Larkspur antennas were designed for the 27 foot telescopic steel mast - I think it is related to fixed link or electronic warfare / DF equipment from the late 1960s or early 1970s just before metrication - I have dim memories of seeing a picture in a manual for pre-Vampire DF kit. The big cousin of the 5.4m Clansman mast is the RACAL MA675 which has 8 x 1m fibre glass sections - it differs in that each set of guys has four ropes at 90 degree rather than 3 at 120 degrees. Regards Iain

Dear All My NCRS box trailer came with no spare wheel - it seems prudent to get one before driving far with it on the road. The tyres are 6.70R13 on a 5 stud wheel - does anyone have any for sale ? Even knowing what else uses them would be a help finding a source. Regards Iain

The front panel looks similar to AN/PSC5 family also by Raytheon: http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/psc5c/ I guess they fitted a modified battery plate and audio connector to make a UK version ? What is odd is the lack of recent references - I have read elsewhere that FACs in recent years have used Harris sets (AN/PRC-117) so it may not have been bought for long or in large numbers Regards Iain

Andy I assume they are the ones at TDM electronics ? I note the label says they are from a very early Bowman contract (CB/BOW/02 01/99) so may not be quite the final version. They were intended to replace UK/PRC-344 in the forward air control role - some limited evidence at http://www.ptsnorfolk.co.uk/cdata/66117/docs/5408834_1.pdf There is a video of one in use at starting about 2'30s (not mine) ! The owner reports that they are 2W low and 7W high power and demonstrates operation on 2m and 6m HTH Iain 73 de G0OZS

Hi Leighton Welcome here Iain 73 de G0OZS

Tim In the UK a non working R210 including a good tuning assembly goes for around £50 (I sold one last year so am reasonably confident of that) and - a working set around £100 to £150 depending on condition - I imagine that a NOS dial will be a few tens of pounds - I guess around AS$50 as 1 Australian dollar is £0.56 today Regards Iain

It's a film tuning scale - by the frequency range, size and shape I suspect it's from the Larkspur R210 receiver - part of the R210/C11 medium/long range Larkspur HF station - I would have thought it took too much space to fit in a Ferret ? The complete setup in its Australian form is shown at: http://www.remlr.com/wireless/0310-07A-1.jpg and in the lower half of http://www.remlr.com/wireless/b_veh_1960/annex_q/Q%20-%20P05.jpg and the set (without dial markings) at http://www.remlr.com/wireless/larx_R210.jpg and there is some technical info at http://www.qsl.net/vk2dym/radio/r210a.htm - the best dial photo I can find is at http://www.wftw.nl/r210l.jpg I've come across quite a few of the receivers with or missing damaged tuning scales so definitely something the wireless folks will have a use for ! Iain

The parts list I have is for the PT (4.5 inch) series - the SCAM uses the 6 inch tubes and fittings from the WT series with a rugged steel quadrapod base. There is a copy of the exploded diagram at: http://www.dave.2e0ijk.talktalk.net/scam12repair.htm FWIW Regards Iain

Hi @Larry It's a Self Contained Army Mast 12 metre (formerly SCAM40 = 40 feet). See: http://www.clarkmasts.com/products/military-masts/scam-mast/ or more usefully http://portablemasts.com.au/Clark/clarkp17.htm @Cornishbloke I think I do have a parts list from long ago - I will search my backups of PCs long gone over the weekend. There is also an EMER in the WS19 group collection so it may be worth joining and requesting same - Chris S. from that group occasionally visits here and can no doubt advise the most efficient way to get it Regards Iain

Really nice job of the WS19 My then near neighbour Arthur Stevens (M3FFU) now a silent key did a full rebuild of his WS19 in the early 2000s and this brings back memories (despite the rather recent callsign, Arthur started at Marconi's Chelmsford works in 1946 and retired as a senior engineer in the mid 1990s so he really knew his way around wartime electronics!) Capacitors were a pain well into the 1970s - when I started work designing telecommunications equipment in 1987 I was warned off using tantalum capacitors by the reliability engineers where I worked, and true to their predictions the tantalum capacitors are the main cause of failure in "modern" clansman sets of the 1970s that cross my bench today Iain 73 de G0OZS

Hi My SUMBs went to a new home in Devon with Bob Davies Transport from Taunton - they were on time and efficient and I'm told fairly economical http://bd-transport.co.uk/ Iain

I have 6 off 10.5R20 (ex German Army, slightly used) left over from my SUMBs but I suspect too big ? Iain

James The high/low pushrod was disconnected from the transfer box when I got the diesel converted one - because i never got that far (separation, house moves, storage issues) I never reconnected it before it went to another SUMB owner as a spares donor. I guess a 4 or 5 cylinder unit would be shorter, but I think anything less than 100HP would be underpowered on hills (my V8 SUMB was in fairly good condition but slowed quite a bit crossing the Orwell Bridge, so anything less powerful would be too slow uphill for trunk roads, I think!) Regards Iain

Hi I owned one for a while which had a part complete conversion using the Volvo/Volkswagen D24T turbo diesel and automatic gearbox out of a Volvo 960 estate car. Unfortunately the previous owner stopped at what he needed for some off roading and farm use and never sorted out electrics etc, and I never got round to it before selling it as a spares unit together with my petrol SUMB. Power wise it is a reasonable match (100 vs 110HP) although the gear ratios aren't quite right (so too fast in 1st and max speed about 40 in top, versus 50 with the V8). The engine is used in a similar military vehicle - I believe the British diesel Pinzgauers also have a D24 variant. Mechanically it was fairly ok - the drive shafts from the gearbox and transfer box had each been cut 1/2 way and then joined; an extra pulley and belt were fitted at the front of the engine to drive the SUMB brake compressor. The new engine extended further back and the cab floor needed cutting away to fit (I think the French Renault engine official conversion also had a larger cover in the cab space, and moved the batteries out of the cab to compensate). The auto box helps because it has bowden cable controls so the gear lever location is flexible. The previous owner had used it for several years like that - the main issue was that the D24T starter and generator are 12V and the conversion had been done without thought to preserving the wiring harness (the fuse box was in the way of the new engine) so it would have needed a complete new wiring harness to make road legal. Had it been done with a little more forethought I think it could have been quite easy to convert the whole lot to 12V. One other issue which stopped me was that the previous owner did not retain any details of the donor vehicle - I was never able to sort out change of engine type with DVLA as a result - so it remained on SORN as a petrol unit all the time I had it. if you do this it is best to keep the donor vehicle details and get a receipt or engineer's report from a reputable garage (ideally MoT centre) - you may well need that for insurance too Hope this helps Regards Iain

@ Gas 44 - not to mention shedding beets all over other driver's windscreens (mine!) - happened to me between Mildenhall and Thetford years ago and I am not sure they are piled any less high now ! Iain

Very nice Dodge WC heading South through Brockford on the A140 about 5pm today

Dear All Having now got a 9x9 tent and an arctic bell tent, my British Army 12x12 is now surplus to requirements (not least because it is too big to put up on my own safely). The tent originally came from the army surplus and paintball warehouse behind the Cowdray centre in Colchester and I seem to remember paying £450 for it. The kit comprises: 1) A full set of poles and joints - I think I have spares of each 2) Long bag for poles 3) Small bag for joints 4) Two end canvas pieces - lace up style 5) A rather threadbare roof canvas - we got wet at W&P last year when water pooled in it 6) A 12x12 Groundsheet (was £75 plus P&P last year from Anchor Supplies) 7) A white liner (which I bought for £49 plus P&P from H&H surplus since the tent was last used so haven't tested for fit and condition) 8) A catering tent heavy duty 12x12 middle canvas from Anchor supplies - cost £75 plus almost as much again for pallet delivery (which I bought since the tent was last used so haven't tested for fit and condition) I don't remember getting pegs with it but I can probably find 4 or 6 storm pegs to include in the package. Looking at recent e-Bay auctions the going rate for the basic tent is £300-£400 and I would like to get most of my money back on the ground sheet, liner and catering canvas which I have not used. I would rather have the convenience of selling these together, so I am looking for offers in the region of £550 for the lot. The tent and accessories have been stored indoors since W&P 2015 and were dried out afterwards! This is in several pieces and is far too heavy to post so I would much prefer that any potential buyer visits, puts it up, and is sure that they are happy before parting with money and taking it away. I do have a van so can deliver within reasonable distances of East Suffolk - certainly Norfolk, Essex outside the M25 or Cambridgeshire will be OK. I've attached some pictures of it at W&P at Folkestone last year. I'll add some more next time the grass is dry and I can lay things out in the garden. I usually work at home on Friday afternoons, and will be at home most Sunday mornings, if anyone wants to arrange to visit and inspect before making an offer, Please contact me via PM here if interested. I prefer Cash on Collection/Delivery - if paid by cheque, PayPal or bank transfer I will wait for the money to reach my account before releasing the goods. Regards Iain

I have for sale 6 spare 10.5R20 tyres purchased from E-Bay seller rt-reifenwelt in Germany and imported to the UK for my SUMB projects. The buyer of the SUMB chose not to take them so they are offered here instead. These tyres are Uniroyals so less prone (in my experience) to cracking than Michelin ZXL. They fit the Simca SUMB and early Unimogs for sure, possibly other 4x4s of similar vintage. These ones have been used (there is some rust stain where the wheel rim would be) but are not worn with mould marks still present and in excess of 10mm tread. The original seller has the Michelins at £123 each today - I would be looking for near offers for these. Buyer can collect or I can load them on a pallet (they actually came as two pallets of three, as I recall). I do have a van and can deliver locally in Suffolk, North Essex, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire but dare not enter the low emission zone ! Please contact me by PM via the forum to make an offer or arrange viewing. I'll try e-Bay at the end of July if this fails. First sensible offer gets the tyres. Items are located in a storage facility in North Suffolk about 6 miles north of Ipswich. Best Regards Iain PS I also have one SUMB spare wheel with a much older tyre that wouldn't pass an MOT - if anyone can use it it is free for taking it away.