Australian wireless pics

[goanna]

Australian built wireless sets: Pics from the SLV

 

Pic. 1 is of a W.S. 109 , these were manufactured by S.T.C in Sydney from 1939 to 1942 , many were shipped overseas to the Middle East and Malaya with Aust. Army signals units. Approx.  1500 were built. The vehicle is a Ford Wireless Van. These sets have not survived in large numbers. 

 

Pic. 2 is a W.S. 101,  the design of these was based of the pre-war British No. 1 set . Built by AWA between 1939 and 41. The set was upgraded and a  became known as the FS6 , AWA fulfilled a contract for these FS6 sets for the Indian army. I believe the FS6 was used by the Chindits. A good number of these sets have survived.

Edited Sunday at 01:53 PM by goanna

[goanna]

Pic 1 is a Australian built No. 11 set . Approx. 7000 were made and a good number have survived . Basically these are a direct copy of the British 11 set but the manufacturer, AWA, used locally made American based valves that were manufactured by the AWA owned AWV factory . These sets , along with many other types that were designed for use in the more temperate regions ,  proved to be less than ideal in the damp/wet conditions experienced in the tropics.  The cotton insulation on the wiring was easy fodder for the many types of fungus spores. The army set up a special research centre to try and  solve this big problem , water proof sealing of the newer types of sets was greatly improved.   By 1944 PVC insulated wires became available and a local Aust. version of the British WS 22 was manufactured , it morphed into the 1945 122 set which was a very successful radio that lasted into the early 1960 s with the army reserve signals units.  

 

Another 11 set issue: The Aust. manufacturer of the genemotor frame castings used a cheap nasty pot metal casting alloy which cracked and expanded, the alloy was contaminated with some unwanted elements.  These AWA sets were declared obsolete very early on and they were sold off in large numbers in the early post-war era. In recent years, a number of these sets have been sent over to the UK for fitment into restored wireless trucks. One thing to look out for is: the removeable meter on the front panel is larger in diameter than the UK built sets ( EK Cole ) and the switch knobs are a different shape.  

Edited Sunday at 01:34 PM by goanna

[Enigma]

I presume these sets were used post-war by amateur radio enthousiasts?

I have a WS19 which was converted to 220 volt I think.

[goanna]

Yes I reckon some of the surplus sets were purchased by ham radio guys , a cheap buy for the parts. Bush fire brigades used some , usually , their sets were modified for a single xtal channel. The 19 set was kept in army service here well into the 1950s . Around 1952 the govt. imported a substantial number of surplus Mk2 British 19 sets, these sets were completely rebuilt with PVC wiring and finished in duck egg blue coloured front panels. During 1943 AWA made a batch of 19 sets , these sets are very odd, the circuit design and tube lineup are unique and very little is interchangeable with the ubiquitous 19 sets built everywhere else.

Edited Sunday at 02:07 PM by goanna