goanna Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 (edited) 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 June 30 by goanna 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goanna Posted June 30 Author Share Posted June 30 (edited) 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 June 30 by goanna 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 I presume these sets were used post-war by amateur radio enthousiasts? I have a WS19 which was converted to 220 volt I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goanna Posted June 30 Author Share Posted June 30 (edited) 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 June 30 by goanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goanna Posted July 4 Author Share Posted July 4 (edited) Some more pics: appears to be a Militia (army reserve) signals unit on a weekend camp in Queensland in the early WW2 time period. The vehicles are a mixture of civilian and Govt. registered. The W.S. 101 had a RF transmitter power output of around 1 Watt. Power supply for both the W.S. 101 and 109 sets was a 6V lead acid car type battery. Pic 1. Army registration No. V338 is a 1939 Ford 15cwt Wireless Van , Ford model 81C: engine nr. 16497F , it was sold back to Ford Motor Co. Edited July 6 by goanna 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goanna Posted July 5 Author Share Posted July 5 (edited) Wartime Street parade with a tank mockup. AWA built radio equipment , showing their 19 set. V117 comes up as a Chevrolet 15 cwt , looks to be around a 1936 model. The radio set is very unusual. Edited July 5 by goanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citroman Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Nice cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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