[ARC5] "Type K" Receiver Pilot Tuning Rational

[neilb at ihug.co.nz]

> The hypothesis that a design basis for pilot-operated tuning of command 
> set
> receivers was to enable pilot adjustment to a new command frequency can 
> only
> be correct in a very limited sense.  There were generally two HF command
> transmitters in the typical installation, neither of which had *ANY*
> possibility of in-flight frequency adjustment.  That limits the 
> possibilities to
> *only two* command frequencies.

Um, did fighters not escort bombers?  And did those bombers not have
much more frequency-versatile transmitters? Did fighters not escort
ships?  And did those ships not have more versatile transmitters?
While still within range of their airfield, did the pilots not receive 
orders
from the much better equipped airfield transmitters?

>> By this I mean the pilots may have been given a frequency schedule before 
>> take-off,
>> such as frequency A at 0930, B at 0945, C at 1000, and so on. That way, 
>> commands
>> such as headings were received on a different frequency each 15 minutes, 
>> but were
>> acknowledged on the original (lock tuned) transmitter frequency.

> Part of the problem with this hypothesis is there is no known instance of 
> such
> command set usage.

Lack of evidence is not proof it never happened. The best we can probably
say is that pilot tuning may have been provided *in case* it would ever be
required as part of the tactic I described. Whether or not the tactic was
actually used is not the point. I've suggested a valid reason for providing
tuning.

73 de Neil ZL1ANM