[ARC5] TS-56A/AP radar Slotted Line Antenna Tuner

[Roy Morgan]

Folks,

I have a TS-56A/AP slotted line antenna tuner and would like to find  
what system it was used with:

The thing has various markings:

TS-56A/AP
Marked: NX SA 39203   and (serial no?) 809  -CUO
Has Navy US Anchor on outside of steel case
I assume this thing was contracted for in 1939, and was used for a 515  
mc. radar.  I got no hits on Google, nor at the Mil Commo List.

Has a slot 16-1/2" long
Is overall 19-1/2 " long
Has odd connectors on the ends (of a sort I have never seen  
elsewhere), but has two adapters to type N females.
Has Probe/Indicator box that slides along the slot, with micro-ammeter  
by Westinghouse.
Has one spare probe and one spare round insulator (Styrene, likely).
Is silver plated on the contact surfaces of the slotted line and the  
indicator box.
Has paperboard guide strip held by clips against the (metric?)  
distance scale that tells what adjustments to make based on standing  
wave indications, and marked:
"Impedance Chart for Antenna Matching at 515 Mc." and "Shorten/ 
lengthen dipole elements, Move stub toward/away from antenna."

I had the tuning box apart to find:

- it uses a single D cell to run the filament of an acorn tube VT-237   
(RCA 957)
I measured the filament current with a battery, and found 1.5 ma, but  
that may be an error.
- The meter case is cracked, but likely quite repairable - meter  
movement works but needle sticks.
- external switchs for "RF or Volts" and "On-Off".
- The whole thing seems to be made of silver plated copper.

One suggestion I've had is that it might be for the 58 cm radars used  
on such aircraft as the SBD.

Roy

Roy Morgan
k1lky at earthlink.net
K1LKY Since 1958 - Keep 'em Glowing!