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

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

The maintenance manual that I have, CO-AN 08-35TS56A-3, says that it is for 
use with the ASB radar for tuning the antenna.  There is no date in the 
manual.  However, as the nomenclature is from the AN system, I assume that the 
test set dates from 1943 or later.  Had it been built earlier, its 
nomenclature would have been O? or OA?.

In a message dated 08/08/2012 21:01:34 PM Central Daylight Time, 
k1lky at earthlink.net writes: 
> 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!

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