[ARC5] German throat mics - mystery almost solved

Mike Feher n4fs at eozinc.com
Thu Dec 3 23:32:34 EST 2020


Interesting comment Mike. Back about 20 years ago I was witnessing a test, run by a contractor for the Military, where speech intelligibility was performed. They hired around 20 random people from the street for a few hours. There were two rooms and the group was split in two, half in each room. One group was each given a list of words to speak into a mike and the people in the other room had to write down what they heard. After that, the groups switched rooms and the test was repeated. They were then released and the results scored. I actually thought the whole exercise was hilarious and a waste of government funds. 73 – Mike  

 

Mike B. Feher, N4FS

89 Arnold Blvd.

Howell NJ 07731

848-245-9115

 

From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Michael Hanz
Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2020 11:18 PM
To: MARK DORNEY <mkdorney at aol.com>; Hubert Miller <Kargo_cult at msn.com>
Cc: arc5 at mailman.qth.net; milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ARC5] German throat mics - mystery almost solved

 

Well, the science of larynx mics was pretty well investgated even before the war began, and more intensively in the early part of the war.  I always remember with amusement the Bell Labs report that said, "[the throat microphone] would probably have been a very effective instrument but for the fact that the speech signal available at the larynx is intrinsically unintelligible."  (Page 131 at https://aafradio.org/docs/NDRC_Division_17_excerpts.pdf )  

In sophisticated word articulation tests, the low percentage of success rates were significant.  Fortunately, the move to higher altitudes encourage mask mics, so the throat mics began to die out through disuse and more modern hands free mics like the M5A/UR boom mic originated by the Navy.

- Mike  KC4TOS

On 12/3/2020 9:01 PM, MARK DORNEY via ARC5 wrote:

I wonder if the Germans had better luck with their throat mics than the US had with theirs. While never fully eliminated from USAAF use, they were replaced by better mask mics and even the T-17 lollipop mic because hardly anybody could understand what the hell was being said when the throat mic was used.  But it’s use sure looked good in the movies.  

 

Mark D. 

WW2RDO

“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson  

 

Sent from my iPhone





On Dec 3, 2020, at 6:20 PM, Hubert Miller  <mailto:Kargo_cult at msn.com> <Kargo_cult at msn.com> wrote:

 

I'm going thru my stuff and picking out downsizing candidates, and found a German

'throat microphone', but with a 5 pin connector, so not Panzer. The strap has only 

the number L38114, so on a lark, I decided to try to look this up. Lo and behold, an

"Online Throat Microphone Museum", 

http://beatboxmics.com/#!/pages/museum

Who would have thought?

 

<image001.png>

 

I learned this:

"Abfragegarnitur L38 - Luftwaffe headset with throat microphone and single receiver.

All parts have special codes starting with "L38". Throat microphone L 38114 is exactly the same 

as Kmf.b tank throat microphone. Luftwaffe production control marks are all around 

(BAL = Bau Aufsicht Luftfahrt). The 5-pin connector is of the type widely used by German 

Wehrmacht for telephone equipment. Maybe such "L38" headsets were in use at 

Luftwaffe telephone switchboards."  

 

That seems likely. Anyway, the mystery of what this item was, is solved.  Also I had looked

at German tubes for many years and never knew what "BAL" referred to. How about that !

 

I have a Swedish "Ericsson" throat mic this museum doesn't know about. I wonder if it was 

supplied to the German Luftwaffe during WW2 or just prior to the war. Sweden did trade

with Germany until the point they saw Germany was on its last legs and no longer presented

a threat of taking their country.

-Hue Miller 

 

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-- 
Michael Hanz - KC4TOS
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