[ARC5] German throat mics - mystery almost solved
Mike Feher
n4fs at eozinc.com
Fri Dec 4 07:19:19 EST 2020
It was for a small manpack SATCOM terminal. I knew the design inside out. Regardless, in the qualifications matrix in the spec., this was marked “test”, probably by some idiot who copied another spec., to put this spec. together, so it had to be done. I believe the score was 100%. It was a waste of resources. The program was finally cancelled due to massive budget over runs. Later it was recompeted, the test was not included in the new spec.
Mike B. Feher, N4FS
89 Arnold Blvd.
Howell NJ 07731
848-245-9115
-----Original Message-----
From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Richard Knoppow
Sent: Friday, December 4, 2020 12:07 AM
To: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [ARC5] German throat mics - mystery almost solved
Maybe not such a waste as you suggest. You have not given us any details of why the tests were made or what was being tested.
Articulation and intellibibility testing is common in audiology but was of considerable value in testing microphones, headphones, signal processing and other aspects of communication. Bell Labs had a list of test words. I think it is published in the BSTJ and in some texts. So, what was being tested there?
On 12/3/2020 8:32 PM, Mike Feher wrote:
>
> 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:* <mailto:arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> < <mailto: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 < <mailto:mkdorney at aol.com> mkdorney at aol.com>; Hubert Miller
> < <mailto:Kargo_cult at msn.com> Kargo_cult at msn.com>
> *Cc:* <mailto:arc5 at mailman.qth.net> arc5 at mailman.qth.net; milsurplus < <mailto:milsurplus at mailman.qth.net> 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> https://aafradio.org/docs/NDRC_Division_17_excerpts.pdf
> < <https://aafradio.org/docs/NDRC_Division_17_excerpts.pdf> 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> < <mailto:Kargo_cult at msn.com> mailto: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> http://beatboxmics.com/#!/pages/museum
> < <http://beatboxmics.com/#!/pages/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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--
Richard Knoppow
<mailto:1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> 1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL
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