[Milsurplus] German WWII Radio Trucks

[Kargokult@aol.com]

<< de  WB2CPN  South Central Pennsylvania   2002.02.16
 
 Does anyone have info on the Communication Vehicles used by the
 Africa Korps in WWII?  What was the rectangular horizontal loop
 they supported about four feet above the vehicle?  It appears to
 be a permanent attachment. >>

I assume you mean the thing that looks a frame for a canvas top,
on some vehicles, or a handrail around the turret area, on others?
We are thinking scout or command vehicles, not communication
vehicles, yes? Because radio vehicles used vertical erected when
parked. Actually, those pipe things were not loop antennas. They
were  simply "capacitive antennas", i.e. big capacitors to ground,
the vehicle frame. That enabled the German MF transmitting
equipment to operate without unreasonable loading coil demands
and without developing Tesla-coil like voltages at the antenna. Altho
when the transmitter was operating, you would want to keep your
hands clear. German armored recon vehicles used transmitters
operating in the 800 - 3000 kHz range, with powers of 30 or 80
watts. There was another 100 watt transmitter, 100WS, that 
went down to  200 kHz, but this was for field or radio truck use.
I think the idea was that these frequencies would give  more 
extensive ground wave coverage. Maybe also more effective in
rolling country. I am thinking of the SCR-??? mountain troops 
version of the US Army's SCR-694, which covered a lower range
for the same purpose, or the later addition to the  SCR-694,
the TRC-2 transmitter, 1900 - 3400 kHz, with the same logic.

I don't know about use in Afrika, but later in the war in Russia,
you can see photos of Panzers with a "Star Antenna"  ( vertical
mast with downsloping capacitive hat branches ) on the back.
This was for "command tanks" with extra radio gear, the 800 -
3000 kHz gear ( WS30a &  MWEc ) besides the usual 10/9 meter
equipment ( 10WSc, UkWEc ).
Some of the characters in the above text may be scrambled, 
but i think i've essentially got it right.
I have one of the "Sterneantenna"  (Star Antenna) and let me tell
you, it is heavier 'n hell, amazingly heavy. They couldn't spare
aluminum.
Examples- WS30a = "30 watt sender model A", MWEc = 
"medium wave receiver model C", UkWEc = "ultra short wave 
receiver model C"
I am generally real leery of big picture  books aimed at those
fascinated by WW2 planes or ships, etc.  So often the pictures
are umpteenth time rehashes and the information is sketchy,
elementary, and maybe even misleading. However, there's one
i bought used,  "Encyclopedia of German Tanks" ( I think that's
the title, anyway starts with "Encyclopedia...." ). I think i  
recently saw it in some military booksellers catalog for around
20-30$.....it is a very large book.  Actually has many hundreds
of great, uncommon photos, and a list of radio gear carried, not
just in tanks, but assault guns and recon vehicles and all else.
(Nothing on antennas, tho, if i recall.)
The Axis forces used lower frequencies more for communications
than did the Allies.  That's a generalization, but i think it's pretty
true. I have seen one Japanese 94/5 portable radio, 1.5 watt,
with a 1600 kHz rock in it.
Hue Miller