[The WS No19] RE: [Milsurplus] Re: British Army Radio During WWII

[J. Forster]

> No US military radio of the era was so easy to
> > use, versatile and was as small a package for the power output and the
> > frequency coverage as the WS19 (US field sets such as the BC-654, the
> > BC-1306 and the TBX).
>
> As for versatile, would you describe its CW operation as easy to use,
> versatile?
> The 3 US sets you mention have full cw break-in. Versatile?

Was full break-in really necessary in military operations with good net
operating procedures? IMO, likely not.

Also, I have long speculated that the 19 set was primarily designed for R/T not
CW. In a tank battle, voice seems the most likely mode. Any comments from real
19 set users in the field?

> All 3 US sets you mention were usable in self-powered field mode,

Hand carts with batteries? Schlepped up mountains?

> or in battery powered vehicle mode. ( Or small boat, for the TBX.)

Rumors have 19 sets in small plains. I suspect the lack of boat use may have
more to do with service rivalry than design. Some tar would seal the case pretty
well.

-John

> TBX was waterproof packable. BC-1306 nearly so.
> -Hue