[Milsurplus] "Great War" Radio Usage (And Surplus)

[Mike Feher]

Well, what transmitter would have been used in conjunction with a BC-14,
essentially identical to the French type A receiver? To my knowledge, there
was never a BC-15 only the BC-15A. Also, what was the intent of building all
of those BC-14As, by at least 6 companies? What or who were they supposed to
receive? I can see parts of your argument regarding the timing. 73 - Mike 

Mike B. Feher, N4FS
89 Arnold Blvd.
Howell, NJ, 07731
732-886-5960 


-----Original Message-----
From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mike Morrow
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2012 5:16 PM
To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Milsurplus] "Great War" Radio Usage (And Surplus)

I wrote:

> Some claim these were used in WWI to receive messages from artillery 
> spotting aircraft using the SCR-65-A (BC-15-A) quenched spark transmitter.
> Those were likely only SCR-54 (BC-14) and SCR-65 (BC-15) sets (not A
> models) that were out in late 1917.

John wrote:

> A spark transmitter in the cockpit of a gasoline powered early aircraft.
> Now there's a concept!

Mike/N4FS wrote:

> Yep - we had them as well as a lot of other countries. Ours was the 
> common BC-15A, or, also known as SCR-65A.

I don't doubt that the concept was tried, and perhaps it was even
successful.
What I *do* doubt is that any of the "A" models (BC-14-A crystal receiver or
BC-15-A quenched spark transmitter) sets made it into WWI service.  The ones
that I have seen all have order dates only in the final two months of the
war, some as late as 19 days before it ended.  (Maybe they supported the
continuing White Russian campaign...though I doubt there was much artillery
controlled by spotter aircraft activity there.)

The order dates on non-"A" models that I have seen are all late 1917...they
could easily have seen some war service.  I wonder if there exists anywhere
some documentation or memoir discussing the use of the BC-15 in the
aircraft, or the use of the BC-14 on the ground.  It should have been quite
remarkable and memorable in that era, a mere 96 years ago.

We don't get much opportunity here to discuss WWI radio communications gear.
These SCR-54 and -65 sets seem to be much more common than any other
military radio gear that existed during WWI.  The SCR-54-A and -65-A are
even much more common still...possibly due to non-deployment after war's
end, I suspect.

Mike / KK5F
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