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Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment.

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Old 25th Aug 2011, 11:47 am   #1
Mike Brett
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Default Wireless set no. 88

Hello all
I have one of a batch of wireless sets 88 type A mark 2 that where offered F.O.C. a few months ago and have just got around to trying it out. With 90 volts HT and 1.5 volts LT all I get from the headphones is a loud hiss. Now this could mean its working and the channel is just quiet, although according to the enclosed leaflet if you press the send button and speak into the mike you should be able to hear your own voice, which I can not.Has anyone got one of these sets and had some success with it, as I would like to here from them. Also the case seems to be riveted together ,has anyone found a safe way of removing these.
Cheers Mike
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Old 25th Aug 2011, 12:35 pm   #2
Herald1360
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

ISTR these things operate in Band 1 around 45MHz, so nothing to be heard is hardly surprising. Have you got a sig gen you could stick a couple of feet of wire into and sweep around to see if any response results?
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Old 25th Aug 2011, 1:49 pm   #3
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

According to the info I have the actual frequencies are position A 42.15 MHZ B 41.4 MHz C 40.9 MHz D 40.2 MHz and the set was made impossible to open for the operator by the use of special sealing screws!
Regards, Mike
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Old 25th Aug 2011, 2:13 pm   #4
Mike Brett
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

Thanks for response. I will try the signal generator idea, failing that I will open the case and see if there is any chance of retuning the beast.
Cheers Mike
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Old 25th Aug 2011, 3:52 pm   #5
llama
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

I think the case just unscrews - 4 screws, one in each corner.

However, they have conical heads so you need to grip very tightly (unless you have a matching tapered spinner).

Graham
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Old 25th Aug 2011, 4:46 pm   #6
Herald1360
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

I don't think retuning will help- it's crystal controlled so you would need new or other ones to do anything.

Have you got a circuit? I found this:

http://www.rod.beavon.clara.net/ws88.htm
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Old 25th Aug 2011, 5:11 pm   #7
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

I used these in late 1960s. They don't have much more than 200m range. They can only be "tuned" by changing crystal, and only by about +/- 1.5MHz from which ever of the two bands (39MHz or 41MHz) your model is without major surgery and realignment.

I never heard of anyone modifying them for 10m (28MHz to 29.7MHz) or 6M (50MHz to 52MHz). You can't legally transmit on 37MHz to 43MHz (the probable limits depending model, and changing crystal) and there is nothing to hear on those frequencies.

Nice bit of history to have.

We considered opening them at the time out of curiosity, as far as I can remember the case was riveted!

Other equipment we used at the time was WS no. 19 and a C something with bright red and blue paint on tuning knobs.

The 1.5V +90V pack was same size (each part in an ammunition pouch) and heavily waxed printed brown cardboard. Eventually there where no more replacement batteries (1969?). Or at least none for us.
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Old 25th Aug 2011, 6:24 pm   #8
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

This thread covers much of the above:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=62914

I see it was started by Mike...

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Old 25th Aug 2011, 7:38 pm   #9
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

The fastenings are not rivets in spite of appearances.
The bottom, slightly larger cone is the nut.

I found that I could just grip this using small pliers (newish ones with nice fresh grippy surfaces).
First up, try unscrewing the nut with the pliers - you may get lucky.
If not, the whole thing rotates...
This allows you to file a flat on each side of the top smaller cone (this is easy if you can rotate the whole bolt).
Now rotate your flats into suitable positions and grip the top with a mole wrench and continue carefully undoing the nut with your grippy pliers.
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The standard and easy thing to make them legal is to convert for 10m - as per the PW article. Manuals are widely available too.
If you don't have these yet then please PM.
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When using them you must be aware there is quite a delay between RX and TX because pressing the PTT has to fire up the filaments of the TX. This is something that operators of this era would have been familiar with as many of the sets based on battery valves were like that.
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Old 25th Aug 2011, 8:34 pm   #10
Mike Brett
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Default Re: Wireless set no. 88

Hello again
Thanks to you all once again for all your replies, most helpful. GMB pm sent.
Regards Mike
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