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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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4th May 2023, 4:49 pm | #1 |
Octode
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Military Morse Key and Lamp
Not sure if this is the correct Forum section but can anyone identify this Morse Key and Lamp for me and provide any additional/background information?
There is a separate lamp that connects with a fairly heavy duty cable but no battery as such although the connectors are there.
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4th May 2023, 5:01 pm | #2 |
Nonode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
The unit started out in life as a 'Lamp, Signalling, Daylight'. The valves, switches and Muirhead Drive don't belong and have been added at some time.
Andy |
4th May 2023, 5:04 pm | #3 |
Octode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
I have had two of these over the years. Originally yours was a signal lamp used during WW2, they are fairly common. It appears that yours has been converted into a morse transmitter. The compartment where the valves are positioned was where the lamp was stored and the battery was stored in the other compartment. Quite an imaginative job, there are enough of these around to allow for alternative use.
Neil
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4th May 2023, 5:05 pm | #4 |
Nonode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
Morse practice oscillator? Someone has added what look like speaker holes. Could also be a QRP rig I suppose.
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4th May 2023, 5:31 pm | #5 |
Nonode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
There used to be a lot more, back in 1969 I was personally responsible for scrapping a good few hundred of them!
Between school and university, I had a 'work experience' type of job for six months at Hird-Browns, an electronics company in Bolton. They made photo-electric control equipment, and had bought a huge pile of these units solely for the recovery of the reflectors from the lamps, all other parts were scrap. My task was to dismantle them all. Needless to say I ended up with a complete example, which I still have. Plus a pile of spare parts.......... Andy |
4th May 2023, 6:01 pm | #6 |
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
That's the well known "Key 8A" which I think was a partial part number, not a current rating.
David
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4th May 2023, 6:36 pm | #7 |
Hexode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
As it has a Miurhead dial I guess it's a transmitter.
Is there anything in the other side? When this was made the signal set complete would have probably cost 19/6 in old money. Don m5aky |
4th May 2023, 10:15 pm | #8 |
Heptode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
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5th May 2023, 8:09 am | #9 |
Dekatron
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
Made up for certain, possibly QRP tx.
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5th May 2023, 1:39 pm | #10 |
Octode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
Thanks for all the really interesting and helpful responses but still not exactly sure what it is I have and if it can be restored?
What is a Muirhead drive/dial?
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5th May 2023, 2:02 pm | #11 |
Heptode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
Muirhead drives were or still are quality slow motion drives. I had a pair on my home bru ATU. Muirhead also made control systems, engine room to bridge on ships, worked on 400 Hz, quality gear. Ted
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5th May 2023, 2:08 pm | #12 |
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
What does the Muirhead Drive drive? Is it mechanically connected to a variable capacitor?
What valves are fitted?
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5th May 2023, 3:51 pm | #13 |
Hexode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
Looks like it's driving a solid dielectric variable capacitor.
Don m5aky |
5th May 2023, 4:38 pm | #14 |
Octode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
I’ll try and attempt a bit of disassembly and will post some pictures and any additional information I find.
It won’t like it as it’s very ruggedised!
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5th May 2023, 7:47 pm | #15 |
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
Thanks, the one I had might have been earlier. The moulded in text was 8A and then military style stocknumber. Learn something new every day! The contacts are certainly big enough.
David
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6th May 2023, 4:45 pm | #16 |
Nonode
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Re: Military Morse Key and Lamp
I missed spotting that Jackson Dilecon capacitor.
There seem to be 3 or 4 compression trimmers down at the bottom too. |
15th Aug 2023, 4:09 pm | #17 |
Octode
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World War 1 Lamp?
This lamp has an 8V 1.2A bulb and I’m looking at the means by which I can supply power to it?
I don’t know if the bulb requires AC or DC but would have been attached to a battery powered transmitter?
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15th Aug 2023, 4:14 pm | #18 |
Heptode
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Re: World War 1 Lamp ?
Looks like a Daylight Signalling Lamp Short Range from WW2. 12v bulb with a rather odd base. Comes in a metal case which holds morse key, batteries, ground spike and various accessories.
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15th Aug 2023, 4:25 pm | #19 |
Nonode
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Re: World War 1 Lamp ?
The original bulb was simply operated by a Morse key from a battery, no transmitter involved.
Andy Last edited by Station X; 16th Aug 2023 at 9:57 am. Reason: Threads merged. |
15th Aug 2023, 5:32 pm | #20 |
Octode
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Re: World War 1 Lamp ?
The lamp has been disconnected from the transmitter and will be mounted on a tripod as a ‘feature light’.
I may revisit the transmitter at some point in the future? Need to find some way to get power to the bulb? 8V 2A power supplies seem to be readily available but would that suffice?
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