Signal Corps & Other Technical Equipment

Signal Corp Museum in City Bell. Many Thanks to Martin Monteverde. Right: 1905 Signal Corps, Toy Soldiers. Adolfo Cambre Collection: http://toysoldierssigloxx.blogspot.com/

Radio Station Operator and telegraph battery wagon , Wireless set, circa 1940-44. LIFE Magazine.

This page is dedicated to identifying electronic communication equipment from Argentina and anything else relevant to the Signal Corps. We invite comments and information because we are not as familiar with some of these.

Radio Wagons

Radio-Wagons wireless outfit, transceiver and receiver type A.

Anti-Aircraft Sound Detection Equipment and Searchlights

Sound detector used in air raid defense. This German in origin "Horchgerät", possibly by Siemens. 1941, Agrupacion Antiaerea Campo de Mayo.

Searchlights

Above is a searchlight or Flak spotlight flakscheinwerfer 34. Searchlights (invented by J.F.C. Fuller) were first used during WWI to create artificial moonlight to assist in nighttime attacks. During WWII they were used as a defense against nocturnal aerial bombings. They were also used in pairs to calculate the altitude of enemy bombers (and even to blind the bombers).

Electrical accumulator, power plant (?)

Cable wire dispensing wagon.

Radio equipment for Anti-Aircraft use

Transmitter/receiver TRD and 5w?

Two-man pack Trans/receiver type A w/ transmitter type 5W (?)

Fire-control systems.

A fire-control system is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a director, and radar, which is designed to assist a weapon system in hitting its target. It performs the same task as a human gunner firing a weapon, but attempts to do so faster and more accurately.
Wikipedia

Vickers Predictor, gun director. Anti-Aircraft Regiment.

The Kerrison Predictor was one of the first fully automated anti-aircraft fire-control systems. It was an electromechanical analog computer. The predictor could aim a gun at an aircraft based on simple inputs like the observed speed and the angle to the target. Such devices had been used on ships for gunnery control for some time, and versions such as the Vickers Predictor were available for larger anti-aircraft guns intended to be used against high-altitude bombers, but the electromechanical Kerrison was the first to be fast enough to be used in the demanding high-speed low-altitude role, which involved very short engagement times and high angular rates.
Wikipedia.

Engineer Corps

Communication cable wire layer dispensing of the 4th Engineers Batallion from the San Roque Sierras in Cordoba.

1945. Cordoba. 4th Engineers Batallion.

Acoustic listening device type Goerz. RH35 M28. Modelo Argentino.

1944. Patricios Regiment. Signal Corps.

6Th Infantry Regiment 1944. Gral Viamonte.

Radio Backpacks

Pack Trans/receiver 5W and TRD mod 1.

DGFM Type T.T.A, Mod 5 field telephone, (Argentine version of the U.S EE-8 ), in leather case. made by F.M.M.C BsAs.

Cavalry Equipment

OC TRD Mod 1 transceiver from 11th Cavalry Regiment (1946)

Field/Heavy Artilley Equipment

Headset types

Several different headsets used by radio operators from the artillery. Photo from the Military Yearbook from Sgt. Cabral 1945.

US EE1 Field Telephone. This type of telephone was used by the Argentine military and is relatively easy to find on the militaria market. The headset is also American and relatively easy to find. You also see an original Argentine overseas enlisted cap from the Third Regiment. It was made by the Munoz House, an old tailor shop. Binnerbini Collection.

Meteorological instruments for Field Artillery use.

Meteorology School in the Signal Corps. Circa 1944.

Meteorological Weather balloon sondes.

Hydrogen filled balloon

A weather or sounding balloon is a balloon (specifically a type of high altitude balloon) which carries instruments aloft to send back information on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity and wind speed aloft by means of a small, expendable measuring device called a radiosonde. To obtain wind data, they can be tracked by radar, radio direction finding, or navigation systems (such as the satellite based Global Positioning System also known as a GPS).
Wikipedia

Surveyor's level for meteorological work.

Acoustic Signal guns

Acoustic. Signal gun and mount.

Walther break action, single shot signal pistol by Carl Walther Waffenfabrik.
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-weapons/signal-pistols.htm

Artillery radio trucks developed from a Dodge commercial station wagon model

1940s. LIFE photo archive

LIFE photo archive

Left: Renault 1924, mobile communication truck "Receptor 80/10.000": Right: FWD Signal Corp (Marconi Station), Tuck Model 1923. Cable dispensing. Source: "historia del arma de comunicaciones del ejercito argentino"Archivo Gonzalez, AACVM.

Mobile Stations, Transceivers / Wireless Stations Telefunken 200.

Artillery School, May Field 1945/48

TTE-5.

Field Telephone and Wire/Cable.

Transceiver OC TRD Mod 1, and Box. (?)

Transmission Line, Antenna (?)

Photo LIFE Magazine.

Air Force Equipment

NCOs from the Air Force train with the radio. Practing with FuG V radio electronic equpment from the old Ju 52 Junkers. Photo is from "La Aeronautica Nacional al servicio del pais, 1948" . Many thanks to Martin Monteverde for sharing his knowledge with us!

Soldados 1848-1927/Editorial Fundacion Soldados

Radio communication equipments mounted in vehicles.

T-16 Carrier British Radio Equipment Wireless Set WS-19. Martin Monteverde Collection.

Communication Equipment Made in Argentina or Used by Argentina.

D.G.F.M TTE-5 Central/10 lines.

http://enqrb.forumcommunity.net/?t=46695948#lastpost

Central Telefonica. Telephone Field Exchange Unit. Type TTE-5 (10 lines), made by Cia Standard Electric Argentina (Argentine Industry)

It is a transceiver manufactured by Argentina between 0.8 to 1.2 watts with a frequency between 3000 to 6650 kHz in AM/CW modulation. It is powered by batteries or a generator to handle TGM mod 1 for generating 18v for a transmitter and 90v for a receiver and 2v filaments. Version can operate in radio station or backpack. The base of the antenna is an adjustable loading coil about 30cm long.

It was the local version of the 5 German WAS but more simplified and theTorn EB called in Argentina "Recipient field type A and R TRC-1 transmitter.It was a 5 watt station with a range from 3000 to 6000 kHz in 4 bands, modes, AM / CW with 6v6. The receiver covers from 145 to 15000 kHz in 5 bands

The radiobackpack OM, Two-man OM Pack, is a set from the 40s, it operates between 6.5 and 10 MHz with an output of 1Watts TRD like the batteries go in a box similar to load another carrier.

The radiobackpack RRMM-1, was a team from the 50's, inspired by the BC-1000 in terms of its geometry, but operating on HF. His range was from 6.5 to 10 MHz, AM with a power output of 1 W. Fed with 1.5 V filaments, and two packs of 45 commercial series V.This built in quality aluminum and uses a harness to transport similar to that of the Bc-1000, but the mixed constitution, or the top is leather and the lower part is textile. This equipment replaced the OM radiobackpack 40.

Handy Talkie national manufacturing, developed by the Navy. Mod B R.B was called which was similar to BC-611. Operated at 4650 kHz. Unlike the BC-611 it went on with a switch rather than extending the antenna as in the U.S.

See the link below for a highly informative forum on Argentine military radios:
Sources, A.A.C.V.M Forum: http://foro.aacvm.com.ar/viewforum.php?f=24&sid=b92e6bf8b6eb4c41cee85030d09f9aa0

WALKIE TALKIE RT-196/PRC-6

PRC - 3000

This radio was brought from England. They came in a P37 bag. It may have been captured from battle and taken back as a souvenir. They were made in the mid-1970s to be used for fewer troops. Their reach is 3km.

AN-PRC-10

AN/PRC-25/77 Backpacks Radios.

RT-841/PRC-77

Malvinas Campaign

Photo: Malvinas a Sangre y Fuego by Nicolas Kasanzew.

Radio-equipment: Argentina used French Thompson TRC300 (300-4) manpack, AN/GRC-106, RT3600, 4600, DATOTEK, GRC-106, PRC-10 manpack (this was used by the Argentines but I don't know if it went to Malvinas), PRC-3000, Philips PRC-3620 manpack, AN/PRC-77 and PRC-25 manpack and vehicle mounting, VRC-3622 vehicle mounting. According to "Argentine Forces in The Falklands", Men-At-Arms series, the radios used were Thompson-CSF HF sets, MEL's VRC 321 and 322 Clansman vehicle and manpacks, and US Harris Corp RF 3000 and 3062. They also used civilian radios.