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CCF RADIO NETWORK and U.K. VINTAGE MEMORIES

by AF4K

PAGE 8

The following are more memories of the activities that some were 
privileged to enjoy as members of the COMBINED CADET FORCE
(CCF) radio network, which was operated in the 5mhz range.

I trust you will enjoy reading them!

Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 14:46:10 -0500
From: rerobins@unccvm.uncc.edu (Rick Robinson)
Subject: Re: CCF radio and 6L6s

Bry,

The CAP, as I understand it, is an auxilary of the USAF, and trains
teenagers about the military and particularly search and rescue operations.
I was never in it but knew several fellows in the USAF who were ex-CAP.
They got a stripe when they went in, the rest of us had to wait until after
basic training. :^(

You're right about the VHF.  I've noticed most 2M HTs these days advertise
having CAP capabilities. When I was a teenager they used Gonset
Communicator IIIs, but I don't think they gave members gear like the CCF.
I remember hearing older fellows saying those old 19s were not very good.
That may be why we sold them to the Russkies, or gave them to them probably
was the case.  I'm sure Stalin would've found a way not to pay for them.

Boy, those old 6L6s do sound good, although the MC240 will really warm up
the den during the summer. I love that warm tube smell though.  I also have
2 old Hallicrafters SX-28s with the push-pull 6V6s that will make quality
AM BCB and SWBC stations sound almost like FM. (No hope for Radio Habana).
I do love that beautiful tube sound.

73,

Rick kf4ar

Here's an 'OLD 19' Set:

And here's a look inside a 19 Set:

Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997
From: Angus Graham G3TXL 
Subject: Re: ACF/CCF National Nets

Bry wrote:
] I would LOVE To post some more of your anecdotes and tales from the
] old days, OM, so please "SEND AHEAD!"

Dear Bry,

I'm working on the 'memories' but there's a wee cock-up that's slipped
into your (new) page 5.
I sent a (second) e-mail to you 'defending' G3LYW and explaining his
current commitments to the ACF/CCF Nets. You published the e-mail from
G3UUR about "Lucky Young William" but you only 'published' the first
line of my revelant e-mail!

} Date sent:        Wed, 29 Oct 1997
} From:             Angus Graham G3TXL
} To:               af4k@earthlink.net G3XLQ
} Subject:          ACF/CCF National Nets

} Hi Bry!

} Sorry, one I forgot earlier!
*****[copy missing!]*****

If you've 'trashed' it let us know and (if you want it) I can re-write
it! As John, G3LYW said to me on 80m last week "not so young and I can't
find the william"!!!

(ROTFLVVL! - OK, PLEASE send that again Angus and I will add it! - Bry)

Out of interest there are two questions that I've never found the
answers to about the ACF/CCF nets:

i) *When did the Nets start?* I'm sure it must have ben the 50s, but
I've only ever worked one amateur from that decade who admits to being
on the Nets at the time!

ii) *Who's idea was it and who set it all up?* It all now seems very
'mild', not very adventurous and probably very 'boring' for kids today
-- compared with 'computers' and the Internet,  but 40--50 years ago
when Amateur Licences were (imho) much harder to get, you had to be
seriously rich to buy new gear and even surplus couldn't be bought for
pocket money (a WS-19 in 1957 was, in today's money, over UKP100 and by
the mid 60s several hundred quid), whoever had the idea for the National
Nets deserves recognition!

Recently, I've contacted G5VO who was a Net Monitor (in my time) and
Major Tony Sugden a contemporary of mine (at school 03B, personal call
04A) who was until very recently O/C Blandford Signals (and still works
the Nets!), but got no further information on the above.

Best wishes and please keep up the good work!

73s es ZZV de Angus Graham G3TXL, 40C @ 32

P.S. 'Today's Prices' worked out using the Comparative Beer Retail Price
System (CBRPS)!

Note: Visit the G3LYW Network here!


On 29 Oct 97 at 22:48, Richard wrote: 

 Folks,
 
 you may recall the recent discussion of the virtues of 5330 KHz, much used by the ACF/CCF net, with excellent results, at least across the UK.  I put out an enquiry on uk.radio.amateur ng about the 
 I got one interesting reply privately from a guy in the US, saying he worked as a consultant to the ARRL, who have been invited by the US Govt to consider new amateur allocations.  He says he recommended...
(See next message)
 
 Richard
 G7RVI

From: G3XLQ  Brian Carling   =  af4k@earthlink.net
To:  G7RVI  Richard Hankins   =  Richard.Hankins.3310463@nt.com

Date: Tue, 4 Nov 1997
Subject: Re: 5MHz - here we come?

Richard & the gang:

This has been on the table for discussion for some time I think.

ARRL is promoting the idea of a new exclusive amateur band at
6800-7100 kHz  to replace the curent shared mess on 40m.

They also have spoken for some time about proposing a new band 
somewhere around 5 MHz, so yes, this is widely known and talked about 
over here, although I haven't read much about the progress lately.

Read about it in news of the next WARC

CCF callsign suffixes will be optional(!)

73 from G3XLQ/WL

Cheers - Bry

AT LAST: EIGHTEEN CHARLIE' SPEAKS OUT!

or: 'TRUE CONFESIONS OF A PIRATE (grin!)

From:             Richard Castle  (Email:  rcc@soton.ac.uk )
Subject:          Delta-Oscar

Hi All,
I came across these pages by chance and the memories came
flooding back of pirating CCF networks in 67-8-9 using the
callsign 18 Charlie using a 19 set mk3 and a half wave end-fed.

Needless to say authentication codes were a problem as I had no
idea what the codes were, so what I used to do was to start the
net and get all stations to authenticate. I then had a rather
large library of codes to call upon as and when required. By the
way, in 1969 I joined the RAF as an Air Communications
apprentice, so I suppose there is a link.

Richard Castle


From:             Richard Castle  ( Email = rcc@soton.ac.uk  )
Subject:          Delta Oscar

Hi Brian

Yes no problems if you want to post it, I have some of the nets
on tape as well. Strange to think that what one did as a youth
comes back to haunt one in later life.

All the Best
Richard Castle

From:             Richard Castle   
( Email:  106625.1160@compuserve.com )
Subject:          Delta Oscar Wave Files

Hi Brian

I am sending the first WAVE which is of me in 1969 
using 71 as a callsign I had just come home on leave
from the RAF after four months and a lot had changed
on Delta Oscar. 18 Charlie seemed to be in use!.

I will send you clips of 1967 and 1970 (when I finally 
gave up pirating on Delta Oscar) as soon as I see how 
long it takes to download this 700kb worth.

Please excuse the quality, but the audio reproduction 
was somewhat poor when recording carbon mics 
and 19 sets.

Richard Castle

AND NOW: On with the sounds!

SOUND CLIPS FROM THE CCF NETS IN THE OLD DAYS!!

These are actual recordings of two-way contacts on DELTA OSCAR using 19 sets back in the mid-1960s!
71 from '38 Charlie'(part 1)
71 chatting with 38 (part 2)
71 chatting with 38 (part 3)
71 chatting with 38 (part 4)

MORE COMING SOON! (Put a bookmark here!)

OK, for all those who have been asking for the details, here's the explanation for the four-part SOUND CLIP above, involving '38 Charlie' etc. -

Date sent: 5 Mar 1998
From: Richard Castle ( Email: 106625.1160@compuserve.com )

Hi Brian

Ref: recordings of Delta Oscar, the full lineup of equipment was. 19 set mk3 with modified grid modulation and a moving coil mic. Receiver was either the 19 set or more than likely a CR300. Power supplies were home brew, one at 300 volts and the tx side at 500 volts if my memory serves me well. Rectifier valves were definately 5Z4's and all this lot was hidden away at the bottom of the garden in a shed! Oh, I also had a 62 set and a 19 set hi power unit. Antenna was a half wave for Delta Oscar at a height of twenty foot and running South to North.

I think these nets were recorded at lunchtimes, when I would come up on air for half an hour before returning to school. I would also point out that the recordings I sent you are the best of the bunch. Other tapes I have show that at some times it was nearly impossible to make out other stations. By the way, all this pirating was carried out from Gosport in the fair county of Hampshire.

Finally, I went mobile with the 62 set in 1970 when I was stationed in the Midlands. I quickly packed it in when I came over the audio system in the camp cinema!.

Richard Castle

More wonderful commentaries, sounds & photos coming soon!!

Please send YOURS in as soon as possible!

From:             Richard Hankins  G7RVI ( Email:  Richard.Hankins.3310463@nt.com )
Subject:          Magnificent Updates to the CCF Web Site
Date:               02 March, 1998

Bry,

Great stuff!  What a find!  I've gone all wobbly with a severe
attack of nostalgia..........

What struck me listening to your excerpts is the remarkable
quality of the audio on these WS19s.   Do you have any details
of the equipment (original or supped-up?), the frequency being
used (5330?) and the aerials, time of day and distance?  

I am interested because these recordings are a very clear
example of how good the links were on these old sets (on 5330 in
the middle of the day) - this is exactly as I remember it when I
used WS19 etc in the early 70's.  This is in severe contrast the
struggle it is on the MWARS 80m net on Sat mornings.  At that
time and frequency, it is usually only the higher power sets (20
watts plus) that give reasonable copy. 

73's

Richard, G7RVI

{{  NOTE FROM BRY:  Yes, in fact we are waiting to hear 
{{  back about this from Richard Castle with the details! 
{{  I will post them here A.S.A.P.! - Bry (G3XLQ)

From:             Ray Robinson VK2ILV (Email:  robinson@srsuna.shlrc.mq.edu.au )
Subject:          Re: WftW Vol.2 &WS42

Hi Bry,

{{ I am still looking for a picture (or even a description?) of a
{{  WS62.

There is a sketch and brief description in Wireless for the
Warrior Vol 1 Full details in Vol 2 due out March 1998

Regards
Ray	VK2ILV

{{ Thanks Ray, we will have to have a butchers!  }}


Date sent:        Sat, 31 Jan 1998
From:             Ben Nock, G4BXD  ( Email:  G4BXD@compuserve.com )
Subject:          See Ef and others

Who remembers 
XMY556A for Apple and  XMY556B for Bravo ?

Ben.

{{ Apparently nobody but you, Ben! No-one has answered! - Bry }}

Date sent:        Sat, 31 Jan 1998
From:             Ben Nock, G4BXD  ( Email:  G4BXD@compuserve.com )
Subject:          Re: CCF use of WS sets

{{ Martin - if possible, please explain for us what the ATC nets were/are.

{{It's just something that I am unfamiliar with. Thanks - Bry

Its like a kids version of the National Guard. Air Training
Corps, gives youngsters a grounding in the military, just like
CCF (Combined Cadet Force), Boys Brigade, Scouts !!  and
Remember XMY556A for Apple ?

Ben.

{{ Bry says - "No, I don't! }}

Date:  Tue, 27 Jan 1998 
From: Joe G3LLV  ( Email:  joemac@gto.net.om )

Hi,
My introduction to WWII surplus radio gear was in the early 
50's in the UK when there was a considerable amount of the stuff 
available for an impecunious schoolboy to play around with. A deal 
of this was war stock, either 'Lease Lend' or that left behind when 
the 8th Air Force pulled out. The schematics of this equipment are 
today easily available but their design and production history, 
together with details of the engineers involved in the development, 
\does not appear to be so. Over the years there has, however, 
been a certain amount on British equipment of the same period.

Are there any books in print, not just TM's, covering this aspect 
of  boatanchors which include the developmental stories, anecdotes 
and personalities of US military radio and radar in the war years? 
Any information would be much appreciated.

As an aside, the last BC348 I saw was one that had been  lifted 
from a French C47 that had crash into Chiradzulu in Malawi 
in the 60's shortly before I arrived there - (7Q7JO 1965-1975).

73 de G3LLV (Joe)

Muaskar Al Murtafa'a  Sultanate of Oman

From:             af4k@earthlink.net ( G3XLQ, Brian Carling)
Subject:          CCF: WWII Military Radio Technical History
Date sent:        Sun, 01 Feb 1998 

On Sat, 31 Jan 1998 in rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors 
Richard Hankins G7RVI 
( Email:  Richard_Hankins@nt.comic )  wrote:

{Don Merz, N3RHT wrote:
{snip

{{ Anyone have any other good sources for the History of  specific 
{{ military radio equipment and designs?

{{ 73, Don

{{Don Merz. N3RHT  412-234-8819  71333.144@compuserve.com

For British military equipment, an excellent book for technical detail, 
developmental history and lots of pictures is Louis Meulstee's Wireless 
for the Warrior.  Only Vol 1 is out so far covering Wireless Sets Nos 1-88
however the common sets, WS19, WS62 etc are only given a very brief 
summary of their characteristics.  Vol.2 is due in the next few months, 
and will cover the common sets in lots more detail.

What the book does lack is reports by users of the equipment in the 
field - it is basically a colation of the remaining
technical and developmental data that can still be found.  I
would find data on the actual performance when used in anger,
interesting, but of course that is much more difficult to get
these days, when most of the operators have either died, or
have very hazy memories.

Email for details of publisher if interested.

Richard Hankins
G7RVI

Date sent:        Mon, 02 Feb 1998
From:             Martin Swift   ( Email:  martin.swift@virgin.net )
Subject:          Re: CCF use of WS sets

Brian Carling wrote:

{{ Martin - if possible, please explain for us what the ATC nets
{{ were/are.

{{ It's just something that I am unfamiliar with. Thanks - Bry

Bry et al, 
The ATC, or Air Cadets, is a youth organisation similar to the
Sea Cadets and Army Cadets, but obviously connected to the RAF,
and in some ways similar to the CCF (RAF Section). As part of
their training syllabus cadets learn basic radio theory and
voice radio procedures, and training radio networks have been
operational on HF in the evenings and Sunday mornings since the
late 1940's, and on VHF and UHF since the early 70's.

Radio equipment is not a standard issue item, so many squadrons
have bought, begged, borrowed and liberated eqpt from numerous
sources in order to get on the air. My two sqns have used  WS19,
WS62, T1154, HRO, AP100337 (marine), RCA ET4336, T1509, R1475,
modified LG30, KWM2a, BCC32, SSB125, GR410, GR415, GR479,
AEL3030, and others, over the years. (My favourite had to be
mains-primary keyed ET4336, which did us great service for a
decade, but which needed a 1/4 wave counterpoise to stop us
getting RF burns off the chassis when re-tuning. The Wilcox-Gay
VFO used an 807, and the neon tube modulation indicator was most
impressive in a darkened room!)

I guess that in many ways the ATC nets are similar to the CCF
nets, with which you are familiar, but just happen to operate at
a different time of the day.

Hope this answers your query, Bry.

73, Martin, G4NCE 
Great Barr,  BIRMINGHAM, England

{{Bry says:  'Yes, thank you Martin. Al and I were both 
{{ considerably enlightened!!'  }}

Date sent:        Mon, 02 Feb 1998
From:             Martin Swift  ( Email:  martin.swift@virgin.net )
Subject:          Re: RAF Aircraft ID

G3TUX@aol.com wrote:

{{ I just acquired a R1155B and find that it has an aircraft
{{ registration daubed on the case...

Chris,

If this info is not on the Web, you may find something in the
transport or aviation section of a large W H Smiths, or via a
bookshop's ad in 'Fly Past' magazine, or whatever.

In 1973 I had the pleasure of a flight in an RAF Varsity (serial
not recorded) from RAF Oakington, and was amazed to find myself
sat in front of a complete and working  R1155 / T1154, which by
then were considered obsolete even in the Air Cadets! 

It would be interesting to know when the RAF did finally pension
them off (not including the BoB Memorial Flight's Lancaster, of
course).

73,
Martin, G4NCE

From:             Bry, G3XLQ
To:               Robin Bransbury  ( Email:  rb@dolby.com)
Subject:          Re: WL and all that Jazz
Date sent:        Tue, 2 Dec 1997

Thanks Robin, and I'll add this - GREAT addition. I am sure the
other  lads will enjoy it!!

I did live in CROWTHORNE for a year or so, 
1971-72. I worked for  X-Electronics in Bracknell by day, 
(Near Sperry's) and played in a group called "Lazy River" by night!

Also, I knew several other musicians in the area in those days.
Wish I could have stayed there longer but I got itchy feet and
wanted to see what I could find in the USA.

Any other CCF memories will VERY gladly be added any time!

Cheers - Bry

On  2 Dec 97
Robin Robin Bransbury  ( Email:  rb@dolby.com)
wrote: 

99 here, Wellington College Crowthorne Berks '56-'63. Ran
Royal Signals CCF platoon from '61-'63. T12 and R107(T). Watch
that nasty control link on the '107, male pins with around
350vdc on them, ouch!

Operated 19 set from home on the hollys mostly on WL as F99.

Good fun and highly educational.

Best, Robin Bransbury,
Dolby Labs Inc.
Email:  rb@dolby.com



Date: 2/3/98
To: Richard Hankins
From: Brian Carling, G3XLQ / AF4K  Email: af4k@earthlink.net

By the way - do you know of anyone else who might have preserved
any tapes of the old CCFnets?

Bry

From:             Richard Hankins   Email:  Richard.Hankins.3310463@nt.com
To:               af4k@earthlink.net

Bry,

I am afraid I don't.  I am kicking myself for not taking more
interest in the whole matter while I was there.  Trouble was it
was somewhat connected with school and I wasn't too sorry to
kick over the traces of that establishment at the first possible
oppurtunity!

Also the secrecy involved in the net (at least when I was
involved) was such that you _never_ gave out locations or
operator names over the air.  I thus don't know any of the names
of people I chatted to regularly.  I can vaguely remember a few
call-signs (e.g. 5C, 19A, 25B), but most of the ones mentioned
so far date from the late 60s - no-one else appears to date from
my era of 71 - 73.

I have also lost touch completely with my fellow operators at my
own station in Brighton (callsign 47 then 44), and despite
searching for them on the internet, and in amateur radio
call-books, I have never turned them up so far.  (They may well
have mementoes that would be of interest - but equally may have
done no radio whatever since those days!)

73s - Richard

From:  Bry, G3XLQ
To:    Richard Hankins  (Email:  Richard.Hankins.3310463@nt.com)
Send reply to:    af4k@earthlink.net
Date sent:        Wed, 4 Mar 1998

OK Richard - well, I hope you do manage to get in touch with
some of them eventually.

As word spreads about the CCF RADIO Web Page, I think that
eventually you may hear from some of them. The Internet is
growing much more slowly in Britain than in the States and
elsewhere due to the absurd surcharges for local phone-calls,
and/or the service being unavailable in rural areas. However, I
think that will eventually change due to the demand as computers
become less and less expensive.

THEN we will be able to connect with more old friends with whom
we have lost contact, whether from our old school days or
wherever it may be.

Regards - Bry

Date sent:        Wed, 4 Mar 1998
From:             bik@cix.co.uk (Philip Mellor)
To:               af4k@earthlink.net

af4k@earthlink.net (Brian Carling) wrote:

[[  The first batch is of a live on-air contact using 19 sets,
[[  between a
[[  certain "38 Charlie) and another station!! More to come soon!

Hmmm...sounds interesting. However, due to an unfortunate
combination of circumstances I don't have audio available on my
PC until the weekend, so I'll have to wait. Any idea what the
exact date was?

Phil G4BIK
(operator of 38C 1966-1968)

Date sent:        Thu, 5 Mar 1998
From:             Richard Castle   (  Email:  106625.1160@compuserve.com  )
Subject:          Wave Sound Files
To:               Brian Carling   ( Email:  af4k@earthlink.net  )

Hi Brian

Ref recordings of Delta Oscar, the full lineup of equipment was.
19 set mk3 with modified grid modulation and a moving coil mic.
Receiver was either the 19 set or more than likely a CR300.
Power supplies were home brew, one at 300 volts and the tx side
at 500 volts if my memory serves me well. Rectifier valves were
definately 5Z4's and all this lot was hidden away at the bottom
of the garden in a shed! Oh, I also had a 62 set and a 19 set hi
power unit. Antenna was a half wave for Delta Oscar at a height
of twenty foot and running South to North.

I think these nets were recorded at lunchtimes, when I would
come up on air for half an hour before returning to school. I
would also poin out that the recordings I sent you are the best
of the bunch. Other tapes I have show that at some times it was
nearly impossible to make out other stations. By the way, all
this pirating was carried out from Gosport in the fair county of
Hampshire.

Finally, I went mobile with the 62 set in 1970 when I was
stationed in the Midlands. I quickly packed it in when I came
over the audio system in the camp cinema!.

Richard Castle

END OF PAGE 8