T1154 Transmitter

 The last time I owned a T1154 was a long long time ago. I bought it from a small government surplus shop in Brownlow Hill, Liverpool and, if I recollect correctly, it cost me 30/- which in today's monopoly money is £1.50. I remember buying a large Mars Bar before carrying the thing to the bus stop. I've never been a heavyweight and when the T1154 was handed over I almost collapsed in a heap. The bus stop was maybe 100 yards away opposite Lewis's Department Store (still displaying its bomb damage) and I don't know how I managed to get there. I vaguely remember my arms being almost pulled out of their sockets and making it as far as the seat nearest the platform when the No 72 arrived for Hunts Cross. At the other end I only had to stagger another 50 yards before making it home. The Mars Bar was essential for the extra energy and it cost 4 pence (4d is less than 2p). Today a small Mars Bar, the equivalent of my large one is around 50p so reflects an increase of 30 times. That old T1154 which was £1.50 should therefore be £45. No such luck... more like £400, an increase of about 270 times. Alas, most WW2 radio equipment has followed this sort of price increase.

Back in 1955 or 1956 I hadn't much idea what to do with the T1154. In those days I used to build simple receivers from surplus parts, so armed with a screwdiver and sidecutters my transmitter was butchered. If I examine the contents of various boxes in my workshop I still find echoes of the original T1154 from the 50s in chokes, large green resistors and tuning condensers. I vaguely remember swapping the brightly coloured dials with a schoolfriend for an old battery triode (a gold-coloured PM2DX) and sundry useful bits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above is a view from underneath showing some of the brass gearing for the medium-wave coil tappings.

 

Side view showing some of the RF wiring, to me very reminiscent of 1930s wiring

 

This model has a plate reading T1154N, Ref 10D1588 with S/No. 71383 and has a steel chassis rather than aluminium, which I understand was used mainly in RAF rescue boats, however you'll note it has four wavebands and at first sight might be a type "M", so it's either an unusual variant of an "N" type or the wrong plate is fitted.

 Below is the circuit diagram of the T1154. I've also split into two to give decent detail.

There's some labelling cut off on the RHS. The missing labelling should read:

RHS of box. Plug E. Earth, H.F aerial, M.F.Aerial

Socket A: M.F.Aerial, LT- Phones, 220V-

Plug B: Phones+, Keying relay contact

Plug C: To H.T. power unit +1200V H.T.

Plug D: RHS. Start H.T. power unit, LT+, 12V or 24V +, 220V+

Plug E: RHS L.T.+, 220V receiver H.T.+

 

 

 

 Here's a specification for the PA valve, the PT15

 And here's the ML6 used for oscillator and modulator

 Before closing on this transmitter (apart from its refurbishment which you can see by following the link below)... here is a rather exhaustive modification in 1949 by the late G2YI. At that time brand new examples of the T1154 could be bought for 10 guineas (£10.50).

 

See the refurbishment of the T1154

and one I bought on Gumtree

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