FIELD
TELEPHONES
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These are from WWII
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These examples are all
magneto telephones. They can be connected together by a pair
of wires and use carbon microphones, which require energising
from a local battery, and moving coil earpieces. Each example
carries a small 1.5 volt or 3 volt battery for the microphone
and a hand operated magneto which generates AC ringing current
to operate the bell on the telephone at the far end of the line. |
Field Telephone, Tele
F, HIGH POWER, TYPE II
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This example of a World
War 2 field telephone is almost an ancestor of a mobile phone.
It was probably used in a North African desert, say in Libya,
in the early 40s. I got it at the street auction in Ringwood
a few years ago for £2. The phone is similar to the more
common basic Tel F equipment shown below, but in addition uses
a set of valves and more powerful batteries to drive its amplifier
which develops greater power and sensitivity to operate over
very long wires. For its size it's extremely heavy and not as
portable as its modern counterpart. |
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Above, the control panel
and the metal cover held in place by two screws is the valve
inspection cover. The valves, wedged in place by rubber pads,
may get broken in rough use so can be swapped after detaching
the panel. One valve is used in the amplifier and the second
provided as a spare. This type of valve has a fragile 2-volt
filament and it would not be surprising for LT and HT leads to
be inadvertently connected wrongly thus destroying the filament. |
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Above, looking into the
space normally occupied by the phone you can see the valve amplifier.
There are two CV65 valves, one being a spare. The CV65 is a Mazda
Pen25 which has an English 8 pin base, commonly known as Mazda
Octal. |
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Once removed from the carrying
case the instrument looks very similar to the Tele F MkI but
this 12-way plug which connects the phone to the amplifier makes
the instrument incompatible with the F MkI.
Under the phone embossed in the bakelite
are the letters "TMC", no doubt standing for the Telephone
Manufacturing Company, the same makers as the example of the
MkI instrument shown below. |
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A
rather battered basic Tele F MkI
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After pressing down on
a latch under the instrument, the telephone can be slid forwards
from the case for use.
This example is Serial Number
54472 and is dated 1940. The manufacturer was "Telephone
Manufacturing Company, London". |
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Above, the instructions
for use screwed to the inside back of the case. |
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Not the NATO version,
but one of the phonetic alphabets used during WW1 and WW2. |
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A
Tele "F" MkII LF
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Before and after a
wash and brush up. This one might be a civilian version. |
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Above.. the call button.
Below.. with the top unscrewed
revealing a 3 volt battery comprising two R1662 cells and internal
parts. |
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See more telephones |
