No. 9 Wireless Set Among the wireless sets widely used early in the war was the Wireless Set, Canadian, No.9, (C.9) which went through several redesign phases to become known, eventually, as the "52 Set". Over $21,500,000 was spent producing more than 2300 C.9 and successor sets for both
British and Canadian forces. Based on a pre-war British design (1939), the C.9 was a Canadian redesign which gave increased efficiency and permitted the alternate use of available Canadian tubes. This set was placed in use by the Canadian Army Overseas (C.A.O.) in 1942.It was was reported as giving excellent impetus for the design on No.9 Mk I which came into use by C.A.O., and British Army Overseas in 1943, and in 1944 was used in beach-landing operations in Normandy on D-Day. The Mk I set was designed to double the mileage range on the same frequency. The favourable impression created by this set provided British interest and the impetus for the design of W/S Cdn 52 still higher power and greater frequency coverage. In January 1944 it was agreed that C9 Mk II set be changed in name to Wireless Set, Canadian, No.52 (351).
Some additional information on the No. 9 set can be found on pages 46 thru 48 of the Signals Production Branch document dated October 15, 1943.
SPECIFICATIONS
Use: Medium range communication for AFV and Divisional Signals, vehicle station in truck and ground station.
Frequency range 1.875 to 5 MHz. MO/crystal control.
RF output: 5W or 10W
Modes: R/T, MCW, CW
Range up to 35 miles.
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| WS No. 9: This was the first really successful tank set. Canadian Marconi built the Canadian version of this set. The receiver is on the left, the transmitter on the right with the power supply in-between. (Photo and copy courtesy Wireless for the Warrior) |
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| Corporal W.C. Kimmel, First Army Signals, R.C.C.S., operating a Canadian Marconi Type 9 receiver set, at Zeddam, Netherlands on 4 April 1945. (Library and Archives Canada photo PA-13092). |
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| A closer view of the WS 9 Mk 1 receiver, (Via Kijiji) |
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| WS-9 receiver front panel "nameplate" stamp. (Image via Kijiji) |
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| WS-9 cabinet (Image via E-bay.com) |
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| WS-9 internal views. |
| All WS-9 images in this table via E-bay.com |
Contributors and Credits:1) Wireless for the Warrior http://home.wxs.nl/~meuls003/wireless/wireless.html
2) Denis Couillard (MTL) <Denis.Couillard(at)Ultra-TCS.com>
3) Report No. 73 Historical Section (G.S.) Canadian Army Headquarters Feb 11, 1955
4) History - Signals Production Branch , Department of Munitions and Supply, October 15, 1943
5) Jacques Fortin <[acques.f(at)videotron.ca>
Jan 18/24