RCN 'V' Class Radio Fits

RADIO FITS FOR 'V' CLASS DESTROYERS

HMCS Algonquin and Sioux first saw service with the Royal Navy as HMS Valentine and HMS Vixen respectively. The ships were then transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy as a gift from Britain. The commission dates indicate beginning of service with the RCN.

	ALGONQUIN	SIOUX

Launched	2/9/1943	14/9/1943
Commissioned	7/2/1944	21/2/1944
Paid Off	6/2/1946	27/2/1946
Recommissioned	25/2/1953	18/1/1950
Finally Paid Off	1/4/1970	30/10/1963

The data in the tables below was extracted from BR 299, a Royal Navy publication dated 1947. Photos and specs for some of this equipment can be found in this document including the specs for all 60 series transmitters . Any numeric suffixes which appear for American made equipment, denote the procurement contract number. A TBL-4 is identical to a TBL-12 but was made under a different contract number or even a different contractor.
Sioux was in reserve from 1946 to 1950 so the radio fit for the year 1947 per BR299 might be a bit questionable. A discrepancy has already arisen from a 1945 radio office photo showing a Canadian Marconi CSR5 receiver. More detail in the photo caption. It is suspected that Sioux went into reserve status with most of her end-of-war equipment still fitted.

HMCS ALGONQUIN (R17)
LOCATION	EQUIPMENT

Main Wireless Office	TBL/12 - HF Transmitter . 4TA - Low power transmitter HT11 - HF Radiotelephone. Receive 550 KHz to 1700 KHz and 2000 to 3000 kHz. Transmit - 2000 to 3000 kHz. 12 watts TCS - Radio set. 1500 – 12,000 kHz range in 3 bands. Photo here. (Courtesy N6CC) 4 x TBS - HF RAdiotelephone. 60 to 80 MHz 86M - British version of American SCR-522 set 2 x TA - An 8 inch unipole trunk for use with medium power transmitters. TC - An 18 inch aerial trunk used with high power transmitters. CAB - Receiver outfit. Consists of tuner/amplifiers A50 and B50. The A50 tunes 15 KHz to 600 KHz. while the B50 receives from 500 KHz to 23 MHz. Photo here. (Courtesy Collingwood Heritage Museum) CBB - B19 receiver (part of 60 series transmitter) 3 x CDC - B28 receiver FM12 - MFDF Outfit 40 to 1000 KHz FH4/CDC - HFDF Outfit using CDC receiver TF - A 4 inch aerial trunk for use with type TV5, TCS or HT 11 transmitters. DRD - Motor alternator set - Input: 110/220 VDC. Output: 230 VAC 50 Hz 2.5 Kw EG- Aerial exchange board/ GJ - wavemeter outfit; LF/MF/HF.
Second Wireless Office or Emergency Position	TCS - Radio set. 1500 – 12,000 kHz range in 3 bands. BBu - Battery Outfit. 12 volts @ 40 amp hours.
Chart Room	DAS2 - Loran 'A' receiver
Aerial Outfits	AOD - Unspecified wire aerial ARD - Aerial for 86M set APU - Unidentified
Miscellaneous	OF - Deck insulator for DAS Loran receiver

A portion of the main radio office aboard HMCS ALGONQUIN (R17) looking aft as it appeared on July 31, 1945. In the centre of the photo is a Canadian Marconi CSR5A receiver tuned to around 10 mHz. It is believed that this receiver may have been fitted during ALGONQUIN'S Canadian refit of February 1945. Puzzling is the fact that the CSR-5 does not appear in the radio fit for Algonquin in the 1947 edition of BR299. The CSR5 receiver does however, appear in the radio equipment listing for Sioux This is a bit of a puzzle. (Public Archives Canada Photo HS-1533-1 submitted by Spud Roscoe)

HMCS SIOUX (R64)
LOCATION	EQUIPMENT

Main Wireless Office	TBL/12 - HF transmitter 4TA- Low power transmitter 60FV - Low power transmitter TV5 - Emergency transmitter 4 x TBS - VHF radiotelephone; 60 to 80 MHz 86M - VHF Radio. set. British version of American SCR-522 set. 2 x TA - An 8 inch unipole trunk for use with medium power transmitters. 3 x CDC - B28 receiver CDF - B29 receiver CSR5 - LF/MF/HF receiver FM12 - MFDF Outfit; 40 to 1000 KHz FH4/CDC - HFDF outfit using B28 receiver. DRD - Motor-alternator set. Input: 110 or 220 VDC. Output: 230 VAC 50 Hz 2.5 Kw EG- Aerial exchange board. GJ - wavemeter outfit; LF/MF/HF.
Second Wireless Office or Emergency Position	TCS - Radio set. 1500 – 12,000 kHz range in 3 bands. Photo here. (Courtesy N6CC) HT11 - HF radiotelephone . Receive 550 KHz to 1700 KHz and 2000 to 3000 kHz. Transmit - 2000 to 3000 kHz. 12 watts BBu - Battery Outfit. 12 volts @ 40 amp hours.
Chart Room	QH3 - Decca receiver (See note 1)
Aerial Outfits	AOD - Unidentified ARD - Aerial for 86M set APU - Unidentified. ACE - Wire aerial for Decca QH3 receiver

NOTES:
1) Because Sioux was in reserve from 1946 until 1950, there would be no need for long range navigation gear. The QH3 Decca receiver was something the ship likely brought over from her days with the Royal Navy.

Contributors and Credits:
1) Clive Kidd, Collingwood Heritage Museum <cjckidd(at)waitrose.com>
2) BR299 dated 1947, Royal Navy
3) http://www.rnmuseumradarandcommunications2006.org.uk/Transmitters%20Late%201920%20to%20Early%201950.pdf
4) Wavemeters http://www.rnmuseumradarandcommunications2006.org.uk/WAVEMETERS%20ETC%201938.pdf
5) kHz series http://www.rnmuseumradarandcommunications2006.org.uk/THE_KC_AND_KF_CONTROL_SYSTEMS.html
6) CDU receiver http://www.rnmuseumradarandcommunications2006.org.uk/CDU%20P104.pdf
7) TCS radio http://www.n6cc.com/tcs-radio-set
8) M651, Nomenclature of Radio Equipment September 1944 at amendment 6 3/1/49. The book was produced and distributed by Admiralty Signals Establishment
9) http://www.rnmuseumradarandcommunications2006.org.uk/B50.pdf
10) Receivers http://www.rnmuseumradarandcommunications2006.org.uk/Receivers%20Late%201920%20to%20Early%201950.pdf

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Sept 15/16