Seventy years ago, the cover of Radio Craft magazine, July 1945, featured this new radio designed for use in lifeboats. The lifeboats of passenger ships were required to be equipped with radio, and when the U.S. entered the war, this requirement was extended to cargo ships as well. The early sets were battery operated on 500 kHz and had limited range and transmitting time. The Germans were the first to develop a lifeboat radio similar to this one, the Notsender NS2. It was powered with a hand crank, and designed to be held between the operator’s legs. In addition to powering the unit, the crank keyed the transmitter, sending SOS, alternating with long dashes to facilitate direction finding. It also had provision to be keyed manually. It operated on the distress frequency of 500 kHz, and utilized a wire antenna held aloft either by a hydrogen balloon or kite.

American BC-778 “Gibson Girl.” Photo by ArnoldReinhold via Wikipedia, file licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

The British soon captured a few examples, and duplicated them as transmitter type T1333. In 1941, the British, recognizing that they didn’t have the industrial capacity to manufacture the sets in quantity, sought a North American builder. The U.S., recognizing the value of the unit, proceeded with the project jointly, resulting in the BC-778, later upgraded to the AN/CRT-3, which became known as the “Gibson Girl” transmitter. The earlier version, the BC-778, operated on 500 kHz exclusively. Later models also operated on 8280 or 8364 kHz. The American version could also use the generator to power a signal light.

All of the wartime units included a hydrogen generator to fill the balloon, as well as a box kite which could be used to hoist the antenna.

The accompanying article was written by an executive of the manufacturer, Radiomarine Corporation of America, and touted the advantages of the new set. It operated on both 500 kHz and on 8280 kHz, and the primary means of hoisting the antenna was with a balloon, but one filled with a helium cannister. But it had two notable differences. First of all, it was capable of transmitting radiotelephone signals as well as radiotelegraph. But it also included a receiver capable of tuning 8100 – 8600 kHz. Thus, it would allow the occupants of the lifeboat to communicate with rescuers, and also with neighboring lifeboats.

While it was not used during the war, it appears that sets similar to the one shown in the article did go into production. The model ET-8053 appears to have most of the same features, albeit in a more portable set. The model ET-8030 appears to be very similar to the one shown.

References

• Gibson Girl Part 1 at Wireless for the Warrior
• Survival Radio at Wikipedia

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Control room of Dixon shortwave transmitters.

Seventy years ago, two famous RCA transmitter installations were featured in the company’s quarterly journal, Radio Age, July 1945.

The first was Canada’s shortwave transmitter at Sackville, New Brunswick, which opened on February 25, 1945. What was then referred to as “Canada’s Loudest Voice” featured two 50,000 watt RCA transmitters. The 213-acre site had been selected due to the lack of unfavorable magnetic conditions and because the moist earth was conducive to radio transmission.

Main control console at Sackville.

While Canada had a number of commercial shortwave broadcasters, the intent of the station was to provide a voice comparable to that of the United States and England, in order to communicate news and entertainment to soldiers, placing the Canadian point of view before Allied nations, and to “join their fighting allies in telling the enemy the real uncolored truth about the war’s progress.”

V-E Day eliminated the need for some types of programs, but the article notes that other features would continue to expand.

Sackville transmitter site.

The station, operating with the rarely stated call letters CKCX, continued in operation until 2012. In addition to CBC programs, it served as a relay for a number of other broadcasters, including Radio Japan, China Radio International, Voice of Vietnam, BBC World Service, Deutsche Welle, and Radio Korea. In addition to international programming, it broadcast CBC Northern Service programs in English, French, and Innuit.

The other RCA transmitter featured in the issue was that of the station that later became the Voice of America relay station in Dixon, California. Under contract with the Office of War Information, both CBS and NBC were contracted to construct shortwave transmitters on the West Coast to provide a strong signal to the Far East. The CBS effort resulted in what later became the VOA relay station in Delano, California. And the NBC station with its RCA transmitters featured in the RCA publication, became the VOA station in Dixon, California. That location was on a great circle that included both Asia and Latin America. Therefore, by reversing the direction of the antenna, it could cover two target areas. By beaming North, the station could provide a signal to Asia. And by beaming South, the same booming signal would carry the American message to Latin America.

The Dixon station was operated by NBC until 1963, with call letters KNBA, KNBC, KNBI, and KNBX In 1963, the federal government assumed control until the station was shut down in 1979. The installation was mothballed, and resumed operation in 1983, at which time its primary function was to transmit Spanish programming to Central America until 1988. The site was sold by the federal government in 1993, and has been used by Globe Wireless since then as KFS, providing wireless HF e-mail service to maritime interests.

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In June 1945, the war in the Pacific was still raging, American industry was still on a wartime footing, and the War Production Board still prohibited the manufacture of radios and phonographs. But the end was in sight, and radio manufacturers were engaged in intense advertising. These ads often highlighted the company’s contributions to the war effort, and they were also advertising their future products in anticipation of serving the pent up demand as Americans would cash in their war bonds and buy a new set at the final conclusion of hostilities.

The Crosley Corporation was no exception, as it carried this heartwarming story 70 years ago today, in the June 11, 1945, issue of Life Magazine. It tells the story of “Jerry and Barbara.” Jerry is a serviceman, apparently home on leave, and he is shown dancing to the Crosley radio-phono console with his betrothed, Barbara.

Barbara recounts their very first dance at the prom. She wore a red dress and the moment she danced with Jerry, she confesses “that’s when everything began for me.” Jerry quickly interjects, “for us. The minute I danced with you I knew, “This is IT.“

The war intervened, and Jerry apparently had to go do his part to deal with the Nazis. Now, he is home on leave before he goes to finish the job in the Pacific. They are dancing again, this time to the Crosley, and Barbara closes her eyes and tells him that it’s a wonderful record.

Jerry quickly adds, “It’s a wonderful phonograph.” He points out that he and his father bought it for his mother right before the war, that it plays records a new way. He adds that the secret of the Crosley’s wonderful tone is in the needle, and that it was “the kind for us when I come home for keeps.”

There is a pause in the story as the ad explains that secret, namely Crosley’s patented “Floating Jewel Tone System.” The story concludes in the not-too-distant future, as we see Jerry and Barbara, with their Crosley radio-phono console, which appears identical in every respect to his mother’s.

To Jerry and Barbara–and to all the Jerrys and Barbaras–Crosley wishes that all their dreams come true. They point out that they are currently producing fighting materials to help win the war, but are looking ahead to being able to once again produce Jerry and Barbara’s console, and other radios, radio-phonos, and other home appliances.

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Preparing to launch psy ops balloons over German lines.

Seventy years ago this month, the June 1945 issue of Popular Science
carried an interesting article on psychological warfare in all of its forms. The main method of directly reaching enemy troops was the leaflet, which could be dropped from airplanes, balloons, or even artillery shells.

In an earlier series of posts, we looked at the Japanese balloons designed to travel from Japan to North America, and the ingenious control mechanism to keep them at altitude. Since Allied propaganda balloons had a much shorter distance to travel, they simply employed a fuse that would burn the ropes at the proper time, or maybe drop some ballast for longer flights.

The leaflet shown here was typical. According to the article, the Japanese text read as follows:

SOLDIERS OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY!

You have fought well, but the battle is lost. You are cut off with no hope of escape. Soon your food and ammunition will be gone.

You have only two fates–annihilation because unwise commanders sent you into our trap. Or good treatment behind the Allied lines.

Think it over. Ghosts in Yasukuni cannot help Japan. Death without meaning is only for fools.

Some of your friends know this. They have come over to us and they are safe. They are eating rice, smoking cigarettes, sleeping in peace. They know that life is precious. They are not ashamed to live.

Join them now. You will receive plenty of good food and kind treatment. Your identity will not be disclosed.

This is our only offer. If you do not accept it, we will be forced to destroy you.

–THE COMMANDER

The leaflet went on to give directions for safe surrender. Japanese were told to approach Allied positions singly by day and without arms. They were told to raise their hands and wave the pass.

For encouraging hold-out snipers to surrender, the army also employed trucks with large sound systems. But since bullets can travel about as far as sound, this was the most dangerous activity for psychological operations personnel.

The article also talked about the use of radio for psychological operations purposes. It noted that before the war, the U.S. had 11 shortwave stations, but now had 40, including six putting out 200 kilowatts. On the west coast, KGEI had been the only shortwave station, but now there were ten. There were also shortwave transmitters in Honolulu, Saipan, and the Phillipine Islands. Powerful mediumwave stations were in place in North Africa and England broadcasting to Europe. As soon as countries were liberated, a priority was getting broadcast stations on the air.

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