SCR-54
The SCR-54 was a tunable, portable crystal radio receiver used by the U. S. Army during World War I.
Specifications
French radio equipment was more advanced than that of the U. S. Army when the United States entered World War I. The U. S. Army therefore adopted French sets early on, and developed improved sets of their own, some based on French design. The SCR-54 (Set, Complete, Radio) was modeled after the French A-1 receiving set. Its primary (antenna) and secondary circuits were both tunable by variable capacitance and inductance. A crystal detector (Type DC-1) and telephone circuit were connected to the secondary circuit. It could receive wavelengths from 250-500 meters.
The receiver included two crystal (galena)[1] detectors, one sealed in glass, and the other not, which were attached on the surface of the receiver. A buzzer circuit, powered by a BA-4 battery, was mounted in the box cover and used to adjust the crystal.
The set was compact and mounted in a wooden box, type BC-14. The lid of the box held the buzzer circuit, detectors, a screwdriver, two P-11 telephone headsets, spare parts, extra crystals, and an operating manual, “Radio Pamphlet No. 3”.[1]
The receiver was intended to be used with antenna type A-2 or A-2-B.
Vacuum Tube Detector
There was an optional vacuum tube detector, type DT-3-A, available for the SCR-54. It used a VT-1 vacuum tube powered by a BA-2 battery. The type number was originally SCR-55, later changed to DT-3, then DT-3-A. The crystal proved more popular in field use.[2]
SCR-54-A
The SCR-54-A featured electrical and mechanical improvements over the SCR-54. Most notably, the buzzer circuit was removed from the lid and incorporated into the chassis of the receiver proper.
Use
The SCR-54 was intended to be used at artillery stations to receive messages from fire control aircraft. Many were produced by Liberty Electric Corporation and Western Electric, but they became available in the field only a few months before the war ended. Some were retained by the Signal Corps, but the bulk, most never used, were sold as surplus to the public, becoming a favorite of amateurs.
 | This article, SCR-54, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
Reviewer tools: Inform author |
References
- ^ a b United States Army Signal Corps (1918-10-24). Radio receiving sets, type SCR-54, type SCR-54-A and detector equipment, type DT-3-A (3rd ed.).
- ^ United States Army Signal Corps (1919-01-01). Annual Report of the Chief Signal Officer Made to the Secretary of War for the Year 1919. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 250.
| This article, SCR-54, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
Reviewer tools: Inform author |