MF Command transmitters (chapter 2)

[Hue Miller]

In aircraft use, LF was sometimes used as a beacon frequency for other
aircraft. For example, a TBM that spotted a Japanese convoy, would break
radio silence first, to get the news to command, via the "contact report";
then, if guidance was needed, might send a steady homing signal on LF
( or possibly MF ) for other aircraft from his carrier. This is fact.
Unfortunately, the actual frequency used was not recorded, or the info did
not survive, but considering that the aforementioned transmitters all covered
the MF range, we could suppose those frequencies were fair game.

Dave:
>I can just imagine what General Sarnoff of RCA would have
>had to say to congress if such a thing were contemplated.
>These facts would have made the T-16 (800-1300 KC) useless
>and unlikely to have entered full production, which it did.

Hue: If some tactical procedures were necessary to prosecution of the war,
Sarnoff had nothing to say about it.

Dave:
Also, this type communications
>was a direct function of the Liaison radio sets.  If the T-15
>were intended for this function or to "back-up" the
>Liaison set, why design it for the wrong frequency range?

Hue: why is this frequency range "wrong" ? Perhaps the idea was simply
to provide coverage similar to the other A/C transmitters listed above.
If so, why didn't the "command sets" start at 200 kc/s and not 800 instead?
I don't know. Perhaps reasons of low effectiveness of a lower powered
transmitter
at LF, perhaps problems with flashover at the voltages LF antenna system
developed.

Dave:
>Given these facts the T-15, T-16 and T-17 were clearly designed
>with broadcast-type fuctions in mind, and this jibes with
>the verbal accounts I have.  I would welcome any new evidence,
>as I'd like to settle this issue as much as anyone.

Hue: In all the years I've known about the "strange range" of these lower
frequency command transmitters, that is one explanation that never occurred to
me. And it still doesn't. Unfortunately, it's probably not likely we'll
find more
documentation about this. But, barring some major surprises, I think we can
reason
it out.

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