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The Radio tractor was a mobile
At least 3 variants are known:
* Radio Tractor No. 1
* Radio Tractor No. 2 (
* Annual Report 191
page 249 * 1918 Military Signal Corps manua
* New York Times 191
* Electrical world vol. 6
* The Wireless Ag
* Automobile journal Vol. 3
US Army Signal Museum - SCR and BC lists
NSA.gov - Umbrellas, Loops, and Tractors (PDF)
Amateur radio transmitters Military radio systems of the United States World War I American electronics Military electronics of the United States Radio during World War I {{radio-comm-stub
Signal Corps Radio
Signal Corps Radios were U.S. Army military communications components that comprised "sets". Under the Army Nomenclature System, the abbreviation SCR initially designated "Set, Complete Radio", but was later misinterpreted as "Signal Corps Radio ...
used by the U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...
for ground communications before and during World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Prior to World War I, trucks were referred to as "tractors", and there were also telegraph tractors, and telephone tractors.
Use
Very little information exists for these trucks, as most of the components were built before standardization. They first made their debut on theMexican border
Mexico shares international borders with three nations:
*To the north the United States–Mexico border, which extends for a length of through the states of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas.
*To the sou ...
in a radio intercept role, and later during World War I, some sets may have been reconfigured for RDF and other uses.
Components
* SCR-50, 2 kilowattspark transmitter
A spark-gap transmitter is an obsolete type of radio transmitter which generates radio waves by means of an electric spark."Radio Transmitters, Early" in Spark-gap transmitters were the first type of radio transmitter, and were the main type used ...
, crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macros ...
or vacuum tube
A vacuum tube, electron tube, thermionic valve (British usage), or tube (North America) is a device that controls electric current flow in a high vacuum between electrodes to which an electric voltage, potential difference has been applied. It ...
detector
A sensor is often defined as a device that receives and responds to a signal or stimulus. The stimulus is the quantity, property, or condition that is sensed and converted into electrical signal.
In the broadest definition, a sensor is a devi ...
receiver, 0.15-0.50 Megahertz
Variants
At least 3 variants are known:
* Radio Tractor No. 1
* Radio Tractor No. 2 (Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive (FWD), was a pioneering American company that developed and produced all-wheel drive vehicles. It was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Dr ...
)(Jeffery Quad
The Jeffery Quad, also known as the Nash Quad or Quad is a four-wheel drive, 1-ton rated truck that was developed and built by the Thomas B. Jeffery Company from 1913 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and after 1916 by Nash Motors, which acquired the Jeffe ...
), Unknown radio set
* Radio Tractor No. 3 (White Motor Company
White Motor Company (later renamed White Motor Corporation and commonly known as White) was an American car, truck, bus and agricultural tractor manufacturer from 1900 until 1980. The company also produced bicycles, roller skates, automatic la ...
), SCR-50 radio set
The No.3 truck was also accompanied by a tender "Maintenance truck No. 5" later renumbered as K-5.
See also
*Signal Corps Radio
Signal Corps Radios were U.S. Army military communications components that comprised "sets". Under the Army Nomenclature System, the abbreviation SCR initially designated "Set, Complete Radio", but was later misinterpreted as "Signal Corps Radio ...
* SCR-108
* Crystal radio
* List of U.S. Signal Corps vehicles
This is a list of vehicles used by the U.S. Army Signal Corps from World War I through World War II.
Designations
Vehicles specifically designed or adapted for the Signal Corps were initially designated by a "K" number. The K-number was later ...
References
* Signal Corps Storage Catalo* Annual Report 191
page 249 * 1918 Military Signal Corps manua
* New York Times 191
* Electrical world vol. 6
* The Wireless Ag
* Automobile journal Vol. 3
External links
US Army Signal Museum - SCR and BC lists
NSA.gov - Umbrellas, Loops, and Tractors (PDF)
Amateur radio transmitters Military radio systems of the United States World War I American electronics Military electronics of the United States Radio during World War I {{radio-comm-stub