CCF Signals Section - Review Day 1964
Photograph from Steve Grimes.
The photo below was taken on CCF Review Day 1964. From left to right is Sgt Brian Payne; Lt Don Kincaid (Royal Signals); and Staff Sgt Steve Grimes.
The photo was taken outside the infamous Signals Hut (Hut B) and shows the Signals Platoon demonstration at the CCF Annual Review.
The equipment from left to right comprises the R107 short wave receiver, the wireless set no 12 transmitter and the small box on the right was the (then) latest issue walkie talkie (wireless set no 88). The 88 set used VHF for the first time ever. Prior to that we had to use the completely useless ex wartime short wave wireless set 18 which was not only excessively heavy, required batteries the size of two bricks and never, ever worked.
The Platoon used the 12 set to communicate with other schools on the CCF Net. The HCS CCF Call sign was "85" and we had many happy hours talking to schools like Merchant Taylors, Haberdashers, John Lyon, Harrow School and many other well known schools all over the country. With the advent of email and internet this facility might not seem too impressive but it has to be remembered that in those days the only other legal way to communicate in this way would have been to obtain an amateur radio licence which would have necessitated each individual passing a technical exam and a separate exam in Morse code.