Posted on Jun 25, 2014
Who remembers the TA-312 field phone? I was ADA and it was a must! What are your stories?
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The TA -312 Field Phone (LEGENDARY) WE CALLED THE BATTERIES BA 30S
The analog, 2-wire, battery operated TA-312/PT replaced and will interoperate with the World War II and Korean War EE-8 field phone. The rugged and reliable TA-312 was used from the 1950s through the 1980s before being superceded by the TA-838 analog field phone. TA-312's continue in use throughout the U.S. forces as well as many allied countries.
The TA-312/PT is a two-wire, battery operated field telephone. It has a
range of 38 km using WD-1 wire, and was a successor to the EE-8 field
phone used during World War II and Korea. Primarily used from 1950-
1990, it was replaced by the TA-838. It's typically stored in a canvas
bag. An optional TA-955 dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) adapter
allows push button operational interface with automatic analog switches.
To install the TA-312 telephone:
* Strip away one-half inch of insulation from each strand of the WD-1
wire line.
* Depress the spring-loaded line binding posts and insert one strand of
the wire into each post. It doesn't matter which one goes where.
* Adjust buzzer volume control knob to LOUD.
* Turn the INT-EXT switch to INT (Internal). The TA-312 has the
capability of either using the standard H-60/PT handset (INT) or an
external H-144/U headset (EXT).
* Turn the circuit selector switch to LB. (Local battery).
The TA-312
http://www.personal.psu.edu/wmc12/telephones/TA-312.html[6/25/2014 10:03:37 PM]
* Insert the two BA-30 batteries into the battery compartment (one up
and one down). Two D-Call batteries work just as well.
* Seat the handset firmly in the retaining cradle.
* Turn the handcrank rapidly a few turns. Remove the handset from the
retaining cradle and wait for the other operator to answer.
* Depress the push-to-talk switch to talk. Release the push-to-talk
switch to listen.
The Technical Manual used for the TA-312 is TM 11-5805-201-12.
The analog, 2-wire, battery operated TA-312/PT replaced and will interoperate with the World War II and Korean War EE-8 field phone. The rugged and reliable TA-312 was used from the 1950s through the 1980s before being superceded by the TA-838 analog field phone. TA-312's continue in use throughout the U.S. forces as well as many allied countries.
The TA-312/PT is a two-wire, battery operated field telephone. It has a
range of 38 km using WD-1 wire, and was a successor to the EE-8 field
phone used during World War II and Korea. Primarily used from 1950-
1990, it was replaced by the TA-838. It's typically stored in a canvas
bag. An optional TA-955 dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) adapter
allows push button operational interface with automatic analog switches.
To install the TA-312 telephone:
* Strip away one-half inch of insulation from each strand of the WD-1
wire line.
* Depress the spring-loaded line binding posts and insert one strand of
the wire into each post. It doesn't matter which one goes where.
* Adjust buzzer volume control knob to LOUD.
* Turn the INT-EXT switch to INT (Internal). The TA-312 has the
capability of either using the standard H-60/PT handset (INT) or an
external H-144/U headset (EXT).
* Turn the circuit selector switch to LB. (Local battery).
The TA-312
http://www.personal.psu.edu/wmc12/telephones/TA-312.html[6/25/2014 10:03:37 PM]
* Insert the two BA-30 batteries into the battery compartment (one up
and one down). Two D-Call batteries work just as well.
* Seat the handset firmly in the retaining cradle.
* Turn the handcrank rapidly a few turns. Remove the handset from the
retaining cradle and wait for the other operator to answer.
* Depress the push-to-talk switch to talk. Release the push-to-talk
switch to listen.
The Technical Manual used for the TA-312 is TM 11-5805-201-12.
Edited >1 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 112
Anyone have $300 for a pair of phones and a roll of DR-8 wire? I kid you not, it's on Ebay. Isn't that still a serious no no?
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
That's a serious no-go, unless it's declassified as Class X parts(miscellaneous parts). ??????
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I remember it well. And running wire for it ... back in the day (1975-1978) during field exercises with the 82d Airborne Division.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
CW5 (Join to see), thanks for the thread, legendary, iconic in respects to field expedient commo.
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Yes, remember it well. Every tent and bunker in the command post had to have a line ran to it. These phones would work when the radioes went down. A lot of trouble but very reliable.
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Ok I will only admit to this once so you guys had best pay attention !!!!! I was in Korea running wire over a ridge from Bn Toc to Company HQ tent, there were waist high shrubs everywhere and I was the only one on that ridge and had to ...ehem...take a squat... so doing a 360 of the place I finally felt safe and began my business when I heard a sound that dropped my heart into my boots... a chopper came out of no where from under the ridge and hovered right there blowing my tp all over the place and Im trying to hunker as low as I can while trying to wave the damn pilot off !!! after many smiles and laughs from the cockpit they finally left and I then had the unique job of retrieving my tp...... go ahead laugh it up !!!!!! looking back it was funny as hell, but at that time it was FARRRRRRR from funny!
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SFC Mark Merino
That stuff really does wonders on drive sprockets! One step below the concertina nightmare!
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Back in my Cav days we used to have fun with this one. We'd connect the wires to one phone and then have some clueless noob run off with the wire between his fingers toward the other phone and start pressing the button and give him a little zap.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
Its been around for years
http://www.personal.psu.edu/wmc12/telephones/TA-312.html
http://www.personal.psu.edu/wmc12/telephones/TA-312.html
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I remember them. We use to set those up for all the guard points and the LP/OPs. We even had the old SB-22. Believe it or not it wasn't that long ago- 8 years ago.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
Roger they are timeless, and a good source of communication anytime, anywhere.
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We were still training this to the new guys in 2009 before I got out! Lol. Good times.
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1SG Michael Blount
SFC Mark Merino - I remember that sucker ringing when we were in a tactical field situation. Ring ring -- there went noise discipline.
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