Ü9 - SDR broadcasting van 1954-1976

On 26th July I visited the Technoseum Mannheim, a kind of “Deutsches Museum” like the one in Munich, a little smaller and in Mannheim, with an old companion, who had also been employed with the South German Broadcasting Corporation as a sound engineer. The main object of our desire was the SDR broadcasting van no. 9 we both had still witnessed in action. Beforehand, I had obtained the permission to also view the interior of this vehicle, thank you very much, Dr. Herzig. The visit turned into a real journey back in time.

 

Dressing room

The dressing room of the broadcasting van. Here you slipped into the inevitable grey technician gear or dressed up afterwards to be presentable outside again.

 

Equipment and furnishing

Unbelievable, this interior. Seating furniture without wheels, so damned uncomfortable by today’s standards. Look at the microphone of the commentary unit and the obligatory Coca Cola !

 

Smoking permitted

And an absolute "no go area" nowadays, how smoking was regarded back then: puffing away in the tightest of spaces, regardless of the consequences !


The sound engineer’s realm

Plug-in panel

Plug-in panel for the mixer console wiring, including the V 41 microphone amplifier already developed in 1943.

Mixer console

6-channel mixer console with rudimentary options, overhead mono control loudspeaker and telephone.

 

Peripherals

Power supply/switchover to on-board supply and post lines were controlled on this side.

 


The mixer console

 

After all, according to the brochures, this mixer console was used to broadcast the coverage of the Queen’s visit in the year 1965 – thus a blue-blooded item ! 

 

Tube technology

Five V41 microphone amplifiers and three V62


Recording with Vollmer tape machines

Vollmer CR44 without tape platter

seen from the right

 


Those familiar with the peculiarities of these machines know about some odd behaviour: tape flutter - a well tuned piano would turn out to sound like a honky tonk piano. But after all this mobile wasn´  t designed to record classical concerts. Or was it ?

Further technical details

                              

Storage space in the rear

                              

                      

                              

Further exterior views