MARCONI AUTOMATIC WATCH KEEPING RECEIVER TYPE M

THE MARCONI AUTOMATIC ALARM RECEIVER TYPE "M"  RECOGNISED THE CW ALARM SIGNAL I.E TWELVE , FOUR SECOND DASHES SEPARATED  BY A ONE SECOND SPACE ALL SENT WITHIN A MINUTE , EITHER BY HAND KEY OR PREFERABLY BY THE AUTO ALARM SENDER. A LOT OF THE TIME YOU HAD TO BANG THE SIDE OF THE CABINET TO GET THE 'VIBRATING REED' TO WORK SO THAT THE TIMING MOTOR STARTED TO GET THE MECHANISM  TO START TO TURN. SHIPS WHOSE 'MAINS' ELECTRICITY WAS D.C  HAD D.C TO A.C CONVERTERS FOR SOME OF IT'S EQUIPMENT I.E THIS DEVICE AND ALSO  THE DYNATRON WHICH WAS A SHIPS ENTERTAINMENT BROADCAST RECEIVER. THE REED WAS ENCAPSULATED IN A  OCTAL BASED UNIT, A BIT LIKE A  RELAY / VALVE OF THE DAY), PUTTING A NEW UNIT IN SOLVED THE PROBLEM  BUT NOT FOR LONG AS THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A VERY LONG LIFE