Drill Regulations for Field Companies of the Signal Corps (Provisional), 1911, pages 92-94 (Photographs are from the 1912 edition of Alfred P. Morgan's Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony Simply Explained):
The Wagon Wireless Section.
317. The wagon wireless section is normally composed of 18 mounted men, the wagoner and engineer, who ride on the wagon, and one wagon wireless set, drawn by 4 mules.
318. The mounted men are formed in column of fours, except one man who rides in rear of the wagon. At drills and ceremonies he will ride on the left of the leading team.
319. The chief of section is to the right of the leading four and the wagon is 2 yards in rear of the mounted men. When the section is acting alone the chief of section may go where his services are most needed.
320. In forming fours a noncommissioned officer will be No. 1 of the leading four, and the horse holders will be No. 4 of the leading four and the third four.
321. The wagon wireless set consists, briefly, of a pintle-type wagon, drawn by 4 mules. The telegraph instruments are attached to the front element, and the engine and dynamo are attached to the rear element, and electrically connected with the instruments by cable. On the rear vehicle are also carried the mast, consisting of 10 sections 8 feet in length; the antenna, which has nine cords, one of which is the connecting cord; two sets of guy ropes, four to each set; and the rubber insulated wire counterpoise, consisting of eight branches.
322. The section is maneuvered as prescribed for the company mounted, and by similar commands.
323. The mounted men, except the chief of section, are numbered from 1 to 17 for the purpose of prescribing their duties in opening and closing station: Thus, Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are antenna men, Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are guy men, Nos. 9 and 10 (usually noncommissioned officers) direct the antenna men and guy men during the erection of the mast, Nos. 11, 12, and 13 assemble and raise the mast, Nos. 14 and 15 lay out the counterpoise and assist the engineer, and Nos. 16 and 17 are horse holders.
To Open Station.
324. The section will always be halted before the command open station is given.
325. At this command the wagoner unhitches his team. The chief of section moves the mounted men a sufficient distance to be out of the way of the antenna and guy ropes when the mast is raised and dismounts them. The horses are turned over to the horse holders (Nos. 16 and 17), and the remaining men proceed to unpack the wagon, each man assisting in unpacking and making ready that part of the equipment which it is his duty to handle in establishing the station--i. e. Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 unpack the antenna and pins or stakes and pay out the antenna under direction of the chief of section; Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8 do the same with the two sets of guy ropes and pins; Nos. 11 and 12 take position on top of the front element of the wagon, prepared to raise the mast; Nos. 9 and 10, assisted by No. 13, unpack the sections of the mast and place them on the ground, convenient to the point at which the mast is to be raised; Nos. 14 and 15 unpack the counterpoise and place it in position.
As soon as the top joint of the mast is unloaded, No. 13 places the top insulator (with antenna attached) in the top of the joint and raises it vertically to Nos. 11 and 12. He then places the remaining joints in place, and assists Nos. 11 and 12, who raise the mast hand over hand. The five smaller joints form the upper part of the mast. No. 13 also places the guy rings in place at the top of the fourth and seventh sections. As the mast is being raised the antenna and guy men, standing facing it, will keep it vertical by skillful handling of the antenna and guys, under direction of Nos. 9 and 10. No. 1 should be in rear of the wagon, with Nos. 2, 3, and 4, in sequence to his left, in a circle around the mast. This will bring No. 3 opposite No. 1, and No. 4 opposite No. 2. Each man holds two adjacent antenna cords, and carries a pin. The guy men, each with an upper and a lower guy rope and a pin, take position, in a corresponding manner, in a smaller circle around the mast, No. 5 being between No. 1 and the mast. This will bring No. 7 opposite No. 5, and No. 8 opposite No. 6. No. 9 will direct Nos. 1, 3, 5, and 7, and No. 10 will direct Nos. 2, 4, 6, and 8. When it is desired that an antenna or guy be pulled out the command out will be used. When it should be slacked off the command in will be used. Thus, if No. 3 is holding his antenna too slack, No. 9 commands: No. 3, OUT. The guy ropes which each man holds are referred to, respectively, as upper and lower. When the mast is up the chief of section commands tie in. At this command the guy men secure the guys to pins driven into the ground with the assistance of the counterpoise men with hammers. Antenna men secure the proper antenna cord to a pin driven Into the ground and then secure the remaining antenna cords in a similar manner midway between those first placed. In doing this all move to the right from the antenna cord first secured. If hammers are necessary in driving the pins, they will hold the antenna cords until assisted by the counterpoise men or guy men.
As soon as the command tie in is given, No. 9 makes the proper connection for the antenna and counterpoise, while No. 10 supervises the tying In and sees that cords and ropes are kept taut.
326. As soon as the wagoner starts to unhitch his team, the engineer will see that there is sufficient gasoline in the tank, oil in the cups, water In the proper receptacles (if the engine is water cooled), and connect the dynamo to the instrument by means of the cable and generally make ready to start the engine and dynamo.
327. When the mast is up, the chief of section details the operators (usually either No. 9 or No. 10 for the first relief), messengers, and guards for the antenna and guys, and makes such disposition of the remaining men as the situation demands. If the station is to be maintained open any length of time, he also directs that the picket line be established or the horses otherwise disposed of.
The wagoner takes care of his team.
To Close Station.
328. At the command close station, the operator removes the antenna and counterpoise connections, the guy men take up the pins and hold the guys, each antenna man first takes up the pin and frees the end of the antenna cord which he last secured and turns it loose, then proceeds to his other antenna cord, pulls up the pin, and holds the cord while the mast is being lowered. The mast is lowered by the same men in the same positions as when being raised. Nos. 9 and 10 direct the antenna and guy men. The counterpoise men recover the counterpoise; the engineer shuts off all valves, the wagoner brings his team close to wagon, and, when the mast is down, hitches it to the wagon. All men assist in packing the equipment which they unpacked. When all the apparatus has been securely packed the chief of section commands stand to horse, when all men proceed to their horses and obey this command. The men are then mounted and the section formed by the appropriate commands.
329. In opening and closing station, all men who have finished the duty herein assigned to them may be directed by the chief of section to perform such other duties as may be necessary.
