B40D Receiver A.P. No. 571404
B40D Receiver A.P. No. 571404
Communications receiver used in H.M. Ships and Royal Navy Shore Wireless Stations, dating from the late 1940’s, and still in use in the 1980’s.
Siemens Funk 745 E 310a Maritime Receiver
Siemens Funk 745 E 310a Maritime Receiver
Known as the “Regenbogen” or Rainbow receive because of its colourful tuning dial. Very high quality set made in West Germany in 1961, designed for simple servicing and maintenance.
RAF R.1224A Receiver
RAF R.1224A Receiver
Together with transmitter T.1442, this receiver formed part of a portable HF station used in forward airstrips for CW communication back to a base station. The complete station, together with a separate VHF air-to-ground station and everything else needed to set up a forward communication post was flown to its destination in two torpedo shaped containers slung beneath two Barracuda aircraft.
Wartime Civilian Receiver (1944)
Wartime Civilian Receiver (1944)
This set was designed during WW2, with minimum components, for members of the public not already owning a receiver. Made by 42 members of the Radio Manufacturers’ Association, the circuit, cabinet and general design were standard but individual manufacturers were able to use their own available components and make minor alterations to the layout to suit their own manufacturing capability. Unusually, the model displayed is painted khaki and bears an Army Stores number, ZA 30255.
R107 Receiver (1940)
R107 Receiver (1940)
The main receiver in all WW2 army wireless lorries fitted with medium or high power transmitters. Also used in Armoured Command Vehicles, and mobile radio intercept stations. Its high sensitivity enabled it to operate efficiently with a very small aerial.
CNY2 transmitter/receiver (c.1942)
CNY2 transmitter/receiver (c.1942)
This set was designed by the Marconi Telegraph Co. and was used in tank landing craft in WW2.
Scott-Taggart S.T. 300 Receiver
Scott-Taggart S.T. 300 Receiver
Home-made MW/LW three-valve regenerative receiver made from a design by John Scott-Taggart published in Wireless Constructor, February 1932.
MCR1 Miniature Communications Receiver
MCR1 Miniature Communications Receiver
Known as the ‘biscuit tin radio’, 5,000 of these sets were dropped by parachute to clandestine networks in France during WW2, packed in 2-pound Huntley & Palmer biscuit tins.
The MCR1 receiver was used with the transmitter from the B2 spy set by uniformed 3-man Jedburgh teams dropped into Europe after D-Day. SAS groups operating on the continent also used the MCR1 with a modified transmitter from the WS No.18, a combination known as the Jed-Set.
Wireless Set No.17 Mk II
Wireless Set No.17 Mk II
Battery operated 2-valve transceiver, 44.0 to 61.0 Mc/s, used for communication between searchlight section HQs and searchlight detachments. Some of these sets were also issued to secret Auxiliary Units of the Home Guard, intended to operate behind enemy lines in the event of invasion.
A corner of the Radio Hut
A random list of exhibits.
A.P. 100339 (RN)
General purpose receiver which, with two associated low power transmitters, HF A.P. 100337 (HF) and A.P. 100338, CW & MCW only, met the requirements of all classes of RN ship, large or small, surface or submarine in the 1950’s.
Bush AC11 receiver (1949)
LW/MW/SW. Built-in loop aerial for MW/LW. Socket for external SW aerial.
BC-1066 B
U.S. Signal Corps test receiver for IFF transponder.
Coomber and Sons MW/LW Schools Radio
Regenerative receiver, with sockets for a gramophone pickup. Instructions for schools on how to receive the National (Droitwich) station on 1500m are pasted inside the front hinged cover.
Historic 1950’s G6HL station
Constructed by Wing Commander Ieuan Edward Hill, G6HL. Now operational, see text.
Pye Marine ‘Hamble’
Transistorised trawler band DF receiver, PM125. LW/MW/MSW.
Marconi Marine Kestrel III radiotelephone
1875 – 2768 kc/s in ten channels, with emergency alarm signal on 2182 kc/s.
MK128 SAS 'Forward Area' Transceiver
Transmitter CW only, Receiver CW/AM. Output less than 1 watt. Used by the SAS and other units in Malaya during the 1950's. Often referred to as a "spy set" but no evidence for this application seems to exist.
PCR (Portable Communications Receiver)
Designed by Pye in 1944, this is electrically a variation of the receiver section of the WS No.19. Covering LW/MW/SW, it is popularly believed to have been used as a “comfort” set in NAAFI canteens, etc, to provide entertainment for the troops during WW2 and later. Based on the recollections of ex-Pye employees, the Pye Telecom History Group suggests, however, that the PCR was intended as a general purpose portable communications receiver for use in Europe by the British Army following the D-Day landings.
PR155G Plessey Communications Receiver
All-transistor circuit with fifteen standard modules. Frequency range: 15 kHz – 30.1 MHz in 30 bands of 1 MHz each, with an 84-inch scale-length for each band. Modes: AM/USB/LSB/CW/MCW. Believed to have been used by the Post Office, but details not known.
R.216 D/F VHF Receiver (E.K. Cole Ltd, 1953).
Frequency range: 19-157 MHz in five bands. Modes: FM/AM, CW. Hermetically sealed, waterproof and airtight. Intended for interception and direction finding in forward areas and later also used for general purpose reception.
Titanic simulation computer readout
Computer simulation of some of the messages sent to and from the Titanic prior to its loss in 1912. The messages are heard in Morse, and are displayed in text on-screen at the same time.
Wireless Set (Canadian) No.52 (1943) transmitter/receiver
Used for stationary or mobile operation in a wireless vehicle or as a ground station in a tent. Remote control operation was possible using Wireless Remote Control Unit No.1 (Canadian).
Wireless Set B44 Mk II
Portable weatherproof VHF transceiver used by Light AA Regiments in the early 1950’s. Frequency range: 60-95 Mc/s, AM only. Three crystal controlled channels. The sets were issued in batches of 24, including three control stations with re-broadcast units. All sets in a batch operated on the same frequencies, and batches were not interchangeable.
W.S. No. 31 Mk.1/1
Short range FM R/T infantry manpack (1947). Similar to US Signal Corps SCR-300-A set. Frequency 40-48 Mc/s, range up to 5 miles. Tropicalised and splash-proof transceiver for voice communication between infantry units. Also used as a ground station and in vehicles. It replaced all No.18 sets in 1949 and was replaced by Wireless Station A41 during the Army re-equipment programme of 1959/60.
Wireless Set No.68T (1943).
Short range man-pack transmitter/receiver for use in forward areas between Battalion HQ and Company HQ. Frequency range: 3.0-5.2Mc/s, RF output: 0.25W, R/T and CW. Similar to Wireless Set No.18 but with a lower frequency range.
Station Radio C12 general-purpose transmitter/receiver in Ferret Scout Car.
Designed in 1948/1950 as a private venture by Pye Ltd and manufactured 1955-1965. It was an interim replacement of Wireless Set No.19 pending production of Station Radio C13 for RAC armoured car regiments. Reallocated to other roles, including Infantry, when replaced by the C13 and remained in service until mid/late 1960’s.
Station Radio C42 in Saracen Armoured Car
Larkspur transceiver with crew intercom amplifier, 6-60 Mc/s FM. Used for radio communication in tanks and other vehicles from the mid-1950’s. Widely used for command communications during the Cold War until the introduction of Clansman radios in the late 1970’s; it was also used extensively in other spheres of operation around the world.