Royal Signals Museum - Equipment - Wireless Set No 19

Wireless Set No 19

The No 19 Set was designed to give armoured troops complete, speedy and reliable communications. It was developed at low priority up to 1940 by the Signals Experimental Establishment and by Pye Radio. The cheap Pye model was adopted then very quickly replaced with a Mk II to bring it up to required specifications in 1941 and then by the more efficient Mk III in 1942. These improved sets were particularly significant in the fast-moving armoured fighting in the Western Desert.

The set provides HF inter-tank and tank-to-HQ R/T, CW and MCW communications, VHF inter-tank communications and an intercom facility for a tank’s crew. The HF part, the ‘A’ set, is tuned to receive and transmit with a single dial and has a ‘flick’ switch for rapidly changing between two frequencies, a device still used in aircraft today.

The VHF part, the ‘B’ set, was phased out in the 1950s as the Larkspur range of VHF FM equipment came into service. The Royal Armoured Corps replaced their thus modified No 19 Sets with the very similar C12 in the mid-50s, and this in turn was replaced by the C13 when it was developed and produced.

The set has an HF range of 10 miles, 15 miles CW and a VHF range of 1000 yards. 17.5" x 8.5" x 2.5", it weighs 40 lb.

THIS No 19 SET IS LOCATED IN ONE OF OUR ARMOURED COMMAND VEHICLES
THAT WAS OPERATIONAL WITH HEADQUARTERS 8th ARMY