The Wireless Set Number 11, or WS No. 11, was a radio set designed for the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

in 1938. It was designed to replace the 1933 Wireless Set No. 1 which had been found inadequate for a number of reasons. Like the No. 1, it was designed to be used in fixed locations like regimental field headquarters, as well as in vehicles and

tanks A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; t ...

. Some No. 11s were produced between 1938 and 1940 before they, too, were considered inadequate. A smaller production run in Canada was also completed by Canadian Marconi and used both by Canadian and British forces. The No. 11 was replaced in tanks by the significantly more capable

Wireless Set No. 19 The Wireless Set No. 19 was a Second World War mobile radio transceiver designed for use by Armoured warfare, armoured troops of the British Army. First introduced in 1940, the No. 19 began to replace the pre-war Wireless Set No. 11. Two modifie ...

, while the No. 11 went on to be used by many others, notably the

Long Range Desert Group The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. Originally called the Long Range Patrol (LRP), the unit was founded in Egypt in June 1940 by Major Ralph Alger Bagnold, ...

History

The No. 11 set, a radio

transceiver In radio communication, a transceiver is an electronic device which is a combination of a radio ''trans''mitter and a re''ceiver'', hence the name. It can both transmit and receive radio waves using an antenna, for communication purposes. The ...

featuring a single tuning unit, was designed in 1938 to replace the 1933 Wireless Set No. 1. Originally designed to be used in

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...

s for short- and medium-range communications, it was later used by the

in Libya and Tunisia for long-range communications while deep behind enemy lines. The

Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...

reportedly captured several sets in France and put them to use for their own communication needs. The set was also manufactured in Australia by AWA with different

valves A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings, ...

and alterations to its circuitry.

Specifications

*Power: Batteries or 6 V or 12 V mains supply *RF output: 0.6 W to 4.5 W *Communication range: Approximately using or aerials. *Dimensions: *Weight: ; complete low and high power stations weigh and . *Control: Direct or remote, enabling operation at and a remote aerial at up to * Frequency range: 4.5 to 7.1 MHz

References

{{Reflist British military radio Amateur radio transceivers World War II British electronics World War II Australian electronics Military equipment introduced in the 1930s

History

Specifications

See also

References