Production & Length of Service

1941 - 1946
1941 - 1963

frequency

A set MKI 2.5-6.25 MHz, MKII and MKIII 2 - 8 MHz,  B set 229 - 241 MHz

Transmitter RF output

CW 3 - 5 Watts or greater, AM 1.5 - 2.5 Watts or greater

Primary models

British : MKI, MKII,MKII*,  MKII, MKIII/T, MKIII Reconditioned
Canadian : MKII, MKIII
Australian : MKII
American : MKII

The WS19 set was originally designed to provide medium range HF communications, local intercom facilities plus short range VHF communications for the crews of British armoured fighting vehicles.  Like the WS18 set; the WS19 set was rapidly produced following the experiences of the German 'Blitzkreig' concept.  Where rapid mobile warfare and the need for fast moving communications was proved essential.  With all these factors in mind; the WS19 entered service in 1941 and soon proved itself sufficiently versatile to be used in a variety of vehicles (including jeeps) and would, just one year later, see extensive service with the newly formed British Airborne.  There is a bizzare mis-conception within certain quarters than the WS19 was not used by the British Airborne.  This is wholley inaccurate.

The primary contract for the production of the sets was held by Pye Limited however; to increase the volume of production the design was soon manufactured by a number of other companies within the United Kingdom, Canada and America; resulting in a huge variation of models and marks. Including the MkIII version which had a combination of British and Russian legends under the switches and dials.

Royal Corps of Signals figures show that a total of 115,000 units were made during World War Two. The equipment (with various modifications) was also adopted by the Canadian, Australian and Italian Armies as their standard High Frequency vehicle sets. 

The WS19 was versatile enough to be customised to particular vehicle types by using specific installation kits however; every complete WS19 consisted a number of standard parts including the transceiver unit, a power supply unit, an aerial variometer unit, two antenna bases and rod assemblies, a number of crew control units, each with headsets and microphones, an equipment carrier and extensive cable harnesses.   In addition to these.  There was also available an aerial kit which consisted of 8 x 3 foot sections, guy ropes, hammer and pegs, which could be used in a base station or long range communications role. It could be configured in more than one way and could also be used to support antenna rods "F", which was the standard mobile whip as well as using the 100 foot adjustable aerial wire which could be suspended from two aerial masts a building or tree.

The Power Unit worked off l2v dc input and provided HT outputs of 275 vdc and 500 vdc. The respective current drains were:

        A Rx 6.5A
        A Tx on R/T 7.5A
        A Tx on cw 9A
        A,B Rxs and I.C. amp 8A