This small VHF hand held radio using miniature wire-ended valves was designed by Pye Ltd in 1942 to allow Infantry Soldiers to communicate with Tank Crews who already used the 230 MHz "B" set of Wireless Sets No.19 for tank to tank communication. It was intended to have a similar range to that of the tank WS19 "B" set and to fulfill the reciprocal requirement of the specification for Wireless Set No. 24, in other words for the Infantry to be able to talk back to the tank "B" set. Its use was formally proposed in a secret report by Pye Ltd to the Ministry of Supply in 1942.
However, the Ministry preferred to make use of an extra Wireless Set No. 38 mounted in the AFV to talk directly to the other WS38 equipments already in use by the Infantry Soldiers. Eventually a special version of WS38 (WS38AFV) was configured to integrate with the WS19 control harness system mounted in vehicles.
It is believed that early in the war, samples of the Pye VHF hand held set were supplied to the USA by the Tizard Mission. After the War, the equipment was featured in a short film demonstrating the future use of personal radio communications by the general public.
Time Scales: 1942 - 1946
Standard frequency range: 230 - 250 MHz
Transmitter RF output: 30mW
Receiver: super-regenerative
Primary model variants: One version only
Extract from technical manual: No manual produced, Pye Ltd report dated 9 November 1942
