S-Phone
Encyclopedia
The S-Phone system was an ultra high frequency
duplex
radio telephone system developed during World War II
for use by Special Operations Executive
agents working behind enemy lines to communicate with friendly aircraft and coordinate landings and the dropping of agents and supplies. The system was composed of a "Ground" transceiver, designed by Captain Bert Lane, and an "Air" transceiver designed by Major Hobday, both of the Royal Signals.
The primary purpose of the S-Phone was not navigational as such; rather, it was to provide a reasonably secure channel for coded conversation between staff officers based in London and agents in the field, allowing for the exchange of orders and information. The security of a circuit was sometimes tested by using an officer who could recognize whether a voice was actually that of the agent who was supposedly speaking to him.
It was designed in late 1942, using some of the component parts of the Wireless Set No.37.
Ultra high frequency
Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
duplex
Duplex (telecommunications)
A duplex communication system is a system composed of two connected parties or devices that can communicate with one another in both directions. The term multiplexing is used when describing communication between more than two parties or devices....
radio telephone system developed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for use by Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
agents working behind enemy lines to communicate with friendly aircraft and coordinate landings and the dropping of agents and supplies. The system was composed of a "Ground" transceiver, designed by Captain Bert Lane, and an "Air" transceiver designed by Major Hobday, both of the Royal Signals.
Description
The "Ground" set - which was to be used by agents on the ground - weighed about 15 lbs including batteries and was typically worn attached to its operator with two canvas straps. It was a highly directional unit which required the operator to face the path of the aircraft. It had the useful trait that transmitted signals could not be picked up by ground monitoring stations more than one mile distant; however, its signal was only good to 10,000 ft which brought the aircraft within range of flak. It permitted direct two-way voice communication with an aircraft up to a range of 30 miles. While the S-Phone provided directional information to the pilot it gave no range information, although a pilot could tell when he was directly over the "Ground" operator because at that point no communication was possible).The primary purpose of the S-Phone was not navigational as such; rather, it was to provide a reasonably secure channel for coded conversation between staff officers based in London and agents in the field, allowing for the exchange of orders and information. The security of a circuit was sometimes tested by using an officer who could recognize whether a voice was actually that of the agent who was supposedly speaking to him.
It was designed in late 1942, using some of the component parts of the Wireless Set No.37.