"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF tranmitter/receiver with display "torso", 1942-1945

Made:
1942-1945 in United Kingdom
maker:
Bovill, Charles
"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF

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"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

"S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF transmitter/receiver (main equipment parts) together with metal display "torso", designed by Charles Bovill, unknown maker, British, 1942-1945.

The 'S-Phone' personal receiver was design by Charles Bovill (1911-2001), and used by troops during the Second World War. It was small enough to be carried in a suitcase, and enabled Special Operations Executive aircraft and agents in the field to communicate with each other within a range of 30 miles. Unusually for the period, transmission and reception could take place simultaneously, allowing normal two-way conversation. The equipment was powered by a battery made up of ten rechargeable cells attached to a belt. Because the S-Phone was intended for espionage it used an ultra high frequency (UHF) band which was not well monitored. It also used different frequencies for reception and transmission, meaning that no single receiver could overhear both sides of a conversation. The directional aerial was designed to provide good vertical reception, but was not very good at transmitting or receiving horizontally along the ground. A rubber seal around the microphone prevented sound leakage, to aid with secretive communication.

Details

Category:
Radio Communication
Object Number:
1967-414
Materials:
steel, canvas, textile, plastic (unidentified), paint, rubber (unidentified), aluminium (metal), paper (fibre product), ink, leather and cord
type:
transceiver
credit:
Donated by the Ministry of Technology (E.R.D.E)

Parts

Aerial for 'S-phone' transceiver, 1942-1945

Aerial for 'S-phone' transceiver, 1942-1945

Materials:
metal (unknown)
Object Number:
1967-414/2
type:
aerial
Spares for "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF transmitter/receiver

Spares for "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF transmitter/receiver

Various spare parts for "S-phone" type 13/Mk IV personal portable UHF transmitter/receiver, including 2 "S-phone" type 13/Mk III, and carrying suitcase, designed by Charles Bovill, unknown maker, British, 1942-1945