I once owned a 52 set transmitter and receiver. I built a power supply for the transmitter which supplied 2,500 volts for the PA anode. It was an amazing set up. I wish I’d never sold it!
The Wireless Set No. 52 (WS 52) was a large Canadian-built HF radio station used by the British Army during and after the Second World War. Developed in 1943, it was intended for Brigade and Division communications, either mounted in a vehicle or set up as a ground station. It followed the Canadian WS number 9 but shared few parts with it.
The station was made up of separate transmitter, receiver and power supply units mounted on a frame. It covered 1.75–16 MHz and could send voice, modulated Morse or continuous-wave Morse. Published figures vary by mode and source, but the transmitter delivered roughly 45–75 watts on voice and up to 100 watts on CW.
A notable feature was that the transmitter and receiver could work on different frequencies. An optional second receiver let the operator monitor another channel while transmitting.
The WS 52 remained in use into the 1950s, before newer Larkspur equipment such as the C11 and R210 took over. Its broad HF coverage and substantial power made it useful for longer links than the short-range radios carried by individual troops.
Does anyone have a photo of the TX and RX that I could use on the website?