The Wireless Set No. 88 was a British post-war military radio. It belonged to the family of portable military wireless equipment designed to provide communications for troops operating in the field.
It is an interesting set from the period when military radio was moving towards smaller, lighter equipment that could be carried by individual soldiers rather than requiring a vehicle or a dedicated radio operator's station.
I owned an 88 set back in the 1960s but I couldn’t get it working. I had no information about the set. These days, a quick lookup on line and you have all the info you need.
History and development
The WS 88 was developed in the post-war years, with production and introduction into service taking place from approximately 1947. It was designed to replace the older Wireless Set No. 38.
The No. 88 was significant because it was the first British-developed tactical VHF-FM manpack radio. More than 20,000 sets were manufactured. It subsequently saw service in several theatres, including the Malayan Emergency (1948–1957).
Technical specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Radio type | Portable transceiver |
| Frequency range | 38.01–42.15 MHz |
| Modulation | FM |
| RF output | Approximately 250 mW |
| Channels | 4 crystal-controlled |
| Valves | 14 |
| Communication | Voice (R/T) |
| Typical range | 1–2 miles |
| Aerial | 4-foot rod |
| Power | Separate battery pack |
The radio used fourteen valves in a remarkably compact enclosure. The transmitter and receiver were both crystal-controlled, giving the operator four pre-set channels rather than a continuously tunable frequency range.
The two main versions
- Type A: Used by infantry platoons and companies. It had an olive-drab case and control panel.
- Type B: Intended for infantry mortar platoons. It had a black control panel and operated on a different set of frequencies.
Carrying the radio
One of the clever features of the WS 88 was its carrying arrangement. The equipment was divided between two webbing pouches:
- One pouch contained the radio itself.
- The second pouch contained the battery.
- A headset and press-to-talk arrangement allowed the operator to communicate while carrying the set.
- A short four-foot aerial was fitted to the radio.
The pouches were similar in appearance to enlarged Bren gun ammunition pouches, making the equipment relatively inconspicuous. The complete station weighed approximately 11½ lb (5.2 kg), including its battery.
Wireless Set No. 88 AFV
There was also a vehicle version known as the Wireless Set No. 88 AFV.
This was designed to allow tanks and other armoured vehicles to communicate with infantry carrying the standard No. 88 Type A.
It used a modified No. 88 radio with a separate power supply and audio amplifier, allowing it to operate from a vehicle's 12-volt electrical system.
The radio was an important step forward
The WS 88 represented an important change in British Army communications. Earlier infantry radios, such as the No. 38, were relatively cumbersome and used AM transmission. The No. 88 introduced compact VHF frequency-modulated communications to British infantry.
Its four pre-set channels, small size and tropicalised construction made it particularly useful for communications over short distances. It was also an important stepping stone towards later generations of British military VHF radios.