RADIO COMMUNICATIONS ON THE BATTLEFIELD

PORTABLE RADIO SETS provided a common method of communication among groups of soldiers on the European battle fronts. (Others included written messages delivered by runners and field telephones connected by wire.) There was a radio in every tank, sometimes more than one, and every platoon had its own radio. The most powerful radios could transmit voice over one hundred miles and Morse code over several hundred miles, but most had much shorter range.

Radios were also used to communicate with spies and with civilians behind enemy lines who supported the Allies. People had code names, specific times to call, and designated frequencies to tune in to. Radio operators sat over radio boxes with headphones on, turning the dials, listening for information. Of course, the enemy could listen in on radio frequencies also. Radio chatter often tipped one off to the other side’s plans.

You can make a crystal radio much like the ones used in World War II at home. Several good step-by-step directions are available online. Put the words “crystal radio” in a search engine, or go to open.edu and search for “Building a crystal radio set,” or see wikihow.com/Make-a-Crystal-Radio.