Wireless Set Canadian No. 9 Mk I

Wireless Set Canadian No. 9
	; Wireless Set Canadian No. 9 Mk I
Production history
Introduced	1943
Specifications
Weight	230 lbs
Length	43”
Width	13-3/4”
Height	13-1/4”
Frequency; range	1.875-5 MHz
Power; output	30/50 W
Range	up to 50 miles

The Wireless Set Canadian No. 9 Mk I was a medium range mobile transmitter/receiver for Armoured Fighting Vehicle, truck and ground station use. It was a further improvement on the Wireless Set Canadian No. 9 resulting in higher power output as well as a pressel-switch on the microphone to replace the receive-off-send switch on the front panel of the previous models.^[1]

Similar to the No.9 set, the No.9 Mk.1 had a receiver on the left, a power unit in the centre and a sender on the right. The three units were held in an aluminum shock mounted carrier with lifting handles at either end. It was 43” wide by 13-1/4” tall by 13-3/4” deep and weighed 230 lbs. Its frequency was the same as the No.9 set: 1.87 to 5 MHz but with a greatly increased range of 25 miles R/T (voice) and 50 miles CW (morse) using a 16’ aerial. A detachable Coil, Aerial Tuning #2 was used to match the aerial to the set. The set was capable of operating on two channels ‘A’ (red) and ‘B’ (blue) and had an on-board crystal calibrator. Power was supplied by a 12 volt DC source, usually rechargeable lead acid batteries.^[2]

The No.9 Mk.1 was produced in Canada by the Canadian Marconi Company in 1943 and the face markings and name/serial number plates were water transfer decals instead of steel as a war economy measure. A stand alone receiver identical to the one in the set but in its own purpose built case was also manufactured.

While produced in reasonably large numbers and issued to Commonwealth forces fighting in Europe beginning in 1943, the set’s operational life was short as it was replaced by the even more advanced Wireless Set No.52 in 1944.