The first British AFV to be equipped with a radio was the AIE (Independent Experimental) Tank introduced in 1925 - additional to the radio it was also the first to have an inter-communication system. However, it wasn't until the introduction of the 7 Set in 1935, followed by the 9 Set in 1939, that a reliable means of communication between tanks became a reality. As can be seen in the photograph below, of South African crewed Vickers Light Tanks in Egypt, a problem not solved until the 19 Set came along, was the rigid stout antenna easily visible to hostile eyes when in a turret down position - not helped by the flying of pennants!

Copyright photograph reproduced courtesy Imperial War Museum

The 19 Set was developed in 1941 and was standard equipment on all Churchill Marks. It was mounted on a ledge at the rear of the turret along with boxes of spare valves and other replacement parts. Improvements, enhancing the set's performance were from time-to-time introduced, especially when production commenced in Canada. The introduction of the Churchill Mark VII saw the additional mounting of a 38 Set in order to better to communicate with ground forces.

The 19 Set has two components, known as the "A" Set (on the right) and the "B" Set, the former providing intercom via control boxes one of which is shown on the left. To the right is the variometer through which signals pass to and from the antenna. The drawing is of the Canadian built Mark II set which later replaced the British built Mark I.

.	A-Set	B-Set
Frequencies:	2-8 MHz	230-240 MHz
Function:	Speech + MCW *+ CW **	Speech
Range:	10 miles with 8 ft Aerial †	1,000 yards ††
Antenna: †††	Whip - 3 x 4 ft Sections	Flex - 20½ inches
Antenna Base:	Number 8	Number 9

Tanks with 38 sets aboard mounted an additional A-Set antenna.

Notes:
*  MCW: Modulated Carrier Wave. Used for audible Morse Code transmissions.
** Carrier Wave. Used for inaudible Morse Code transmissions.
†  The range varied considerably, especially while the Heavyside Layer was descending.
†† The 1,000 yard range is an approximation. As B-Sets transmit by ground-wave they can only connect between tanks visible to one another.
††† Due to few overhead photographs of Churchills being available, rarely are drawings of antennae lengths, location and bases accurately portrayed. Lengths are proportional 48 to 20½ inches to tank measurements. The A Set's antenna base was mounted on the turret immediately above the variometer to the right of the 19 Set.

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