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USA WWII OSS CIA SBO
Prior to the US entering WWII, the OSS had a very basic radio set for
clandestine operations. It had the advantage that it could be powered from
both AC and DC mains networks, but had otherwise a number of design
deficiencies. This prompted the OSS to come up with an improved design [2].
The task was given to Major Henry Shore, who was a former employee of the
Radio Corporation of America (RCA). Shore wanted
RCA to be involved with the project, but the company was too busy with other
wartime projects for the US Government. It was then agreed that RCA
employee Earl Anderson would work on it in his own time, using the existing
AC/DC radio as a starting point.
The first version of the SSTR-1 was released in 1942, its name being a
combination of the model number of the transmitter (SST-1) and the receiver
(SSR-1). Throughout the war, the design was updated several times, resulting
the addition of a letter-suffix to the model. 2
After the war, the SSTR-1 remained in use by the newly established CIA
until at least 1953, despite the fact that new
clandestine radio sets like the
RS-1 and RS-6 had meanwhile
become available [2].
It was also used as a temporary solution by several European
Stay-Behind Organisations (SBOs)
in the early days of the Cold War
– for example in The Netherlands – until it was replaced by newer sets.
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The SSTR-1 was known also as TR-1, for example by the Dutch post-war
Stay-Behind Organisation O&I.
It is believed that 'TR' is the abbreviation of Transmitter Receiver.
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Receiver model numbers from SSR-1-A to SSR-1-G have been oserved,
whilst transmitter model numbers range from SST-1-A to SST-1-E.
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From the start of WWII until his arrest in February 1943,
van Schendel was the chief marconist
of the OD. He trained a large number
of clandestine radio operators (marconists) and occasionally operated
a clandestine radio set himself,
in particular for communication with England.
The OD mainly used radio sets provided by the British SIS
and SOE, such as the Mark V and Mark VII
(Parasets), the Type 3 Mark II (B2)
and the Type A Mark III (A3).
When these were in short supply however, radios from American origin were
supplied instead, such as the SSTR-1.
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The image above shows the SSTR-1 transmitter (SST-1) and receiver (SSR-1)
that were in posession of Ton van Schendel
some time after WWII. It was used by the OD during the war
and/or by the Dutch Stay-Behind Organisation O&I
in the early days of the Cold War.
As far as we knonw,
these are the only surviving parts of his SSTR-1 radio set.
It is unknown whether the original power supply unit (PSU) was lost, or
was never supplied. It is possible that the set was supplied
without the original PSU and that an exsiting PSU of the OD
was used instead.
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Stay-Behind organisations
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- 6J5
- 6K8
- 6SC7
- 6SG7
- 6SA7
- 6SQ7
- 6SN7
- 6L6
- 7V7
- 7J7
- 7F7
- 7Z4
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Type Clandestine suitcase radio set Year 1942 Purpose Agent communication Organisation Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Development OSS employees,
Radio Development & Research Corporation,
Pioneer Electric and Research (Forest Park, IL, USA) Manufacturer Radio Development & Research Corporation (transmitter),
P.R. Mallory Co. (PSU),
Finch Telecommunications (Passaic, NJ, USA) Receiver SSR-1-A, D, E or G (see below) Transmitter SST-1-A or E (see below) PSU SSP-1-C, SSP-1-D, SSP-2, SSP-3 or SSP-4 (see below) Generator Hand-crank power generator GN-35 or GN-44
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Model SSR-1-A Frequency 2.8 - 16.6 MHZ Bands 3 (2.8-5.1 MHz, 4.5-9.1 MHz, 8.3-16.6 MHz) Circuits RF stage, Oscillator/Mixer, Detector/AF, AF amplifier Modulation AM R/T, CW Valves 6J5, 6K8, 6SC7 (2x) Dimensions 241 x 102 x 76 mm Weight 2300 grams
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Model SSR-1-D Frequency 2.9 - 16 MHZ Bands 2 (2.9-6.6 MHz, 6.6-16 MHz) Circuits RF stage, Oscillator/Mixer, IF stage, Detector/AF, BFO IF 2 MHz Modulation AM R/T, CW Valves 7V7 (3x), 7J7, 7F7 Dimensions 241 x 102 x 76 mm Weight 2300 grams
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Model SSR-1-E Frequency 2.7 - 17 MHZ Bands 2 (2.7-6.6 MHz, 6.5-17 MHz) Circuits RF stage, Oscillator/Mixer, IF stage, Detector, BFO/AF IF 455 kHz Modulation AM R/T, CW Valves 6SG7 (2x), 6SA7, 6SQ7, 6SN7 Dimensions 241 x 102 x 76 mm Weight 2300 grams
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Model SSR-1-G Frequency 2.4 - 16.3 MHZ Bands 2 (2.4-6.3 MHz, 6.2-16.3 MHz) Circuits RF stage, Oscillator/Mixer, IF stage, Detector/AF, BFO IF 2 MHz Modulation AM R/T, CW Valves 7V7 (3x), 7J7, 7F7 Dimensions 241 x 102 x 76 mm Weight 2300 grams
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Model SST-1A Frequency 3-14 MHz Bands 3 (3-5 MHz, 5-8 MHz, 8-14 MHz) Output 8 - 15 W Circuits Crystal oscillator/PA Valve 6L6
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Model SST-1A Frequency 3-15 MHz Bands 3 (3-7 MHz, 6-12 MHz, 8-15 MHz) Output 8 - 15 W Circuits Crystal oscillator/PA Valve 6L6 Dimensions 240 x 102 7.6 mm Weight 1800 grams
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Power supply unit
SSP-1-D
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Mains 90, 110, 125, 150, 200, 230 V AC (40-60 Hz) Battery 6V DC Valve 7Z4 Dimensions 241 x 152 x 89 mm Weight 4500 grams
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Power supply unit
SSP-1-D
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- Same as SPP-1D, but can also charge 6V battery from mains
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- Louis Meulstee, Wireless for the Warrior, volume 4
ISBN 0952063-36-0, September 2004.
- Peter McColum, The SSTR-1 "Suitcase Radio"
Retrieved May 2021.
- Cor Moerman, SSTR-1 radio set of Ton van Schendel - THANKS !
Received November 2020.
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Friday 21 May 2021. Last changed: Thursday, 20 April 2023 - 13:56 CET.
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