Nachrichtentruppe (Signals)

During World War II, the German Army relied on a diverse array of communications to maintain contact with its mobile forces and in particular with its armored forces. Most of this equipment received the generic prefix FuG for Funkgerat, meaning “radio equipment”.

The German army issued infantry radios in two main series. The “Backpack” or Torn series and the field or Feld series. The backpack radios were not the sort of radios we would expect with that term today. It meant that they could be moved around carried on the back not operated from a carrying position. Later units could be used while the operator was walking but with long wavelengths and short antenna, the range was poor. The field units corresponded to modern backpacks which could be used on the move, however, they were low powered and in real conditions range was not more than 1.5 km unless an extension antenna was attached, making them into fixed units.

7./Gren.Rgt.G.D is equipped with several reproduction backpack radios for field communications between Gruppe or back to the battle commanders so we can see and plan the battle from behind the lines. We also have a fully working telephone Switchboard with around 15 field phones and multiple reels of cabling to completely wire any location with the point to point communications. We can also provide full coverage radio comms with control nets for our own events.

A number of 7./Gren.Rgt.G.D Radio operators (Funkers) are either former military communications or Licensed radio Amateurs.