Eureka Mk II (Type A1052) radio transceiver

Lightly constructed, light grey painted radio set with two black selector switches and white switch labelling on face.

A 200MHz (secondary) radar interrogator-beacon system, Rebecca and Eureka formed a system of portable ground-based beacons and airborne direction finding equipment initially designed to assist the air-drop delivery of supplies to the Army or resistance groups in occupied Europe. The ground based transponder beacon (Eureka) consists of a super-regenerative receiver and transmitter operating in the frequency range 214 - 234 MHz, powered from a battery via a vibrator power supply unit. A portable tripod mounted aerial was erected when communications was required. The system was later expanded into a blind homing and approach aid for most of the aircraft in Allied service. It was developed by Dr R Hanbury-Brown and J W S Pringle of Telecommunications Research Establishment, UK. An experimental version of Rebecca I and Eureka I built at T.R.E. was demonstrated at Army Co-operation Command in the summer of 1941. The Rebecca system interested the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and a number were built for the use of partisans in the underground movement in Europe. (Information from www.duxfordradiosociety.org). Australian special forces including Z Special used Eureka sets to pinpoint their positions to aircraft for supply dropping.