Wireless Communications of the German Army in World War II
German Army FuG radios enabled coordinated armoured and infantry communications.
The German Army in World War II used a wide range of radio equipment to keep in touch with its mobile units, especially its armored forces. Most of these devices were given the prefix FuG, short for *Funkgerät* ("radio device"). The following covers the radios used by armored forces.
For armored units, the FuG 1 was a medium-wave receiver (0.1–7,095 kHz) also called the Torn.E.b and Pack Receiver b. Its components were later reused in other receivers and transceivers. The FuG 2 acted as a high-band HF/low-band VHF receiver (27,000–33,300 kHz, the same band as modern 27 MHz CB radios). It was never used alone but as a second receiver in command tanks and relay setups. Installed in section and company leader vehicles, it let the operator listen on one frequency while transmitting and receiving on another—for example, monitoring the regimental command net while talking to subordinates. It offered 125 channels at 50 kHz steps. The FuG 3 was a low-band VHF receiver (42–47.8 MHz), later repackaged as the FuG 3 neu for motorcycle troops. The FuG 4, a medium-wave receiver (1,130–3,000 kHz), went into command tanks and shared an antenna with the FuG 8, typically used alongside it.
The FuG 5 was a high-band HF/low-band VHF transceiver (27,000–33,300 kHz, 10 watts) with 125 channels at 50 kHz spacing, usually paired with a two-meter antenna. It was standard in nearly all German tanks and many other vehicles for platoon- and company-level tank-to-tank communication. Range was about 2–3 km on AM voice and 3–4 km on CW. A reworked version, the FuG 5 (Luft), handled air-to-ground communication until replaced by the FuG 7. The FuG 6 was similar but more powerful (20 watts), used by armored observation posts—often early tanks with some weapons removed for artillery observer gear. It let observers talk to unit leaders via FuG 5 radios, with a range of 4–6 km on AM voice and 6–8 km on CW. This was comparable to the American SCR-508 tank radio (20–27.9 MHz, 25 watts) and SCR-608 artillery set (27–38.9 MHz), though the US sets used FM instead of AM.
The FuG 7 was a VHF transceiver (42,000–48,300 kHz, 20 watts) for command tanks, using a 1.4-meter antenna. It matched the Luftwaffe’s FuG 17 for ground support operations, with a ground-to-air range of 60 km on AM voice and 80 km on CW.
- Frequency ranges
- 0.1 kHz to 77.1 MHz
- Common transceiver power
- 10–100 Watts
- Typical tank-to-tank range (am voice)
- 2–3 km (FuG 5)
- Typical tank-to-tank range (cw)
- 3–4 km (FuG 5)
- Command tank regimental range (am voice)
- 25 km (FuG 8, 9 m antenna)
- Command tank regimental range (cw)
- 140 km (FuG 8, 9 m antenna)
- Infantry backpack set range (am voice)
- 3 km (Torn.Fu.d2)
Lore & Background
The German Army's radio equipment was designated with the prefix FuG (Funkgerät), though the shorter Fu designation was also used, with exceptions to both systems. Number ranges were not unique across services, so different equipment used by different services sometimes shared the same FuG prefix. Armoured force communications included a series of receivers and transceivers operating across medium-wave, high-band HF, and low-band VHF frequencies. The FuG 5, a 10-watt transceiver operating in the 27–33.3 MHz range, was the standard kit for tank-to-tank communication within platoons and companies, present in almost all German tanks. Command tanks used additional sets such as the FuG 8 (medium-wave, 30 watts) for regimental communication, and the FuG 7 (VHF, 20 watts) for close air support operations. Infantry equipment was issued in two main series: the backpack (Torn) series and the field (Feld) series. The Torn.Fu.d2, a VHF low-band transceiver operating in the 33.8–38 MHz range with 1.5 watts output, was a common infantry set used for voice radio nets, comparable in range and frequency band to the US SCR-300 backpack radio.
Reader's Guide
The German Army's wireless communications during World War II were notable for their systematic integration into armoured and infantry units. The FuG series provided a layered communication structure: short-range sets like the FuG 5 enabled platoon and company coordination, while medium-wave sets like the FuG 8 and FuG 11 allowed regimental command posts to maintain contact over distances up to 200 km using CW. The use of separate receivers (e.g., FuG 2) in command tanks allowed commanders to monitor one frequency while transmitting on another, enhancing tactical flexibility. The FuG 7 facilitated ground-to-air communication with Luftwaffe transceivers for close air support, though such operations became rare after late 1944. The infantry Torn.Fu.d2 set, with its two-man carry configuration, allowed voice communication on the move, a capability paralleled by Allied equipment like the SCR-300. The German reliance on AM modulation for high-HF/low-VHF bands contrasted with the US use of FM in comparable tank and artillery sets (SCR-508, SCR-608). The diversity of equipment—from the 5-watt FuSpr.a reconnaissance set to the 100-watt FuG 11—reflected the need for specialized communications across different unit types and echelons.
Did You Know?
- The FuG 5 operated in the same 27–33.3 MHz frequency range as modern 27 MHz CB radio systems.
- The FuG 8 could achieve a range of 140 km using CW with its nine-metre antenna, but the station had to be stopped to use this antenna.
- The Torn.Fu.d2 infantry set was comparable in range and frequency band to the US SCR-300 (BC-1000) backpack radio.
- The FuG 2 was never used on its own but as an additional receiver in command tanks to allow listening on one frequency while transmitting on another.
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