By Louis Meulstee (editor)

Polish Army inter-war series

No. 3 Radiostacja RKA.
Cover and layout: Louis Meulstee.
Cover illustration: Radiostacja 'RKA', 1921.

The cover artwork and layout of this series was prepared with DTP Serif PagePlus X8,
using Arial, AvantGarde, Helvetica, Times New Roman and Poppl-Laudatio fonts.
Scanned illustrations and photos were enhanced and prepared with Adobe Photoshop
Elements. The finished publication was directly converted into PDF format.

- First published 2024 as WftW Supplement No. 308, Version 1.00, as a free to download
print ready publication.
- This unchanged edition was adapted for Scribd™ with the addition of a front cover
and colophon.

© Louis Meulstee PA0PCR

Ottersum
The Netherlands
info@wftw.nl
http://www.wftw.nl

About this publication.

Selected publications, previously featured on the Wireless for the Warrior website, have
now been added to Scribd™ to reach a broader audience.
The WftW ‘Polish’ series comprises three groups of publications. It starts with a detailed
technical view of Wireless in the Polish army during the inter-war years until 1939. Next, it
covers ‘Wireless in the Armia Krajowa and the Warsaw uprising’, and concludes with the
development and production of suitcase radios for clandestine operations and agents
during WW2 by the Polish in exile in Great Britain.
Already published on Scribd™ are selected chapters from the WftW ‘Pamphlets’, WftW
‘Amendments’, and WftW ‘Various’ series, with more to follow as time permits.

The 'Polish' Series.

The WftW 'Polish' series is not directly related, but within the scope of the WftW website
and interest. It can be freely copied and distributed, but only in their current form,
preferably with mention of the website www.wftw.nl.
Note that the page layout of the WftW series was setup with mirrored pages, primarily
intended for double sided (colour) printing and, if available, on good quality class A paper.

June 2024
Wireless for the Warrior - Polish Army inter-war. No. 3 RKA - 1

RKA
Country of origin: Poland

REMARKS
RKA *) was a transportable and stationary long wave wireless sta-
Original Marconi WT Co. Ltd. Model YB1.
tion, the primary set used at Army level communication during the
early Inter-War years. A transportable station was carried on a limber
DATA SUMMARY and cart, drawn by six horses. The limber carried the transmitter and
receiver, both fitted in a single wooden enclosure, plus accessories
Organisation: Polish Army. such as a wavemeter, accumulators, charging panel, and two tents.
Design/Manufacturer: Marconi WT Co. Ltd.; The cart carried a 1HP petrol generator, sectional steel aerial mast and
Built under licence by PTR (Polskie Towarzystwo aerial.
Radiotechniczne) in Warsaw. Designed by the British Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. Ltd. as
Year of Introduction: 1921. model YB1 in 1921, in slightly modified form it was acquired by the
Purpose: Communication at Army level. Polish Army in the same year, two years later renamed RKA.
The original YB1 had a single type MT3 valve and could be operated
Transmitter: CW and MCW.
in CW, MCW and R/T; the Polish RKA version had two type MT5
Circuit features: Free running oscillator comprising two
valves in parallel, and the R/T mode abandoned. About 100 sets were
type MT5 valves connected in parallel.
in service, nearly all built under licence by PTR in Warsaw. In the
RF output: 50W. (Not yet confirmed)
mid-thirties the RKA was replaced by the RKG/A (see Chapter 307).
Frequency coverage: 230-500kHz.
Receiver: *) (RKA=Radiostacja Korespondencyjna sieci Armii – Radio station
Circuit features: Tuner, RF amplifier (2x), regenerative for communication in Army nets)
detector, AF output.
Frequency Coverage: 230-1000kHz in two ranges:
230-500kHz and 430-1000kHz
Aerial: Umbrella type, supported by a 17.5m tall steel
Marconi mast, lifted by a 5.7m auxiliary mast.
Counterpoise 4 earth mats of 5.4 x 0.6m in size.
Transmitter valves price list from Canadian
Range: 250km (CW); 100km (MCW). Marconi Co. in Can. dollars.
Valves: Transmitter type MT5 (2x), receiver V24 or DEV
(3x) and Q or DEQ.
Power Supply: 1HP petrol engine driving a generator which
delivered 1500V DC HT at 85mA and 12V DC at 10A. The
receiver was powered by a 40V dry battery and a 6V accu.

Operator of a stationary RKA wireless station. Note

the two type MT5 valves in the transmitter.

References:
- Roman Buja, Poland, kindly granted publishing photographs
and translated detailed information taken from his RKA article.
- Radiostacja RKA, Roman Buja, Swiat Radio, March 2011.
- Radiostacje Polowe, Roman Buja, ISBN 978 83 7769 588 3,
A RKA wireless station detachment at the start of a march. Edipresse, Warsaw 2014.

© This WftW chapter may be freely copied and distributed, but only in the current form.

Page 1 of 3. ver 1.00. June 2024.

Wireless for the Warrior - Polish Army inter-war. No. 3 RKA - 2

A RKA radio station detachment at the halt. The

limber (left, seen from the rear) with 1HP engine,
and the actual RKA cart at the right hand side.

Front panel view drawing of the RKA. RKA accumulator charging panel fitted under the
driver’s seats at the front side of the limber.
Transmitter Receiver

Tuner

Amplifier
detector
V24/Q Pulley
valves
MT5
valves

Auxiliary mast

Erection of a RKA aerial mast.

Circuit diagram RKA transmitter and receiver.

© This WftW chapter may be freely copied and distributed, but only in the current form.

Page 2 of 3. ver 1.00. June 2024.

Wireless for the Warrior - Polish Army inter-war. No. 3 RKA - 3

Polish Army training posters for radio station RKA.

© This WftW chapter may be freely copied and distributed, but only in the current form.

Page 3 of 3. ver 1.00. June 2024.