SE-101

Funkgerät SE-101; Personal Radio SE-101, developed and produced by Autophon AG, Solothurn.

The successor of the single channel transceiver SE-100 / FOX has been developed by Autophon. The portable transceivers SE-101 and SE-102 are very similar, they only have different frequency coverage.

Both sets have 24 switchable crystal controlled frequency channels, the two common channels 45 and 46 allow communication between the two different sets.

Technical Data

Principle: Single conversion superhet, IF 1200 kHz
Modes: AM (A3)
Frequency range: 24,55 - 26,85 MHz (Kanal 45 - 68), 24 channels, channel spacing 100 kHz
Sensitivity: AM (A3) / Selectivity:
Output power: 1,3 W

Power supply

Mains: only with the optional mains power supply N-100 (which has not been ordered by the Swiss Army)
Accumulator / Batteries: three heater batteries 1,5 V; drei plate batteries 103,5 V

For portable use, the was operated from batteries: three batteries for heaters (BA-37 resp. Nr. 10001; 1,5 V) and three plate batteries (BA-38 resp. Nr. 10103; 103,5 V), hand cranked generator G101/102 (only for Anti Aircraft units)

Dimensions

321 x 234 x 87 mm, 8.3 kg

Accessories

standard antenna is a 2,4 m telescopic antenna with a flexible base for portable use.
Monophon (microphone / earphone - combination with push to talk button), noise set (throat microphone and headphones)
hand cranked generator G101/102
mains power supply N-100 (not ordered by the Swiss Army)
testing unit T-104

Operation

The wireless set SE-101 consists of a backpack transceiver with the dimensions of 321 x 234 x 87 mm and a weight of 8,3 kg; it is powered by three LT / heaters batteries (BA-37 resp. Nr. 10001; 1,5 V) and three b+/ HT batteries (BA-38 resp. Nr. 10103; 103,5 V).

With the transceiver a monophon (combination of microphone / speaker with a push to talk button) or a combination of headphones and throat mikrophone for use in noisy surroundings can be used.

With it's output power of 1,3 W, the standard range is 4 km within housing areas and up to 20 km from a well suited location on a hill top, it is similar to the range of a common CB set.

All frequencies are crystal controlled, the channel selector moves the switch of the „crystal drum“, this arrangement of channel switching has been used for Autophon's higher powered sets SE-206 / SE-209, too.

To use the set, insert three LT / heater batteries and three HT / anode batteries in the battery compartment at the bottom of the transceiver. As the power consumption of the HT batteries is varying, Autophon did recommend to swap batteries in a clockwise sense every six hours. The set can be powered alternatively from a hand cranked generator or a mains power supply, as far as I know, the external mains power supply constructed by Autophon has never been in use within the Swiss Army.

The circular switch at the monophone is used to switch on the set, it has three steps 0 (off) - * (low) - * * (high volume). Use the channel selector to tune the set to the desired channel, pull out the antenna and press the push-to-talk button - but don't operate the set unless you are holder of an amateur radio license for the corresponding (12 m) frequency band.

Technical Principle

The receiver is a single conversion circuit, the R.F. signal from the antenna has to pass two R.F. amplifier stages (5678 and 1T4) and is mixed with the signal of the crystal oscillator (1L6); the intermediate frequency of 1200 kHz is amplified in two stages (1T4, 1T4); after demodulation (1S5) and the final audio amplifier stage (3S4) it is fed to the headphones.

In transmitting mode, the audio signal coming from the microphone has two pass two amplifier stages (1S5, 3S4), mixed with the oscillator signal from V5 (1T4) and is used to modulate the R.F. carrier signal generated in the main oscillator (1T4), after the driver stage (3S4), the two R.F. finals (3B4) generate an output power of 1,3 Watts.

Valve setup

V1 and V2 (two 3B4, RF final stage); V3 (3S4, RF driver stage); V4 (1T4, transmitter oscillator); V5 (1T4, oscillator grid voltage); V6 (3S4, AF output stage, modulator); V7 (1L6, mixer, receiver oscillator); V8 (5678, 1. RF amplifier); V9 (1T4, 2. RF amplifier ); V10 (1T4, 1. IF amplifier stage); V11 (1T4, 2. IF amplifier); V12 (1S5, AF preamplifier and microphone amplifier); V13 (3S4, AF ouput stage).

Development

With Truppenordnung 51, it was planned to replace the patrol sets P-Station (SE-104) and P5-Station (SE-105). The developing process of the Zellweger set LUX made very slow progress so that Autophon developed a small set with amplitude modulation in short time, it was acquired after it passed troop trials successfully.

The set is based on the civilian Autophon model SE-66, the export variant was the SE-812 which came with a mains power supply. In the years 1952/54 a total of 1000 sets (in the documentation „Funkstationen der Armee“, a number of 1435 units at a price of 1'800.- Fr. each) was acquired, the equipment was in use between 1952/77 mainly with the infantry units.