German Field Line Communication
equipment of WW 2
Funksammler Publications
German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
FF 33 Field telephone
Development and description
The development of field
telephone equipment started
in the late 19th century and by
the time of the First World
War the basic design features
of field telephones were well
established with the
ArmeeFernsprecher Alter Art
and the later FF 16 and 17
models. “FF” stands for
“Feld Fernsprecher” or field
telephone. These telephones
were locally powered by a
battery (this mode of
operation was called “OB” or
“Ortsbatterie Betreib”).
Figure 2: Armee Fernsprecher Alter Art
Locally powered networks were
commonplace during the early
years of the telephone but in the
beginning of the 20th century,
public networks increasingly
used central powered systems
(the power for the microphones
is provided over the phone line
from a central power supply. In
Germany this was called a
“Zentralbatterie Betrieb” (ZB)
system. For field use however,
locally powered telephones
remained the norm of many
years.
Figure 1: FF 16
As public telephone systems
developed with a variety of
operating principles, additional
features were found to be
necessary such as an automatic
end-pulse when the handset was
replaced, ability to connect a
dialling disk etc. This resulted
in the rather complex FF 26
model.
Figure 3: FF 26
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
When the Nazi’s
came to power, a
rapid expansion of
the armed forces
was anticipated and
so in 1933 the
Feldfernsprecher 33
was developed,
essentially a “back
to basics” model
modernised to suit
mass production.
The earlier wood
was replaced by a
rugged moulded
bakelite housing.
The components of Figure 4: Early FF 33 phone. Note the plated metal parts
the field telephone
(bell, generator, microphone transformer and connections etc.) were placed on a metal
frame which could be lifted out of the housing giving easier access for maintenance.
Complicated components such as buzzers, end-pulse switches, external battery
connections etc. were omitted to keep production and operation as simple as possible.
Connections for the handset, headset and
the telephone cables were accessible on the
top panel of the telephone, with the battery
being accessed via a hinged lid connected
to the top panel.
The bakelite housing cover could be closed
over the top panel to protect the telephone
from rain and dirt, a rubber seal on the
edge of
the lid
Figure 5: Connection panel allowed
the lid
to be closed on the cables. Two rotating metal
covers closed off holes in the side of the housing
for the generator handle and the two connection
sockets for the interconnection cord. A bracket on
opposite sides of the housing allowed a carrying
strap to be connected.
To avoid the battery of an OB system from
discharging unnecessarily the battery is normally
switched off and will only work when a
microphone switch is depressed. To avoid the
batteries from short circuiting when two or more
OB phones are used in a single circuit, the
microphone circuit is not directly connected to the
phone line, but via a microphone transformer
(“Sprechspule”). Figure 6: Battery
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
Figure 7: Current flow in a one line system
The FF 33 telephone has two line terminals marked “La” (“Leitung a” or line a) and
“Lb/E” (“Leitung b / Erde” or line b / earth). The German army often used single wire
connections with the other terminal connected to earth.
The upside is that a single cable connection only uses half the wire required for a
double connection, making it cheaper and easier to build; the downside is that the
return current flows through the earth, making it easier to intercept. For this reason
telephone connections within 3 km of the front line had to be executed as double cable
connections.
Sometimes during 1939 the type of microphone
used in the FF 33 handset was changed. The
lower impedance microphone required a different
microphone transformer. New FF 33’s can be
recognised by a green stripe on the writing tab on
top of the bakelite lid. The new microphones also
have a green cross marking. Also around this
time the finish of metal part was changed from a
lacquered alloy to black painted steel.
Figure 8: New microphone and green
markings
Most existing
FF 33’s were
modified to
the new
standard as
very few
examples with
the old
microphone
coil and a non
green striped
writing tab
survive.
Figure 9: Model 1939 FF33. Note black painted metalwork
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
In 1943 the FF
33 was slightly
modified again
to simplify
production. The
stamped metal
frame was
lightened by and
spot welded
rather than
riveted. The
bracket to hold
the crank handle
in place when
stored was
replaced by a
simple stamped
notch. The
Figure 10: Late war 1943 model FF 33. Note changed line connections and inside side
the yellow painted metalwork covers were
omitted. The
line terminal contacts
were changed to a new
type using less metal.
Towards the end of the
war, “Dunkelgelb” (dark
yellow) paint was
increasingly used to paint
metal components.
Figure 11: Kriegsmarine version of the FF 33
The Kriegsmarine (the German
Navy) had use for a special version
of the FF 33 equipped with the
Navy four pin headset connection.
The Navy headsets were designed
for use in high noise environments
and would keep the hands free. In
these headsets, the Navy four pin
socket was placed on the outside of
the bakelite housing.
A short adapter cable connected
Figure 12: Kriegsmarine headset adapter cable this outside plug to the normal five
pin socket inside.
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
A different microphone transformer was required for use with the navy headsets, to
distinguish the navy modified FF 33’s they were marked with a yellow stripe on the
writing tab.
Some of the FF 33 Manufacturers are:
1 Ferdinand Schuchhardt, Berliner Fernsprech- und Berlin
telegraphhenwerk AG
2 ber Friedrich Reiner Telefonfabrik Muenchen
3 Richard Bosse & Co Berlin
4 Eumig, Electrizitäts- und Metallwaren Industrie Wien
5 bxf/eaa Telefonbau & Normalzeit GmbH Frankfurt/Main
6 bI Radio A. Mende & Co Dresden
7 dej Siemens & Halske AG Berlin
8 fsh/fsc MK, Mikrofona Brueder Knotek Prag
9 Mix & Genest Berlin
10 Erka, Rudolf Krueger Telegraphen Bauanstalt Berlin
11 Hagenuk Kiel
12 Stöcker & Co. Leipzig
13 Badische Telefonbau Renchen
14 Kapsch
15 Friedrich Merk Telefonbau München
16 SABA
17 Süddeutsche Apparate Fabrik GmbH Nürnberg
18 Heliowatt Werke Elektrizitätswerke AG Schweidnitz
19 Neufeld & Kuhnke GmbH Kiel
20 STE Societe des Telephones Ericsson SA Paris
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Figure 13: FF 33 Schematics
The schematics show the different variations of the FF 33. The key difference is in
the microphone transformer, whose resistance values are shown. Note how the
microphone circuit has moved to the secondary side of the transformer on the
“Greenstripe” model.
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
Construction
Figure 14: FF 33 front view
14a Writing tab (details like the 14b Alphabet tag 14g Interconnection socket
station name or the station 14c cable rubbers cover
name on the other end of 14d top lock 14h Carrying strap brackets
the line could be written on 14e bottom lock
this tab with pencil) 14f Bell sound passages
Figure 15: FF 33 casing
15a Overview schematic 15c Handset spring 15e generator crack hole and
15b Wiring diagram 15d Mounting brackets cover
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
Figure 16: FF 33 handset
16a 5-Pin plug 16e Microphone cap 16i Speaker cap
16b Cable 16f Microphone cap lock ring 16j Microphone switch
16c Microphone contacts 16g Speaker contacts
16d Microphone 16h Speaker
Figure 17: FF 33 telephone unit
17a Battery lid 17g Lb/E connection 17l Battery box
17b 5-Pin handset socket 17h La connection 17m Interconnection cable
17c Handset socket pin 17i 2-Pin headset socket sockets
17d Test button 17j Generator crank storage 17n Bell sound passages
17e Recess for handset 17k Manufacturer, serial 17o Removable side panel
17f Housing locking screws number and date area 17p Side panel locking pin
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
Figure 18: FF 33 unit internal front view
18a Battery box 18d Microphone transformer 18f Wiring loom
18b Battery terminals 18e Interconnection cable 18g Ringtone generator
18c Battery spring sockets 18h Generator crack connection
Figure 19: FF 33 unit internal back view
19a Microphone transformer 19d Bell yoke frequency ringing current
19b Test button contacts 19e Bell coils flowing through the speaker
19c Bells (When the top screw is 19f Generator switch coil and the speaker)
slackened, the bells can be 19g Capacitor blocks
rotated to adjust) (preventing the low
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
Figure 20: FF 33 accessories
20a Carrying strap 20d Battery (Element d) 20g Interconnection cord
20b Connection lug 20e Earth pin
20c Hook for handset 20f Earth pin carrying sheath
Operation
The minimal equipment needed to operate the field telephones are two FF 33 (or
compatible) phones, two wires and two 1.5 V batteries.
• Place the phone on a suitable surface, take the generator handle from its
storage and connect it to the generator.
• Connect the
batteries the battery
terminals (polarity is
not critical).
• Connect one wire
between the “La”
connections of both
phones and the other
between the “Lb/E”
connections. The
normal mode of
transmission by the
German Forces was
Figure 21: FF 33 Battery connection a single wire with
return via earth; in
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
this case the “Lb/E” terminal would be connected to an earth pick on each
side.
• Uncoil the handset lead and place all the wires and leads on the rubber strips
• Close the lid and place the handset crosswise on top of the telephone.
Alternatively the phone can be hung from a nail or tree branch using the
carrying strap. In this case the handset is hung from the hook on the carrying
strap.
Figure 22: FF 33 connected and ready to use. Note the generator handle attached through the
side and the connected carrying strap. The phone could be hung from the shoulder or a branch
and the handset could be hung from the hook visible on the strap.
When the generator handle of one phone is cranked, the bell of the other phone should
ring. The bell of the own telephone can be tested by depressing the white test button
while turning the crank (a single telephone can also be tested in this way by shorting
the La and Lb/E terminals).
When speaking in the
handset the microphone
switch has to be depressed.
The voice should be heard
back in the own handset and
should be heard through the
handset on the other end of
the line. Both parties can
depress the microphone
switch and speak and listen
simultaneously as with
normal telephones.
Figure 23: Alphabet table and painted warning "Feind hört
mit!"
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German Field Line Communication Equipment of WW2©
When using field telephones it must be assumed that the message can be overheard by
the enemy (“Feind hört mit!”), so messaging discipline is required by using
appropriate codes for names and locations. For weak signals and noisy backgrounds
the spelling alphabet printed on the top of the lid can be used to spell out messages.
On ending the telephone call the receiver shall be replaced and the generator should
be cranked with three short movements. This “calling-off” procedure is particularly
important when connected via telephone switchboards.
The signal will grow weaker as the line connection between telephones gets longer.
The maximum range will depend on type of cable and how the connection is built.
The following table gives an idea of the ranges achieved between two FF 33 field
telephones.
Line lying on ground Line suspended high Double line
Light field cable 3 – 5 km 10 -20 km -
Heavy field cable 10 - 12 km 50 - 60 km 30 -40 km
Long range cable - - 40 - 48 km
without Pupin coils
Long range cable with - - 100 - 120
Pupin coils km
Figure 24: Two FF 33's connected by the interconnection cable
FF 33 field telephones can be interconnected via the interconnection sockets on the
side to form a makeshift telephone switchboard. Each FF 33 comes equipped with an
interconnection cable that can be placed between two local phones. When so
connected, the two separate field telephone lines can communicate. Several field
telephones can be interconnected in this way.
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