{{Use American English|date=October 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} The '''SCR-299''' was a U.S. Signal Corps mobile military communications unit used during World War II.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Preview: MiniArt's 1/35th scale US Army Radio Set SCR-299... |url=https://www.themodellingnews.com/2024/07/preview-miniarts-135th-scale-us-army.html |access-date=2024-12-18}}</ref> [[File:Scr299.png|thumb|CCKW truck shelter-mounted version of the SCR-299, the SCR-399]]

==History== [[File:Normandy.jpg|thumb|left|Hallicrafters SCR-299 ad c. 1944, depicting DUKW mounted SCR-399 version]] The SCR-299 "mobile communications unit" was developed to provide long-range communications during World War II. The US Military sought improvements of range, flexibility and durability over its existing SCR-197 and SCR-597 transmitters. In 1942, Hallicrafters Standard HT-4 was selected as the SCR-299's transmitter, known subsequently by its military designation as the BC-610. The SCR-299 was first used on 8 November 1942 during Operation TORCH involving companies of the 829th Signal Service Battalion establishing a radio net that could exchange messages between beach-landed forces and bases in Gibraltar. Despite initial problems unloading the sets from convoy ships, the SCR-299s served until the installation of permanent Army Command and Administrative Network stations.<ref>[http://assets.mediaspanonline.com/prod/1857873/fhs_01222009A20.pdf Fort Huachuca Scout, 22 January 2009. Signal Corps carries the Torch, by Kristen Gregan, NETCOM Historical Staff]</ref> According to US Army military historians, "General Dwight Eisenhower credited the SCR-299 in his successful reorganization of the American forces and final defeat of the Nazis at Kasserine Pass."<ref name="army.mil">[http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/ac/WWII/SCR299.asp ''The SCR-299, United States Army Signal Center, Fort Gordon, GA''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105221519/http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/ac/WWII/SCR299.asp |date=2010-01-05 }}</ref>

[[File:SCR-299dooropen.jpg|thumb|SCR-299 housed in K-51 panel van]] The range of the SCR-299 exceeded original specifications, sometime establishing contact over {{convert|2300|mi|km}}.<ref>[http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/ac/WWII/SCR299.asp The SCR299, Army Communicator United States Army Signal Center, Fort Gordon, GA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105221519/http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/ac/WWII/SCR299.asp |date=2010-01-05 }}</ref>

The SCR-299 provided reliable communications with England during the North African campaign, and in Normandy on D-Day, served as a connection between two airborne divisions with Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0bRaa7UuD6EC|title=The Library of Congress World War II Companion|first=David M.|last=Kennedy|date=2 October 2007|publisher=Simon and Schuster|via=Google Books}}</ref> The SCR-299 was also used in the invasion of Sicily and the Allied invasion of Italy.<ref name="army.mil"/>

War correspondents and press reporters frequently made use of the SCR-299 and SCR-399. Access to the sets was provided to them by US Second Army and US Third Army Group Communications Teams, and in one instance, the SCR-399 became the only means of getting press copy direct to London.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/normandy/TS/SC/SC3.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802084641/http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/normandy/TS/SC/SC3.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 August 2012|title=Normandy - The Technical Services : Signal Corps|publisher=}}</ref>

In 1944, a short subject film was produced by the Jam Handy Organization and sponsored by the Hallicrafters Company that showed the construction of the SCR-299 and dramatized its use during World War II.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/VoiceofV1944|title=Voice of Victory (Part I)|first=|last=Handy (Jam) Organization|date=1 January 1944|publisher=|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/VoiceofV1944_2|title=Voice of Victory (Part II)|first=|last=Handy (Jam) Organization|date=1 January 1944|publisher=|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

Hallicrafters Company advertising of the period sometimes used illustrations of the shelter-mounted SCR-399 to describe the achievements of the SCR-299.<ref>Dachis, Chuck (1996). Radios By Hallicrafters. Schiffer Publishing, Atglen (USA).</ref> {{-}} ==Specifications== thumb|SCR-299 interior operators desk and gear, from Hallicrafters ad, 1942

*Transmitter: BC-610 plus BC-614 (speech amplifier), BC-729 (tuning unit) and BC-211 (frequency meter) *Transmitter output power: 350 watts. *Receivers: BC-312 and BC-342 *Frequency coverage: HF from 2 to 8 MHz (and 1–18&nbsp;MHz using conversion kits) *Power supply: 2000 watts, with additional 1500 watts for heater and lights supplied by PE-95 (power unit) on K-52 "Ben-Hur" style trailer. Optional 12 volt storage battery, or 115 volt 60 cycle AC commercial power and two spare 6 volt storage batteries *SCR-299 housing: K-51 van truck *SCR-399 housing: HO-17 shelter mountable on 2{{frac|1|2}}-ton trucks. *SCR-499 housing: air-transportable *Frequency Conversion Kit MC-503: coverage down to 1&nbsp;MHz. *Frequency Conversion Kit MC-516: coverage to 12&nbsp;MHz *Frequency Conversion Kit MC-517: coverage to 18&nbsp;MHz. *Antennas: {{convert|9|ft|m|adj=on}} whip antenna (receiver), {{convert|15|ft|m|adj=on}} whip antenna (transmitter). Optional {{convert|21|ft|m|abbr=on}} whip antenna while stationary or {{convert|45|ft|m|abbr=on}} auxiliary wire antenna for 2.0 to 4.5&nbsp;MHz coverage.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20021119010103/http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/Museum/ScrComponents/scrPart2.asp Directory Of Components, The SCR299, Army Communicator United States Army Signal Center, Fort Gordon, GA]</ref> *Remote control: field telephones, control boxes and cable.<ref>[https://archive.today/20021203005627/http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/Museum/AMC/radio2.asp Fort Gordon Museum, Transportable Sets]</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20090529222507/http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/museum/scrcomponents/scrPart2.asp Fort Gordon Museum]</ref>

==See also== *ARC-5 *BC-348 *BC-654 *BC-610 *Collins Radio *Hallicrafters SX-28 *M-209 *R-390A *SCR-300 *SCR-536 *Signal Corps Radio *Wireless Set No. 19 *List of U.S. Signal Corps Vehicles

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

==References== * [https://www.scribd.com/doc/246660060/TM-11-227-RADIO-COMMUNICATION-EQUIPMENT-APRIL-1944 TM 11-227], 10 April 1944 * TM 11-280-B * [https://www.scribd.com/doc/251665566/TM-11-487-OCTOBER-1944 TM 11-487] Oct. 1944, page 406

==External links== * [http://www.eht.com/oldradio/arrl/2004-04/April-2004.htm Hallicrafters HT-4, to War and home again] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100105221519/http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/ac/WWII/SCR299.asp The SCR299, Army Communicator United States Army Signal Center, Fort Gordon, GA] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100413132056/http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/museum/equipment.asp SCR and BC list] * [https://www.realmilitaryflix.com/public/695.cfm US Army training film featuring K-55 trailer and SCR-299] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090621085147/http://jptronics.org/radios/Military/JANAP161/ Directory of Communications Electronic Equipment] * [http://jptronics.org/radios/Military/JANAP161/an.gcgrt/an.grt-type.bc-610.pdf BC-610 data sheet] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TURd_XVpwvk Voice of victory]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scr-299}} Category:Military radio systems of the United States Category:World War II American electronics Category:Military electronics of the United States Category:Military equipment introduced from 1940 to 1944