If you ever—however unlikely it may be—find yourself wanting to acquire an analog field telephone for actual use, this guide is your friend.
Our lead contributor is a dedicated field telephone enthusiast. This guide is based on what might be the most comprehensive comparison of field telephones ever compiled.
If you already own a field telephone and it’s working fine—great! These things rarely break. But if you're having trouble with range or reliability, or if you're looking to get your first one, this guide is for you.
We prioritized:
A good field telephone should be lightweight yet rugged, reliable in tough conditions, and built to last.
The TA-1/PT is a U.S.-made, sound-powered device weighing just 1.3 kg. It’s not submersible but is weatherproof and extremely tough.
Need longer range or waterproofing? Go with the TP-6N, made in Norway.
The Swedish M/37 and its variants have seen widespread, decades-long use.
Also worth checking are some other East European and former Soviet models which may often be found at very good prices. Be aware that many require non-standard batteries.
The beauty of simple analog field telephones is their reliability. Most are still operational or easy to repair—and they work across different brands and types. Sound-powered and local-battery models interoperate seamlessly.
Pro tip: Check your grandpa’s or neighbor’s attic—you never know what gems are hiding.
Anything pre-1930. They're usually heavy, fragile, and more suited for collectors than real-world use (e.g., wooden cases, limited durability). Admire them, or become a collector yourself ;-).
This guide isn’t meant to be taken too seriously—but our recommendations are. Happy wiring!