This 6 channel crystal controlled radio was in use from the late 1970's until the early '90s when the Police UHF network moved from the 450MHz "C" band to the 485 MHz "F" band . The T196B was mainly used as a portable base station (pictured) and in command vehicles for communication with RCA Tactec portables. They were also used in Dog and Rural patrol units in conjunction with Tait VHF T182 Maxiphones and linking equipment to provide VHF/UHF crossband repeaters.

A frequency synthesised version of the UHF Miniphone (the T496) providing 99 channel capability was introduced with the change to the 485MHz band in the early 1990s