1939 Film: New Zealand Shortwave Communications; Morse code (CW)

The romance of the radiotelegraph service. This service utilized the high frequency spectrum known as "shortwave" (from 3 MHz up to 30 MHz) as well as the longwave and medium frequency spectrum (below 3 MHz). This is a short film about communication to and from New Zealand on these shortwaves, using Morse code (eventually, using CW modulation). This film is a 1939 Government film scanned to 2K from a 16mm combined B/W reduction print. It is from ArchivesNZ ( / archivesnz ) and is licensd under Creative Commons Attribution, reuse allowed.

[@W6IWN_Radio]

Thanks for the great historical video on CW! Such an important communication mode.

[@neilharrison7555]

Wonderful old insight. I was a Radio Officer deep sea for over 25 years. Always enjoyed working the Kiwi stations, especially ZLB/Awaruaradiio. Managed to get probably my furthest QSO ever to him from just South of Land's End on 22mhz mid-morning my time. Things were a bit quiet for both of us, so we had a wee chat about rugby! They were most definitely good days, when 2 skilled communications experts could send/receive messages over great distances. Happy days, and 73's to all ex-Radio Officers both afloat and from the Coast Radio Stations.

[@bazza945]

Don't think that was me, I know nothing about rugby. However, I did work one of those large fishing trawlers near Greenland. Two large deadspots for radio reception, towards South Africa across the southern latitudes and another was about 1 week sailing on the Pacific side from Panama towards NZ.

[@user-bo8eq7ki5w]

73 ! Mr. marine radio ofiser

[@bazza945]

Ex ZLB 1964 - 91 (Close down.) Great memories.

[@boyojunior]

Ditto for furthest QSO I think - was on British gas tanker MV Lord Kelvin / GXAW and QSO'd ZLB from just inside the Med east of Gibraltar, sending him an "AMVER" - on 12mhz IIRC but not 100% sure. Long time ago...

[@nigelholmes9332]

8:13 power supplies: minor HT (2x 866), major HT (3-ph 6x 866 + standby) the latter faithfully reflecting the morse in a soft aqua glow

[@briangallagher7776]

Very nostalgic as I worked at ZLW Wellington Radio in the late fiftes/early sixties and some of this gear was still there then.I loved this job.

[@bazza945]

I visited ZLW early 1964, when on my NZPO radio telegraphist training course. I graduated later in the year and ended up at ZLB, then a seven month stint at ZLC Chatham Islands Radio, then back to ZLB.

[@bwtv147]

The brought up a memory. In 1980 I contacted the radio station on the Queen Mary. The ship was in Long Beach California. The amateur radio station aboard was W6RO operated by the Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach Inc.

[@bazza945]

I worked GBTT/Queen Mary sometime in 1965 from ZLB. It was just a Travel Report, but quite a thrill. Her callsign was then transferred to the new Queen Elizabeth 2, which I worked in 1967, off the Azores. The next Trans-Atlantic liner I worked was SS France/FNRR when she did a voyage out to NZ, I forget the year. Sadly, all the ships I worked 1964-91, are probably all razor blades by now.

[@anthonymokelkie9360]

Theres some die hard ham operators yet. Cw and tubes and tube radio art. Long live radio. Long live cw great film thanks. Tony ve4akf.

[@richarddowney1972]

Thanks for this very interesting film. New Zealand, East Coast USA, Britain, France, etc. it is a fine documentary of marine SW CW radio circa 1939. A wonderful epoch, alas long gone...except on film or in personal memoires. 73

[@adelarsen9776]

That's brilliant. Thanks for posting. I really liked this video.

[@deaustin4018]

I always keep at least one HF rig with CW key in good working order. Hey, after 2020 - ya never know.

[@hectorvazquez7929]

Love the tuning coil receiver.

[@boland1914]

Nice upload thanks

[@khalidjaved8565]

Lovely remembering days

[@douglaskim7197]

This film was remember the long time is a go,there been to contact sent the message to Welington Radio Station, ZLW, thank you for this film, cheers 73,,de ZL2PIH,

[@Tahii]

Awesome video. I note the message said Awarua Radio(ZLB), yet it went out by ZLW, I suppose they didn't have continuity people back then!

[@bazza945]

My only visit to ZLW was in 1964, I was on the radio operator training course at Trentham Camp, NZPO Accommodation Centre. February through to Sept or Oct. Afterwards transferred to ZLB Awarua Radio. Learned the trade on second phones with an experienced operator. Lots of stories to tell. I was the first radio operator to work the TEV Wahine as she had just left the UK bound for NZ. The Wahine had not been allocated a British radio callsign, so we just used Wahine instead. More to the Wahine story later...

[@joebidet1330]

I took arrival watch 1992 Valdez Alaska I heard ZLA 500 khz Clear and strong over 6000 Miles away Amazing

[@sungsikjang7727]

Thank you so much for posting nice video. It is impressive. De 6K2JGZ

[@ronanzann4851]

As he sits there comfortably reading his miraculous radio telegram he asks the passing purser: "I say"...excuse me sir, could you tell me what this means...Torpedo impact imminent !!!

[@georgegeorgescu5482]

Nice! Thanks!

[@qmsarge]

Interesting video. What was the speed of the morse code messages? In India telegrams generally had a bad reputation - it was considered as harbinger of bad news.

[@joebidet1330]

Usually 22 words per minute

[@idelta4730]

De DU9HLI 73 thank you for sharing.

[@scratchdog2216]

Amateur Radio Operators often set up at county fairs and take radiograms to send. Try it if you see one. Its a novel thing these days but still works. Better yet become a Amateur. Easy and lots of fun. Great post. Awesome old equipment. Thanx.

[@pitpenalley1728]

hello dear friends, please allow me to use small portions of the video for my content, thank you for understanding

[@alfamiki]

Nice 73 YT2MMM

[@thietoanthi9878]

how did you do it can you share with me , thank you

[@bazza945]

My old job, but not at ZLW.

[@andrewhowden5826]

beautiful ! de m0 mca

[@bazza945]

Bill Burt at ZLW????

[@Man0fMeans]

I didn’t hear any QRL?

[@Nw7usUs]

I don't know. Didn't you?

[@sp6ml]

de M0HDD tks fer posting 73 cu

[@fourfortyroadrunner6701]

"Dear Mary: We are sinking. Goodby, John"

[@mooiwiele]

Oooohhhh - 3:44: "Clicker" Morse...

[@mooiwiele]

Granted: "Clicker" isn't the international standard term - the GPO telegraphists in Namibia (then South West Africa), as well as south Africa, would refer to the Morse sounders as "Clickers." Vy 73!

[@PEDERSTEENBERG-nv2id]

WORLD WAR 2