Morse code beeps back into business

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Sat, 13 Mar 2010 5:17p.m.

When the tsunami struck Samoa, the Civil Defense were able to gather information from morse coders

When the tsunami struck Samoa, the Civil Defense were able to gather information from morse coders

By Melissa Davies

Forget Facebook and Twitter, morse code is on a comeback.  

A law change has opened up a radio frequency band so that hobby operators around the country can again communicate in dashes and dots.

There were a few last minute nerves in preparation for a sound that hasn't been heard in New Zealand for 15 years.

Ramon Chandler began his morse code career sending messages for the Wanganui Telegraph in the 1940s.  

“It's my second language I guess you could say,” he says.

A language he can now revive since a radio frequency for morse code was re-opened this month.

The news has excited Musick Point radio club members, who on their maiden transmission got a reply from two other hobbyists in Waimauku and Whangarei.

“I think it's bringing history back...which is what we should do,” says amateur radio operator Ian Walker.

While more enthusiasts are going retro and getting morse equipment set up in their homes, modern satellite radio has a much longer reach.

When the tsunami struck Samoa, club members just happened to be listening and were able to gather information for Civil Defence.

But the communication system is mostly used for friendly chatter.

Once two operators have spoken to each other from across the world a card is then sent to confirm that communication has taken place - like a postcard from around the world.

Mr Walker says there are however conversation rules.

“You don't talk about religion, you don't talk about politics. Anything else is open game,” he says.

You could say it is the morse code of conduct.

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Comments

17 Mar 2011 10:34a.m.

SQ9IVD wrote:

Morse code is an essence of ham radio. 73!

21 Mar 2010 10:23a.m.

Robert wrote:

It's good to see that reporters in other countries are no more accurate than those in the USA. As the subject of a feature article or two in local weeklies and the major daily in these parts (Philadelphia, PA, USA) I find from experience that anything with the slightest bit of technical detail is beyond the grasp of the average reporter. For them, it all about "the story", not the facts, nor the details that bring accurate meaning to the story. I wonder how reporter Roy Neal, K6DUE would have written this story.

17 Mar 2010 04:43p.m.

george. boorer wrote:

Presentation was good. But its the start of a new Amateur band in NZ. Morse has been going since year 0ne of radio and has never stopped on Amateur Bands. I set up gear for 600m to receive transmission on 512 khz but nil copy in Timaru. There will be a night time test later using sky wave propagation.George 73

16 Mar 2010 04:27a.m.

Scott W5ESE wrote:

I enjoyed the article, but it was inaccurate. Of course, it's the 600m wavelength that has been opened to NZ amateurs; the use of radiotelegraphy has continued to be in use on the MF, HF, VHF, and UHF wavelengths without interruption. Congratulations to the NZ amateurs; I hope this becomes a permanent, as well as primary allocation for radio amateurs. 73 DE W5ESE

16 Mar 2010 01:35a.m.

Bud wrote:

Story missed the point. You must thought it was somethign it wasn't--a story for the popular press. Probably confused by the fact that these frequencies used to be used by Morse Code operators at sea. Morse has never left the radio bands.

15 Mar 2010 12:38p.m.

V wrote:

Wonder how the SIS will censor this!.

15 Mar 2010 09:54a.m.

Linley Kennett wrote:

Among many highlights, as XYL of silent key ZL1BEB, I shared in the excitement and wonder of communicating by morse, via a home built rig running 2.5 watts, between Cape Brett Lighthouse and Tanana Alaska 1967. -.-. --.-

15 Mar 2010 07:03a.m.

Joe in Canada wrote:

Talk about lack of research.

14 Mar 2010 07:38a.m.

Martyn Seay wrote:

Great to have some publicity for the group at Musick Point a very historic radio station, an engineering icon which needs protection for future generations to see. Morse code ("CW" = continuous wave) has never been out of use by radio amateurs, many enjoy the "original digital" mode of communication, its a skill that has its own reward, rather like playing a piano. We owe Ian a debt of gratitude for preserving Musick Point and promoting the reopening of the historic 500kHz marine band for amateur use and development. de ZL3CK

13 Mar 2010 09:56p.m.

Lee Jennings ZL2AL wrote:

Your story includes the line "There were a few last minute nerves in preparation for a sound that hasn't been heard in New Zealand for 15 years." This statement of course, is grossly inaccurate as there are at least 500 Amateur radio operators in New Zealand that use the morse code daily to communicate around NZ and the world as I have done for the past 57 years. Radio amateurs (Hams) in New Zealand have been using morse code to communicate since the early 1920s. Thank you for running the story on radio but I wish that you had checked your facts before you published the article.