Glad to hear that morse is stil in everday use! I spotted a 4 band radio with a SW facility recently but did not buy it! I must dash out and get it, that's if I can remeber where I saw it! it was interesting to read about the true origins of "morse" code!
I was one of the pilots on a Nimrod that was launched on Search and Rescue duties following (one of?) the last MAYDAY messages sent on morse. On 4 Feb 1994 the MV Christaniki sank in the South West Approaches with the loss of all hands. Roxy
My mate Tim Bloor was the Op who took the Mayday issued by the Nimrod when its fuse panel caught fire, as the aircraft flew near to the Azores back in the Eighties! He was based at MHQ Mount Wise in the Plymouth Rescue W/T office but it came in on R/T on 5860Khz What made it interesting, was that Tim was at the time, a LAC Teleg, and a SAC Telecoms Op was at the console. The latter was one of the first of the new breed designed to takeover from Telegs, to replace one trade they created two new trades! However, the SAC froze and Tim had to take down the message on the Tote board with a chinagraph! Shortly afterwards Tim lerft the RAF n disgust! What made matters worse, the SAC had been posted to Marince Craft at Mount Batten, but was not morse trained, someone at PMC had cocked it up! And so I received a call in the W/T office asking if I wanted to go on the boats! The rest as they say, is history. But in Matelo at Pitreavie castle, we used to work Nimrods, Atlantics and P3C Orion in Morse. The best for morse was the Vulcan AEO's. MHQ Nordholtz, at the time was only available in CW and RATT. MHQ Stavanger also prefered using morse. The yanks, called it "code" or CW and did not lke using it! I remeber one occasion, we lost comms with C/S BC3D a Kinloss nimrod out in the north atlantic tracking a soviet sub tranisiting the Iceland Faroes gap. As it was a nightshift, I volunteered to work him, eventually I was broadcasting on LF RATT and HF W/T and R/T, at about 0200, the Deputy Ops Controller came down and said that, "if no contact within a hour, then it would be declared missing. SAR proceedures woukld then apply"! About 0240, a very faint morse signal came in and it was the nimrod! Eventually, after a lot of working, I passed a signal to the a/c and got a "ops normal" from him! It was rushed to Ops! A few weeks later, i went to Kef on a Nimrod and in the Top of the Rock bar after landing i was talking to F/sgt Brain Johnstone who was a AEop on the crew. it turned out that it was that particular crew (crew2 120 Sqn) who was in BC3D and that Brian was the radio Op! we spent sometime discussing the matter and who grateful we both were to hear each other in morse!
Morse, My Dad used to work comms at Pitreavie Castle (and latterly at RAF Kinloss). He was a member of 2 MHU (RAuxAF)from 1955 - 1997; he joined after leaving the regulars: he was most proud of his 'lightning strike' badge. Roxy PS we still use 5680!
Morse I was a RN radio operator and used to enjoy using Morse. Unlike the RATT cct's you could communicate through a hell of a lot of interference. So when they knock out the satellites from the sky they may find that they were a tad premature in abandoning it. I was based at MHQ Pitreavie in 1980 and worked Morse on SCCN (E). Happy days! Regards Hugh
I take it you were in the Ship room? I was up in Bldg 118, on the Marnet ccts, working the Fishery protection Ships until Aug 1980!
Hello Morse, Yes, I was in the Ship room. I have just checked my service record and was there November 1979 - March 1980. 1983/84 at CMCM/CFP (Capt Mine Countermeasures Vessels/Capt Fishery Protection) based in the RN Dockyard. Can't believe it was 28 years ago. Regards Hugh
I was in Matelo from dec 76 to nov 78 then bldg 118 to aug 1980! Yes! its hard to believe, I recently visited Pitreavie and there is very few recognisable landmarks, its now a housing estate and they are turning the Big house into flats!
What a great thread this is. I love reading about past memories of events that people have been involved in.
Sad to hear MHQ Pitreavie is no more. I am a little out of touch now but what location has taken over its role? Regards Hugh
Thanks, Morse, I was based at Northwood during May - Sept 1979. HMS WARRIOR another joint RN/RAF Comcen. In fact many of the Comcens were joint RN and RAF. Regards Hugh
.. .-.. . .- .-. -. - -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. .. -. ..- -. .. ...- . .-. ... .. - -.-- - --- --. . - -- -.-- .... .- -- .-. .- -.. .. --- - .. -.-. -.- . - -. . . -.. - --- .-- --- .-. -.- --- -. .. - ! I think it took out my spaces? .. / .-.. . .- .-. -. - / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. / .. -. / ..- -. .. ...- . .-. ... .. - -.-- / - --- / --. . - / -- -.-- / .... .- -- / .-. .- -.. .. --- / - .. -.-. -.- . - -. . . -.. - --- / .-- --- .-. -.- / --- -. .. - !
"I learnt morse code in university to get my ham radio ticket need to work on it" .......................................................................................................... Needed the specs to copy it - give me sound or light anyday. What speeds did you need to reach to get your amateur radio ticket? Regards Hugh
