I will be documenting the reconstruction of the radio shack here as it progresses. The small log cabin (located on a farm close to Underberg, South Africa) will be equipped with WW2 receivers and transmitters, these are all fully functional and are of the type used for radio interception purposes and communication during and after WW2. Included are British R206 (MkI) receivers, American AR88 (RCA) and Hallicrafters SX28 receivers as well as Collins equipment. Transmitters used were manufactured by Standard Electric, (two ITG200's), RCA and Collins. After the war, the station expanded a bit and included a larger, more powerful transmitter (DWS MK214D) built by the UK's Diplomatic Wireless Service (500 watt CW/ 350 watt AM) and eventually two KW Electronics transmitters (SSB 5 kW). These could be operated at selected power levels by varying the drive and power amplifier screen and anode voltages. Details of these radio transmitters can be found at Radio equipment and Radio details downloads, the reader should browse around a bit using the top and drop-down menus.

The main purposes of this radio station were to relay radio messages during difficult ionospheric propagation conditions, create bogus messages with the intent to confuse and deceive the enemy and to mimic either allied or axis radio operators, with the purpose to thwart radio direction finding attempts and spread disinformation respectively. They also transmitted reports concerning enemy activities and supported the escape of civilians through Switzerland. At times, portable equipment was used in an effort to mislead enemy radio direction finding efforts. These excursions were physically arduous and demanded extreme effort from the operator, both physically and mentally; portable equipment in those days were quite bulky and heavy, and often times supplying power to the radio transmitter/receiver was a major part of the challenge.  

During the war, they succeeded to infiltrate the Deutscher Amateur-Sende- und Empfangsdienst (DASD). Operators of the  Luven radio station  thought that the continuation of German radio amateur activity during the war was highly suspicious. Most other countries involved in the war had closed down all radio amateur transmitting activities. They found that the DASD had a different purpose during WW2 than just allowing hobbyists to continue albeit in a semi-controlled manner.   

Towards the end of 1959, the station was also used to conduct scientific research by creating maps of ionospheric propagation; this was done through monitoring remote stations and logging the strength of a single, short pulse, unmodulated carrier wave transmitted from a known position on a specified frequency. The returns sounded similar to a station tuning its transmitter for 3 seconds and then shutting down. A small network of radio amateurs  participated in this experiment. The network received instructions in the format of an array of groups of five numerals. It probably could pass as a "numbers station" even though the instructions were not enciphered and with a bit of effort could be read by anyone (and probably were).

This secret radio station is not documented in any official document of either England, the USA or Switzerland. During WW2 Switzerland was neutral, but then neutral has a colour of its own. It was after all, a secret radio station, and this is a story, and due to Switzerland's official neutral status, very few Swiss nationals knew of the station. Switzerland's neutrality has been questioned at many levels, but there is no doubt that the Swiss involved in this station did not support invasion of Switzerland and would fight to the death to prevent the success of any German invasion such as planned in Operation Tannenbaum. 

This station stayed behind after WW2, and from that perspective was the only true "stay-behind" radio station, especially if one considers the "Cold War" as just the aftermath of WW2. Other stations followed throughout Europe, Germany, Italy, Norway, Denmark, France, Belgium, Sweden, and so on. This was the only multinational station. The "Staybehind" networks were disbanded in the early 1990's due to political pressure. Well, that is the official version anyway, as if world peace has now been guaranteed by the politicians.

Of course, as is clear (or not so clear) from the title of the book, the key of the messenger is a Morse key used in continuous wave (CW) telegraphy. However, not all radio communication from this station was done by CW. Amplitude modulation (AM) was also used throughout its existence and from the late 1950's single sideband (SSB) was used as well following the installation of two Collins KWS-1 transmitters. These were augmented during the 1960's and early 1970's by Collins S-line equipment and two 5 kW Granger Associates, Model 272-6 SSB transmitters, constructed by KW Electronics of the UK (founded by Major Rowley Shears G8KW and Ken Ellis G5KW). Fact or fiction? The reader will have to decide.

This website will be updated on a regular basis as the project progresses, and I may even add snippets from the book, at least some of the pictures and perhaps some other details. So, make sure you visit the site regularly as it is bound to change. A monthly update (or best effort to!) is made on the refurbishment page.