Submitted by C.Yeung, Public Programs Assistant

Thank you to our wonderful community partners the Richmond Amateur Radio Club and the Richmond Museum who shared their fascinating knowledge and wartime technologies at Dots + Dashes + Radio Waves: A Look into Wartime Communications on Saturday, August 20th! Through Dots + Dashes + Radio Waves, program partners, volunteers, and enthusiastic visitors came together to bring the Women on the Homefront exhibit to life, with two-way radio exchanges between young novices and expert operators, curious Morse code key tapping, excited clacking on manual typewriters, and quiet sit-ins on radio dramas from the 40’s.

When first developed in the 1940’s, two way radio played a major strategic role in WWII communications. Today, with improvements to signal clarity and transmission power, these radios continue to be used by the Richmond Amateur Radio Club as they support the City of Richmond’s Emergency Programs and community events like Dots + Dashes + Radio Waves, where they can promote the importance of radios in the modern age. As visitors eagerly sat down to try out the radios, members of the Richmond Amateur Radio Club proudly recounted a past contribution to the Amateur Radio International Space Station event at H.R. Cambie Secondary, in which they set-up a special radio that allowed high school students to speak with an astronaut in space.

Thank you to the Richmond Museum for loaning us the fantastic Underwood manual typewriter, and to all the visitors who left these fun messages! Some of my favourites include: “My favourite kind of communication is singing” and “i love you mom”. As well, for visitors who enjoyed the program, we are excited to announce that the radio drama broadcasts will become a regular part of Women on the Homefront until May, so please drop by and have a listen!

Gulf of Georgia Cannery Blog, clear!

Posted by m.horita

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