RUSSIAN RADIO OPERATORS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26746, 2 June 1952, Page 6

RUSSIAN RADIO OPERATORS

AMATEURS SILENT FOR LAST IS MONTHS

The Iron Curtain seems to have descended on Russian amateur radio operatore, Who were up until 18 nionths ago among the iribst fefithUsigstic in thfe World. Amateur operators interviewed ih ChristChUtCH reflbht that although Rufisiati transmitters are Still on .the air they h 6 longer talk tb biitsidets; “We can heat ijtetfi talking among themselves, HUt they won't reply fd our signals,” said ohe enthusiast. Another ChristchUrcn, Bpfertitbt spdke with a Russian on December 19 test year, after a Silence of about 12 fiidhthfi. “But I’m hbt going to , get him IfitO trdUbte by giving His position or ?Call sign,” he jdid. , the Sow df (report) cards from Russia has alSd stopped. Froffi the end of the War uiitil 1900 Russian operators were feagfer to hiake contact with thfe otlfSide WOrtd. They were hbt, however, vefjr cotttaiunicdtive. “Usually all we .got out bf tfifein WOs hUllo and godd-byfe, although they Were always Very keen to get our pames .ana exdct positions,” said a Christchurch operator. Colourful QSL, cards were always arriving in ChristChiihCh frdtn Russian operators, and even from Russian Short wave listeners. ,Ohe of them, depicting “M. Popov, the disedvettr of radio,” Was reprinted in “The Press” last year. These QSL cards Came from a central agfentiy, fend were registered with gertage • franked apparently at RUsfiiSH Government expense. The Russian Government pblicy at tpat tiinfe sfeefhed to be to ehcouragfe atakteut, tadio operators; Who worked ih clubs based on One r Local operators. thihlt that . the sudden silence of many bi' these stations indicates that thfe- Russiah Government fifes imposed some sort of restrictions. . , . • „ ~.. “It mSv bf course be dug to reception conditions,’’ exUtained », Chfittchureh amateur. “They have .bfefen pad for thfe test two years, and are liable tb remain so for a White.”. Australian amateur operators have also remarked bn tfie silwce of Russian amateurs. Russian Broadcast Stations are increasing in pbwef BVeit ' * n thfe moat enthusiastic aijiateUr areas ih Russia are. or were, Siberia and the Pacific feoafii; x-ui Restrictions alsb sfeem td have been imposed bn amalfeuf Operators ih the Communist countries of Easterh Europe, although messages have been tfetelved from Pblahd and Rumania trbta enthusiasts, who refuse to divulge trifeir hamßs.