The WWII Hams Who Intercepted Hitler’s Secrets

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Ham Radio Gizmos

N2LEE

9 episodes

5 days ago

Welcome to Ham Radio Gizmos! We're here to educate and entertain amateur radio enthusiasts, whether you're just starting out, or have been at it for years. Ham radio is packed with fascinating, untold stories—from the pioneering innovators who laid the groundwork to the cutting-edge tech that keeps us connected today. We love diving into these stories and sharing them with curious minds like yours. If you know of an interesting story we should be covering, please reach out and let us know.

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The WWII Hams Who Intercepted Hitler’s Secrets

Ham Radio Gizmos

9 minutes 23 seconds

2 months ago

The WWII Hams Who Intercepted Hitler’s Secrets

During World War II, radios were confiscated from civilians across Britain. Yet somehow… a few were quietly given back.Why? Because hidden in the static were signals the military couldn’t afford to miss—coded transmissions from the German intelligence services.While Enigma was being cracked at Bletchley Park, another ultra-secret operation was underway. A ghost army of ordinary hams, teenagers, and even a few women sat in their bedrooms and garden sheds, pulling faint Morse code out of the ether. They logged everything. They asked no questions. And for decades, they told no one.The truth only began to surface in the last 40 years. Until then, even their families had no idea.Who were these “secret listeners”?Why did the government trust amateurs with a task so critical to the war?And how close did they come to being forgotten entirely?This is the hidden story behind ham radio’s most secret chapter.To learn more check out The Secret Listeners by Sinclair McKayhttps://amzn.to/4mt5BwRResources & References used to write this story.BBC News – “The teenage radio enthusiasts who helped win World War II”Katia Moskvitch, BBC Technology Reporter (2013).👉 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-23162846RSGB RadCom – Voluntary Interceptors Tribute (September 2018)Article adapted by John Swartz, WA9AQN.👉 https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2rs/headlines/2018/09/07/voluntary-interceptors-tribute/BBC Documentary – “The Secret Listeners” (1979)First public reveal of the Voluntary Interceptors after decades of secrecy. Transcript archived at East Anglian Film Archive.👉 http://eafa.org.uk/catalogue/5108Geoffrey Pidgeon – The Secret Wireless War: The Story of MI6 Communications 1939–1945 (2003).Book highlighting MI6 communications and the role of civilian listeners.👉 https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Secret-Wireless-War.pdf (excerpted version)Nigel West – GCHQ: The Secret Wireless War 1900–86 (1987).Detailed history of the Radio Security Service and its transition into GCHQ.👉 https://archive.org/details/gchq-secret-wireless-warBletchley Park Trust – Archives & ExhibitsMuseum exhibits at Bletchley Park (includes the RSGB National Radio Centre).👉 https://bletchleypark.org.uk/Wikipedia – Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS)Background on Bletchley Park and its connection to Enigma and Ultra intelligence.👉 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Code_and_Cypher_School