CJ

How has communication changed since you were young?

Dad: It is way more high tech and when my dad was an exchange student (New Zealand in 1976) he had to write a letter most of the time, a four to six minute phone call because it was so expensive so he did it once a week and tape recorded once a month.

Mum: There have been lots of changes. When I first stated working I used a telex machine, I don’t think you can get them now. In an antique shop maybe

Davy, Davy was a driver and radio operator in the army, he says: the radio in the Army has been made smaller and easier to use, since I started there have been three upgrades to the radio system.

What was your favourite way to communicate when you where young (except talking)?

Mum: My favourite way to communicate was to use the CB radio.

Dad: When I was in the young farmers exchange trip it was letter writing.

Davy: In the army it was the third radio because it was faster.

Did you get in trouble in any way e.g. like listening to someone’s conversation?

Mum: No but Papa got angry when sometimes the car had a flat battery in the morning. Were you talking to much!

Dad: No, but I had a dog called Fly and it use to bark when the tape recorder went on and my voice came up.

Davy: No, but I could not receive the Morse code message as fast as I could send the message.

What was and how did your favourite way to communicate work?

Mum: Mine is CB radio CB stands for citizen band radio it is an open channel form of radio communication. A little bit like texting you had your own language but it was verbal, every one had their handle, which was their name, e.g.: my uncle Mike was “the alligator” and my name was ‘Diamond Princess”. Most people had them installed in their cars with a large aerial on the roof.

Dad: mine is the letter - well first you write it then it goes to the post office and then hey presto! Well da!

Davy: the first radio that I used I had to tune in myself with large dials, the second one used numbers which you just click on to, the third is very similar to a computer. All three of them can be used with voice and Morse code, the third one can also send messages in burst form which makes it harder to detect.