The East operating room was the original location of Auckland Radio’s 2182 kHz marine radio telephone service.
It includes two operating desks.
Left desk
On the left is the 500 kHz CW control desk, with four receivers and the remote controls for the Dansk transmitter.
To the side of the desk is a wall unit, and we have fitted this with a computer for using digital modes on air to the most suitable system should this situation become available.
There is also a Kenwood amateur radio transceiver connected to the tri-band yagi on the east tower.
Right desk
The desk on the right includes 3 vintage receivers plus controls for one of the AM transmitters.
The receivers are two National HRO types built by Collier and Beale in 1943, and a Canadian-built Marconi CSR5 receiver dating from 1944.
The HROs use a plug-in coil bank to change bands, and one of them has been serviced to a very high standard. There is a calibration chart to refer to for tuning.
Also at the desk is a VFO for the RCA 1301 transmitter,
The VFO, which is very stable, has 2-volt filaments and the final output RF is from an 807 valve. This feeds the input to the transmitter, one floor below, by direct coupling.
On the left hand side of the desk are PTT and microphone connections. The PTT is operated with a foot pedal, allowing hands-free operation.