Two-Way Radio Comms UK – NZ

Saturday the 18th of October 2014 is the 90th anniversary of the first two way radio contact between the UK and NZ. The station in the UK was at the Mill Hill School. It was manned by Cecil Goyder call sign 2SZ. The Prince of Wales visited Goyder several days after the contact.
The New Zealand station was in the Shag Valley, about 30km west of Palmerston. The person there was Frank (Francis) Bell. His call sign was 4AA.
The Bells had a huge farm in the valley. The property is still owned by the sixth generation of the Bell family. Further details can be found by clicking HERE and HERE and HERE.  If you would like to hear an audio of Brenda recalling her brother contacting the UK by shortwave go to the Te Ara website 
I suspect it wasn’t a coincidence that the contact was made on his sister’s (Margaret Brenda Bell) birthday. They were a high achieving family. Both served in the war. Frank eventually focussed on running the farm. His sister continued with her interest in radio making the first radio contact between New Zealand and South Africa. She ran for Parliament twice I think (unsuccessfully). She became an announcer on 4YA radio in Dunedin.