At midnight on January 31, 1997, radio operators gathered around the receivers at the coastal station of Le Conquet on the Brittany coast to hear the final military Morse transmission of the French Navy.
The Transition to GMDSS Satellite Systems
Throughout the 1990s, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) orchestrated the worldwide transition from traditional 500 kHz Morse radiotelegraphy to the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
“Calling all stations. Calling all stations. This is our last cry before eternal silence.”
Legacy of Coastal Radiotelegraph Stations
Stations like Le Conquet, Norddeich Radio, and Portishead Radio had guarded the sea lanes for over a century, saving tens of thousands of sailors through tireless round-the-clock manual telegraphy watches.
The transmission concluded with the international Morse ending signs: AR (End of Transmission) followed by SK (Silent Key / Final Sign-off).