SECRET MESSAGES
Embedded in Your Favorite Program?
By Newcomb Weisenberger

Yes, there were! Before two-way radio, sometimes engineers used "SECRET" sounds within the radio programs to communicate from remote locations. The local operator could hear the remote test by listening on the line, but the remote engineer didn't know whether or not he was being received. Before program time he would ask, "If this test is ok, give us a 'scratch'." I would open the fader for a tone arm and move my finger across the stylus. The "fingerprint" would sound like common static. Two short scratches meant yes. The scratches didn't mean anything to the listeners; they were used to unwanted noises in the air.

Typical Telegraph Key

Sometimes an extra pause was made on purpose, to allow for a clean start on an off-the-air recording. These were called air checks, requested by sponsors. A long pause was planned at KFI on Sunday midnight to allow for adjustments of the antenna ammeter.

When Dick Sinclair was to give his stock market report live, we tested the line, his mike and amplifier just before program time. From "B," Blue studio I could switch his power on and off at the Stock Market. (He could see a pilot light when the power was on.) Dick would say, "Is that you, Newcomb?" I would blink his light and he would tell me the quote for a stock that we were both watching! (He could speak on the line as I had it closed before program start.)

On live DJ shows, records are sometimes played upon request. These can be heard by everyone but may have a special message assigned to a single listener. Also, the announcer might make a "dedication" of his own, when none was asked for!

I have mentioned before that Mr. Anthony, the owner of KFI, used the "Blue Danube" for his own purpose. We were prepared to play it at any time requested.

During the war the BBC openly aired messages, at the end of programs, which were recognized as secret in meaning. Some made no sense at all but were actually a code to men behind the lines.

KFI cooperated with our Navy by allowing it to alter our 640 kHz frequency by small increments plus or minus. Our radio receivers can't detect such small differences. I could watch our deviation meter slowly following their code.

We had a Teletype that read the message to the ships at sea, but that too was in code groups.

Note: Our F.C.C. operator license forbids personal use of the station. These secret messages were part of the station's operation and "secret" only to the public.

It is station policy to shield the listener from the sounds of the operation itself. That is why three layers of glass separate the engineer's mixer from the announcer and the studio. The studio is free of all off-the-air sounds. The mixer is full of sounds made by the engineer, cueing up tapes and discs, bits of program that is about to be part of the on-air program. These can be reports from the air traffic plane, the stock market, or tests of live inserts about to be part of the news or sports report.

The glass window is important because much of the announcer/ engineer communication is visual. The intercom is mostly from the announcer to the engineer. Our response was usually yes or no, and that not verbally-our hands were busy. We could nod or indicate our response visually. We seldom used the telephones that connected the studio with the control booths. When two men learn to work together very little needs to be said.