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Busselton Historical Society > Records

Morse Code Apparatus No.0

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"Buzza" Products

c. 1955

Subcollections

Overview

Item 1: Morse Code Apparatus
Item 2: Original cardboard box, with yellow label on the lid with black text

Historical information

In 1844, Samuel Morse invented a new messaging system called "Morse Code". Messages were sent by tapping, drumming, buzzing, clicking or flashing light. People could send messages in Morse Code and get a reply back almost immediately. Mr Morse turned the letters of the alphabet and numbers into a series of beeps (eg. short beeps called 'dots'; and long beeps called 'dashes').

The Morse Code Apparatus No.0 (also known as the Radio Telegraph Set) is a Morse code practice and training set manufactured by Buzza Products in Sydney, Australia. The unit typically comes in a compact cardboard box that doubles as a base. The set commonly contains a transmitting brass/metal key, a receiving buzzer, one or two terminals, and a battery. By depressing the key, the circuit closes, triggering the buzzer to produce audible "dots" and "dashes". This allows an individual to practice sending and receiving code without needing a live, distant telegraph line.

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2026.170

Item type

Objects

Themes

Material

Cardboard

Metal

Paper

Plastic

Inscriptions and markings

Label on top of lid:
"Buzza" Products - Made in Australia
Morse Code Apparatus No.0
Radio Telegraph Set

Contextual information

Morse code set was owned by Mr Harold West, an aircraft engineer for Department of Civil Aviation during 1940-1942 :

• Harold William West
• B: 13 January 1905 Bayswater, WA
• D: 9 November 1977 Busselton, WA
• Enlisted in RAAF in 1940 (Service #16851)

Keywords

Communications & Signals

Dept Civil Aviation

Place made

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Year

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Scientific or research significance

Social or spiritual significance

Last modified

Saturday, 27 June, 2026

Completeness

100

Busselton Historical Society

Busselton Historical Society

Other items from Busselton Historical Society

Morse Code Apparatus

Morse Code box

Morse Code instruction sheet

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