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The Cold War's strangest sport

How international Morse code competitions became popular behind the Iron Curtain.

The end of the Cold War in 1989 spelt the demise of a little-known, but surprisingly popular sport behind the Iron Curtain – high-speed telegraphy competitions. With the help of two of Czechoslovakia’s best former Morse-coders, we revisit the inaugural World Championship in Moscow in 1983 when the Soviet Union rolled out the red carpet for teams from across the Communist bloc. Ashley Byrne reports. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.

PHOTO: A Morse code machine in action (Getty Images)

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9 minutes

Last on

Mon 9 Dec 201904:50GMT
BBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & East Asia only

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  • Thu 5 Dec 201909:50GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Fri 6 Dec 201900:50GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Mon 9 Dec 201903:50GMT
    BBC World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
  • Mon 9 Dec 201904:50GMT
    BBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & East Asia only

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