On Sept 1, 1993 all CW operations ceased in the Royal Canadian Navy. To mark the occasion, the following clear text CW message was sent by CFH (Halifax Radio) on August 31, 1993, on a frequency of 4255 khz.. A cassette tape of the final message was recorded by Bob Keys, NA4G, in North Carolina.

The call tape sent at 25 wpm, droned on to lead up to the top of the hour...

VVV VVV VVV DE CFH CFH CFH C13L C13L C13L (repeated three more times). The call tape stopped, whereupon the following was sent at a speed of approximately 10 wpm.

NAWS
C13L001
R
P312300Z AUG 93 312300Z AUG 93
FM MSAX MILL COVE
TO ALL SUBSCRIBERS C13L BT
UNCLAS

1. SEPTEMBER 1, 1993 HAVING BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE DATE ON WHICH REGULAR CW SERVICE CEASES IN THE CANADIAN NAVY, THIS IS THE FINAL OCCASION WHEN SPARKERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THIS DYING ART TO USE

2. FOR THOSE WHO CAN RECALL QUOTE BENS BEST BREAD UNQUOTE WILL ALWAYS BE A RYTHM ON THE TIPS OF THE FINGERS

3. AS WE ENTER INTO THIS NEW ERA, THE MEMBERS OF THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT AT MILL COVE WISH TO SAY ONE LAST TIME RR CUL OM QRU QRU

AR
BT
AR
VVV VVV

And the text sped up from 10 wpm to about 25 wpm for a final round on the call tape...

VVV VVV VVV DE CFH CFH CFH C13L C13L C13L
VVV VVV VVV DE CFH CFH CFH C13L C13L C13L
VVV VVV VVV DE CFH CFH CFH C13L N

The tape stopped, leaving only the QRN and a sadness in a Sparker's heart.

As a postscript to this message, the RCN had actually stopped official Morse code training in the 1980's .  CW operations from ship to shore or shore to ship continued but only between older operators who were previously trained to copy Morse.

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