German World War II U-Boat Communication Info

 

From 1939 to 1943 main German navy radio transmitter for the underwater radio communication was "Nauen" (Brandenburg, Germany. It was situated 38 km west of Berlin (centre) and 26 km northwest of Potsdam) The "Nauen" worked on two frequencies: 23 kHz, power 200 kW, and 16,5 kHz, power 300 kW.

From 1943 to the end of WW II, the main radio transmitter for underwater radio communications was "Goliath". The "Goliath" transmitter was located at Kalbe an der Milde The "Goliath" transmitter worked on frequencies between 15 kHz to 25 kHz. Power of the "Goliath" transmitter was 1800 kW. The "Goliath" was able to communicate with German submarines everywhere except when the submarines were positioned in deep Norwegian fjords. Its signals could, for instance, could be received by submerged submarines near Capetown and/or the straight of Mallaca (Penang), at about 8 - 12 m under the surface (measured from the top of the conning-tower).

 

.....And yet over the blue depths we never felt alone, but rather as a tightly knit, family continually connected with the great U-boat clan on shore.
While the ocean floor stretched 5,000 metres below the keel of the U-boat, the air was humming in the short-wave band from 100 to 40 metres and in the long-distance traffic from 40 to 13 metres. For the traffic with U-boats, particularly when submerged, an ultra-long-wave transmitter was built in central Germany at Kalbe on the Milbe. It could be heard loud and clear under water off New York and in the Caribbean at a depth of 25 metres, mainly on the 10,000-metre band.......

[U-Boat Commander by Peter Cremer] 

 

Bibliography

Vergessene Funksendestellen in der Altmark: Kurzwellen-Funksendestelle der deutschen Reichspost Oebisfelde-Bosdorf, Ubersee-Funkempfangsstelle Luchow (UFESt.), Marine- Funkstation "Goliath" bei Kalbe/M., das POW-Lager der Alliierten auf dem Gelande des "Goliath" von Friedrich-Wilhelm Schulz; Schiffahrtsgeschichtliche Gesellschaft Ostsee e.V., Rostock [Currently out of print]

ENIGMA U-boats by Jak P. Mallmann Showell (2000) - ISBN 0-7110-2764-1

 

   
   
   
   
 

Online Links

Nauen Site: 

Nauen Transmitter Site 

 

   
   

Goliath Site:  

Klaus Herold "Goliath" Info

 

"Goliath" Site Info