High above the bustling city of Wellington, Quartz Hill stands as a silent witness to history. Quartz Hill at 299m is the highest point on a windswept plateau. It offers a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. The Quartz Hill receiving station building sits just below the summit. It’s about 2km south of Makara Radio, a former receiving station operated by the Post Office until 1996. Both stations, their antenna systems, and the nearby housing settlement were located on government-owned land. The land was farmed by the Lands and Survey Department.
The National Broadcasting Service commissioned Quartz Hill Receiving Station in November 1944. Before that, in 1939, a small receiving station was set up in Titahi Bay. Technicians from the 2YA transmitting station staffed this initial station. Its main purpose was to receive BBC news broadcasts via shortwave. These broadcasts were then rebroadcast on national and regional stations. This provided a vital source of overseas news during the war years. However, Titahi Bay proved to be a less than ideal location. Interference from the 2YA transmitter hampered reception.
The Post Office’s existing receiving station at Makara offered a better alternative. The area northeast of Quartz Hill’s summit provided ample space for directional antennas. Nearby staff accommodation was also a plus. The proximity to an army coastal defense site added another layer of security. Makara Radio, operated by the Post Office in conjunction with their Himitangi transmitting station, handled international radio communication circuits. While the rise of undersea cables diminished the importance of these radio facilities, Makara Radio still employed around 25 technicians and trainees in the 1960s. There were also two handymen and a matron who managed the men’s hostel.
Around 20 houses and a hostel were built in a sheltered valley. This provided accommodation for all the staff. Four houses and five hostel beds were allocated to Broadcasting staff. Quartz Hill staff were expected to live in the provided accommodation. They enjoyed a low rent of just £2 ($4) per week. A small remote allowance further compensated them for the settlement’s relative isolation. The original Quartz Hill station building served for almost 15 years before being replaced in 1958. The new, larger building housed three control rooms, a service area, a workshop, offices, and a staff room. A diesel generator provided backup power. There was an oil-fired heating system. A large concrete tank stored the water supply. Two Marconi HR21 receivers formed the backbone of the station’s receiving equipment. These were primarily used to maintain a constant feed of the BBC World Service to Broadcasting House.
The directional antenna system at Quartz Hill was quite sophisticated. It used both rhombic and vee antennas. The rhombic antennas, supported by 21-meter poles, were used for receiving European stations. The vee antennas, while less effective, were easier to install. They could be suspended from a single pole. Operational procedures were well-defined. Besides providing the BBC feed, Quartz Hill facilitated reception of overseas and domestic programs for news and sports personnel. BBC transmissions were monitored hourly, and reception reports were sent weekly. Recordings of news bulletins were kept for about ten days.
The staff at Quartz Hill also monitored shortwave bands for the International Frequency Registration Board (IFRB) in Geneva. This information helped in preparing operational schedules for Radio New Zealand’s shortwave service. The Wahine storm in April 1968 was a dramatic event during the station’s operational years. Hurricane-force winds caused widespread damage, but Quartz Hill and its antennas survived relatively unscathed. The declining importance of shortwave and the desire for better family life prompted many to relocate. Quartz Hill eventually closed. But its role in connecting New Zealand to the world during a critical time remains a significant part of its legacy.