Radio
Amateur
   

 

"Calling the AMs and MMs is nothing but a waste of time", one of my DX-friends once declared, "They do not even count for DXCC!"  Right, they do not even count for DXCC (and many other attractive awards and diplomas) - but is that really of so much importance? Compared with the rareness of entities on the DXCC Most-Wanted Lists, aeronautical-mobile stations (amateur-radio operators in airplanes: callsigns followed by /AM) belong to the so-called rare and maritime-mobile stations (amateur-radio operators on ships: callsigns followed by /MM) at least to the semi-rare category. Moreover, having a QSO with the two species is a thrilling event, and a lot of fun anyway. I think, contacting /AM- and /MM-stations is something out of the ordinary. 

A pity that only scarcely more than half of them send a QSL - as sort of a reward for enthusiasm. I'm eagerly collecting their QSLs since I started my amateur-radio activity. In this QSLhibition I'd like to show you a selection of the /AM- and /MM-cards so far received. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Be surprised by the variety of ships and vessels from where radio amateurs sent out their calls to contact their "terrestrial" friends: cargo and container ships, tankers, training ships with and without sails, simple sailing boats, ferries, destroyers and rocket cruisers (on peaceful mission, hopefully...), or simply a chartered boat to go on a far-away DXpedition in the South Atlantic and a river boat bound for an ecological expedition in the Russian north! Not to forget those maritime stations that are not permanently mobile at all... And those serving or having served the maritime-mobile service, and the many museum ships bearing testimony of a great past.

This collection will be continually extended.

Hadi Teichmann, DJ2PJ                                                                                                                                                                     

Abbreviations:   C/S=Container Ship   FPSO=Floating Production Storage and Offloading   F/S="Feuerschiff", light vessel   FT=factory trawler    I/B=ice breaker   L/S=light ship   L/V=light vessel    M/F=passenger ship    M/S=motor ship    M/T= motor tanker   M/V=merchant or motor vessel    P/V=polar vessel    R/C=rocket cruiser    R/S=research ship   R/V=research vessel   S/S=steam or sailing ship    T/B=torpedo boat    

 

(A) Aeronautical-mobile Stations (/AM)  

DL4TU/AM HB1IN/AM PY7CC/AM RW1ZZ/AM
QSO in 1955 on 3.5 MHz QSO in 1956 on 3.5 MHz QSO in 1979 on 21 MHz QSO in 2002 on 14 MHz
Aircraft type:  unknown Aircraft type:  DC6B Aircraft type:  unknown Aircraft type:  IL-18
Position:  probably Germany Position:  near Beiruth Position:  Amazonas region (PY9, PW8) Position:  68N 34E
  will be continued
SKØSAS/AM PH9HB/AM

RZ5D/AM

 
QSO in 2009 on 14 MHz QSO in 2009 on 28 MHz  QSO in 2014 on 14 MHz  
Aircraft type: Boeing 737 Aircraft type: Boeing 737  Aircraft type: A-319, 320, or 321  
Position: above Greece Position: SW of Prague Position: unknown  

 

 

(B) Aviation History and its Pioneers, Astronauts, and Cosmonauts 

U4MIR 3Z4ØMOON YR9ØU TM1ØØB
Alexandr Volkov, Cosmonaut and Radio Amateur 40th Anniversary of Moon Landing 20th July 1969 90th Anniversary of the flight between Bacau and Blaj with a Farmann 40 aeroplane on 23rd November 1918 on the occasion of the union of Transylvania with Romania 100th Anniversary of aviation pioneers Louis Breguet and Louis Blériot
QSO in 2003 on 25MHz in SSB QSO in 2009 on 14 MHz in CW QSO in 2008 on 10 MHz in CW QSO in 2009 on 14 MHz in CW
 
R3MIR/7 OL3ØSPACE RO8ØKEDR  GB2AIR
Cosmodrome Baikonur, former USSR 30th anniversary of space flight of Czech cosmonaut Vladimir Remek  80th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin, first human in space South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum
QSO in 1990 on 21 MHz in CW QSO in 2008 on 14 MHz in CW  QSO in 2014 on 25 MHz in CW QSO in 2013 on 14 MHz in CW
 
 
II1ITR RT8ØKEDR R8ØPSP  
To celebrate the fundamental role of radio in the tragic crash of the Italia airship commanded by General Nobile in May 1928 near the North Pole 80th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin, first cosmonaut of the planet earth 80th anniversary of the first flight over the North Pole  
QSO in 2013 on 10 MHz QSO in 2014 on 7 MHz in CW QSO in 2017 on 14 MHz in CW  
 

 

 

(C) Maritime-mobile Stations (/MM) 

HB9QP/MM OH3TD/MM SM8CUG/MM DJ8QP/MM
QSO in 1958 on 7 MHz QSO in 1957 on 3.5 MHz QSO in 1957 on 7 MHz QSO in 2011 on 18 MHz
Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: M/S Vicia Name of ship: M/V Grande Francia
Flag: Switzerland Flag: Finland Flag: Sweden Flag: Italy
 Position: 34.30N  21.12E   Position: Brunsbüttel (Germany) Position: unknown Position: near EA8
 
DL2DUA/MM EL1WG/MM SM8YF/MM SM7AZL/MM
QSO in 2013 on 21 MHz QSO in 1958 on 14 MHz QSO in 1956 on 7 MHz QSO in 1960 on 14 MHz
Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: M/T Scandius Name of ship: M/S Tidaholm
Flag: unknown Flag:  Liberia Flag: Sweden Flag: Sweden
Position: grid loc. KK98 (Red Sea) Position: 46N 15W Position: English Channel Position: Gulf of Finland
 
OK4QK/MM DM5SOP/MM LA6CF/M KV4CI/MM
QSO in 1958 on 14 MHz QSO in 1959 on 3.5 MHz QSO in 1960 on 14 MHz QSO in 1960 on 14 MHz
Name of ship: S/S Julius Fucik Name of ship:  S/S Wilhelm Pieck Name of ship:  M/S Bonneville Name of ship:  S/S Elizabeth
Flag:  (former) Czechoslovakia Flag:  (former) German Democratic Rep. Flag:  USA Flag:  USA
Position:  Mediterranian Sea Position:  Baltic Sea Position:  near Singapore Position:  23N 69W
 
MP4BCR/MM JA1CPY/MM JAØWW/MM G3UFO/MM
QSO in 1960 on 14 MHz QSO in 1961 on 7 MHz QSO in 1961 on 14 MHz QSO in 1966 on 14 MHz
Name of ship:  M/V Sonic Name of ship:  M/S Buenos Aires Maru Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship:  M/V Clan Malcolm
Flag:  Bahrein Flag: Japan Flag:  Japan Flag:  Great Britain
Position:  off Ghana Position:  Rotterdam Position:  26.52N  52.43E Position:  23N  17W

 

 

ELØC/MM JA7ACM/MM SM3CAE/MM 4Z4AQ/MM
QSO in 1969 on 14 MHz QSO in 1970 on 28 MHz QSO in 1961 on 14 MHz QSO in 1970 on 21 MHz
Name of ship: M/V Weatherly Name of ship: S/S Showa Maru Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: M/V Avocadocore
Flag:  Liberia Flag:  Japan Flag:  Sweden Flag:  Israel
Position:  Mediterranean Sea Position: Persian Gulf (bound for HZ) Position:  15N  52E Position:  15N  21W
 
JA5BHL/MM WA3GZD/MM JR1LSQ/MM JH4MIF/MM
QSO in 1971 on 14 MHz QSO in 1970 on 21 MHz QSO in 1976 on 21 MHz QSO in 1976 on 14 MHz
Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship:  USS Glennon Name of ship:  M/S Shizuokamaru Name of ship:  unknown
Flag:  Japan Flag: USA Flag:  Japan Flag:  Japan
Position:  11N  111E Position:  Indian Ocean Position:  off Yemen Position:  35N  123E
 
DJ5FP/MM SL8CKR/MM OK4AWQ/MM ZF2IR/MM
QSO in 1983 on 14 MHz QSO in 1987 on 14 MHz QSO in 1984 on 14 MHz QSO in 1986 on 21 MHz
Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship: HMS Carlskrona Name of ship:  M/S Orlik Name of ship:  M/T OT Garth
Flag:  Germany Flag:  Sweden Flag:  (former) Czechoslovakia Flag:  The Cayman Islands
Position:  Mediterranean Sea Position: Biscaya Position:  17N  56E Position:  Black Sea
 
SO2FCJ/MM UT4UXX/MM RW1Q/MM G3SXW/MM
QSO in 1992 on 28 MHz QSO in 1989 on 14 MHz QSO in 1992 on 14 MHz QSO in 1993 on 14 MHz
Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship:  unknown
Flag:  Poland Flag: Ukraine Flag:  Russia Flag:  unknown
Position:  29N  13W Position:  Black Sea Position:  Sukhona River Position:  South Atlantic (bound for ZD9)

 

OK4FCJ/MM TM9KAL/MM K8XF/MM OK1DX/MM
QSO in 1994 on 21 MHz QSO in 1995 on 21 MHz QSO in 1960 on 21 MHz QSO in 1960 on 14 MHz
Name of ship:  M/S Vitkovice Name of ship: M/S Kalliste Name of ship:  M/V Lake Charles Name of ship:  unknown
Flag:  Czech Republic Flag:  France Flag:  USA Flag:  Czech Republic
Position:  Bay of Aden (near Yemen) Position: between Marseille and Bastia Position:  03N  68E Position:  33N  25E
 
UT5FB/MM RA2FAM/MM UR3IDD/MM UE1ZRF/MM
QSO in 1998 on 28 MHz QSO in 1999 on 18 MHz QSO in 1999 on 21 MHz QSO in 1999 on 18 MHz
Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship:  M/V Socol-6 Name of ship:  R/C Petr Welikij
Flag:  Ukraine Flag: Russia Flag:  Ukraine Flag:  Russia
Position:  off  W. Sahara Position:  24N  16W Position:  33N  30E Position:  69N  33E
 
R1ANF/MM RX4HJ/MM DKØWWB/MM UU9JX/MM
QSO in 2001 on 28 MHz QSO in 2003 on 7 MHz QSO in 2002 on 7 MHz QSO in 2003 on 24 MHz
Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship: unknown Name of ship:  M/F Admiral of Scandinavia Name of ship:   unknown
Flag:  Russia Flag:  Russia Flag: Germany Flag:  Ukraine
Position:  03S  31W Position: unknown Position:  North Sea, southern part Position:  near Mauretania
 
VP8CMH/MM RA2FCV/MM RU3HD/MM 8Q7VR/MM
QSO in 2004 on 28 MHz QSO in 2006 on 7 MHz QSO in 2006 on 7 MHz QSO in 2006 on 7 MHz
Name of ship:  Royal Research/S James Clark Ross Name of ship:  unknown Name of ship:  M/V Akademik Fedorov Name of ship:  unknown
Flag:  Falkland Islands Flag:  Russia Flag:  Russia Flag:  unknown
Position:  56S  48W Position:  unknown Position:  17N 18W Position:  Black Sea
 
OE3JAG/MM DLØCUX/MM R1ANN/MM DPØMSM
QSO in 2007 on 10 MHz QSO in 2006 on 7 MHz QSO in 2006 on 7 MHz QSO in 2007 on 10 MHz
Name of ship:  M/S Costa Victoria Name of ship:  F/S Feuerschiff Elbe1 Name of ship:  M/V Akademik Fedorov Name of ship: R/V Maria S. Merian
Flag:  Italy Flag:  Germany Flag:  Russia Flag: Germany
Position:  near Sicily Position:  Helsingör Position:  48S 22E Position: 62.42N  2.12E
 
RW1AI/MM RW1AI/MM R5RRF/MM XR9A/MM
QSO in 2007 on 10 and 18 MHz QSO in 2007 on 14 MHz QSO in 2007 on 3.5 MHz QSO in 2008 on 21 MHz
Name of ship: I/B Rossija Name of ship: M/V Akademik Fedorov Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: M/V DAP Mares
Flag: Russia Flag: Russia Flag: Russia Flag: unknown
Position: grid loc. QR11 Position: grid loc. PQ42 Position: unknown, probably Black Sea Position: Bellinghausen Sea, Antarctica, enroute Peter Is
 
RAØLQ/MM EM11ØRAEM/MM IW9CTJ/MM UR3IDD/MM
QSO in 2014 on 21 MHz QSO in 2013 on 10 MHz QSO in 2016 on 14 MHz QSO in 2013 on 14 MHz
Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: Yacht Santa Esperanza Name of ship: unknown Italian Coast Guard Name of ship: M/V Aurora
Flag: unknown Flag: Russia Flag: Italy Flag: Ukraine
Position: Mediterranean Sea Position: central Mediterranean Position: Mediterranean, nr Libya Position: Gulf of Bothnia JP91gm

UA9FGR/MM TA4CW/MM RA9KY/MM UA1OIW/MM
QSO in 2008 on 10 MHz QSO in 2008 on 10 MHz QSO in 2007 on 14 MHz QSO in 2008 on 14 MHz
Name of ship: M/V Marina Tsvetaeva Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: unknown
Flag: Russia Flag: Turkey Flag: Russia Flag: Russia
Position: Port of Makpo, S. Korea Position: Aegean Sea Position: Ob River near Arctic Circle Position: Kara Sea (MQ46)
 
DL9GMM/MM R2RRF/MM UA6GO/MM RA1AIF/MM
QSO in 2008 on 10 MHz QSO in 2008 on 14 MHz QSO in 2008 on 7 MHz QSO in 2009 on 18 MHz
Name of ship: C/S Palena Name of ship: M/S Vasily Chapaev Name of ship: M/S Melodia Name of ship: M/V Ice Sun
Flag: Liberia Flag: Russia Flag: unknown Flag: Russia
Position: 35° 42'N  17°22'W Position: Volga River Position: 06°09'N  03°24'E Position: Mediterranean Sea KM63ku
 
UA1OAM/MM S57RW/MM UA6GO/MM RZ6DD/MM
QSO in 2008 on 14 MHz QSO in 2009 on 18 MHz QSO in 2010 on 14 MHz QSO in 2009 on14 MHz
Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: private sailing boat Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: FT "Desert Diamond"
Flag: Russia Flag: Slovenia Flag: unknown Flag: South Africa
Position: RDA MU-18 Position: near Hvar Island (Croatia) Position: 37°20 N  08°59 E Position: grid loc. KF35, nr Cape Town
 
YP1WFF/MM EG5PSP/MM RI1ANA/MM RX6CB/MM
QSO in 2010 on 18 MHz QSO in 2012 on 21 MHz QSO in 2012 on 14 MHz QSO in 2013 on 28 MHz
Name of ship: MS Vrancea Polar Ship A-52 Las Palmas R/V Akademik Federov M/T Nordic Moon
Flag: Romania Flag: Spain Flag: Russia Flag: Marshall Islands
Position: Danube Delta Position: unknown Position: 70° 03' S  12°23'E Position: 05°42S  08°50E
 
UR5FA/MM DL1LLL/MM VK6FZM/MM OJØH/MM
QSO in 2014 on 28 MHz QSO in 2014 on 21 MHz QSO in 2014 on 28 MHz QSO in2003 on 28 MHz
Name of ship: unknown Name of ship: R/V Maria S. Merian Name of ship: R/V Braveheart Name of ship: M/S Kristina Katarina
Flag: unknown Flag: Germany Flag: New Zealand Flag: Finland
Position: OH86 Position: 22.50°N  046.00W Position: grid loc.  NF Position: unknown
 
DL8TG/MM YL3IZ/MM YU2AX/MM F5MYK/MM
QSO in 2013 on 7 MHz QSO in 2017 on 14 MHz QSO in 2017 on 14 MHz QSO in 2017 on 18 MHz
Name of ship: L/V Elbe 1 Name of ship: unknown Sider Atlantic Voyage Name of ship: unknown
Flag: Germany Flag: Latvia Flag: Serbia Flag: France
Position: North Sea grid loc. JO44 Position: nr Gibraltar Position: Atlantic (?) Position: East of China PMØ5rx
 
   
RIØPOL RØLER/mm    
QSO in 2015 on 21 QSO in 2018 on 14 MHz QSO in QSO in
Name of ship: MSV Icebreaker Mikhail Somov Name of ship: unknown   Name of ship:  Name of ship:
Flag: Russia Flag: Russia Flag: Flag:
Position: Baltic Sea near German coast Position: Sea of Okhotsk Position: Position:

 

 

(D) Maritime - but not permanently mobile - Stations 

ON6NW/MM 3C5J GB2BP

YL2SW/MM
QSO in 2003 on 14 MHz QSO in 2001 on 21 MHz QSO in 1983 on 14 MHz

QSO in 2010 on 10 MHz
Name of ship:  L/V  Westhinder I FPSO (Oil Platform) FPSO Magnus (oil platform)

Name of  ship: FPSO Sendje Berge
Flag:  Belgium Equatorial Guinean Waters North Sea

Flag: Norway
Position:  Rupelmonde (Kruibeke) Position:  grid loc. JJ43bu 110 km NE of Shetland

Position: Okwori Oilfield, Nigeria
 
RØUPOL R35NP
QSO in 2007 on 14 MHz QSO in 2008 on 14 MHz
Name of ship: P/V Tara Station on large drifting ice floe
Flag: France Flag: Russia
Position: two-year's drift in Arctic pack-ice Position: drifting across North Pole
 
CQ7GIL TM1SME TM2SME DAØFX
QSO in 2012 on 14 MHz QSO in 2006 on 28 MHz QSO ion 2007 on 18 MHz QSO in 2006 on 7 MHz
Name of ship: Hospital Ship Gil Eannes Name of ship: E. E. Maillé Brézé (destroyer) Name of ship: E. E. Maillé Brézé (destroyer) Name of ship: M/V Dresden
Flag: Portugal Flag: France Flag: France Flag: former German Democratic Republic
Position: unknown Position: Nantes Harbour (Museum Ship) Position: Nantes Harbour (Museum Ship) Position: 54°08.5N 12°05.2E (Museum Ship)
 
7SØSFJ GB3RN 8S8MTB DLØFFF
QSO in 2007 on 18 MHz QSO in 2007 on 14 MHz QSO in 2006 on 3.5 MHz QSO in 2007 on10 MHz
Name of ship: L/S Finngrundet (built 1903) Name of ship: HMS Hood (Royal Navy) Name of ship: T/B T26 Name of ship: F/S Fehmarnbelt
Flag: Sweden Flag: Great Britain Flag: Sweden Flag: Germany
Former Position: 61°04N 18°41E, now in  Stockholm Position: grid loc. IO9Øju (Museum Ship) Position: Galö near Stockholm Ex-Position: 54° 35'N  11° 09'E (now Museum Ship)
 
8SØHRA UE3LAN CS8DFG GB1ØØMSC
QSO in 2009 on 10 MHz QSO in 2009 on 14 MHz QSO in 2008 on 10 MHz QSO in 2009 on 10 MHz
Name of ship: I/B Sankt Erik Museum of Admiral Nakhimov, born in 1802. Under his command the Russian fleet completely destroyed the Ottoman fleet in Sinop Amateur radio station onboard the "D. Fernando II e Gloria", the last sailing fregate to serve in the Portuguese army in the 18th century In commemoration of Jack Binns, wireless operator onboard RMS Republic, whose actions saved the lives of 1600 passengers in 1909
Flag: Sweden Flag: Russia Flag: Portugal Flag: Great Britain
Position: The Vasa Museum, Stockholm Position: Smolensk Position: 38°12'N  009°09'W Position: Marconi Wireless Station, The Lizard, in Cornwall (grid loc. IN79)
 
SN1ØØDP SB56EN/MM DFØMF/MM SD7SUB
QSO in 2009 on 7 MHz QSO in 2009 on 14 MHz QSO in 2010 on 14 MHz QSO in 2012 on 7 MHz
Celebrating the 100th birthday of the Dar Pomorza, one of the most beautiful tall ships in the world Name of ship: Eric Nordevall II, a replica of the original Eric Nordevall, a paddle steamer sunk in 1856 in Lake Vättern, Sweden Name of ship: L/V Amrumbank, now serving as a lighthouse museum in the old harbour of Emden In commemoration of  the Swedish submarine U3 which was in service 1943 - 1964.
Flag: Poland Flag: Sweden Flag: Germany Flag: Sweden
Position: The Polish Maritime Museum, Gdansk Position: Motala Harbour Ex-Position: 80 km north of Heligoland, later in the Deutsche Bucht (Heligoland Bight) Position: Museum in Malmö (grid loc. JO65la)
 
       
       
       
       
       
       

 

 

 

GB1ØØC DLØMCM GB2BNM GB3RN
QSO in 2012 on 7 MHz QSO in 2006 on 7 MHz QSO in 2010 on 10 MHz QSO in 2009 on 10 MHz
100 years   commemoration of RMS Carpathia. Maiden voyage 1903. Became famous for rescuing the survivors of RMS Titanic. RMS Carpathia sank in July 1918. Amateur radio station onboard  MS Dresden In memory of replacing the masts of HMS Belfast Amateur radio station onboard HMS Belfast
Flag: Great Britain Flag: (former )German Democratic Republic Flag. Great Britain Flag: Great Britain
Operated by GW1FKY in Penarth, Wales Position: Rostok-Schmarl Position: London Thames (grid loc. IO91xm) Position: London Thames (grid loc. IO91xm)
 
II7LDP/MM GB2LV II0IAET SX100A
QSO in 2014 on14 MHz QSO in 2013 on 7 MHz QSO in 2014 on 14 MHz QSO in 2012 on 14 MHz
In memory of missile destroyer Luigi Durand de La Penne Light Vessel 21 (LV21) In memory of AGF/AOR Etna (A5326) Memorial battleship George Averof (100 years old), once flagship of the Greek Navy
Flag: Italy Flag: Great Britain Flag: Italy Flag: Greece
Position: grid loc. JN8Øpk Position as a museum ship: river Medway in Kent, UK Position: Taranto Position: anchored at Palaio Faliro (Athens)
 
SX1MBA II1MGY OM2015TITANIC SK7BORE
QSO in 2003 on 28 MHz QSO in 2013 on 10 MHz QSO in 2015 on 10 MHz QSO in 2016 on 10 MHz
Memorial battleship George Averof (100 years old), once flagship of the Greek Navy In memory of RMS Titanic which sank on 15th April 1913 In memory of RMS Titanic which sank on 15th April 1913 I/B S/S Bore, launched 1894
Flag: Greece Flag: Great Britain Flag: Great Britain Flag: Sweden
Position: anchored at Palaio Faliro (Athens) - - Position: Malmö
 
     
R6CF/MM      
QSO in 2017 on 14 MHz      
Memorial cruiser Mikhail Kutuzov      
Flag: Russia      
Position: Novorossiysk KN84vr      
 
       
       
       
       
       
       

 

(E)  ... and those (once) serving maritime-mobile stations 

          DLØDAN  now: Club Station of the DARC             celebrating 100 years (1907 - 2007) of the famous Radio Norddeich (commercial callsign DAN), which provided a 24-hour service on MF, HF and VHF in CW, phone, and teletype. Radio Norddeich was shut down at the end of 1998.

 GKB4 and GKB5 (Portishead Radio)
cross-band maritime/amateur radio  QSOs (GKB4: 7/8.5 MHz and GKB5: 14/12.8 MHz) on 29th April 2000, the last day of operation
"The World's Premier Maritime Radio Coast Station"

 

TM2FFU II1ICS
QSO in 2012 on 7 MHz QSO in 2011 on 10 MHz
In memory of the French Maritime Coast Station FFU (Le Conquet Radio) located near Brest (48°21'15"N  04°46'46"W). Le Conquet Radio was established in 1901 and finally closed in 1999. In memory of "Capuchin Friars" overlooking La Spezia in Italy. It was the site of the Chief Station of the Italian Coastal Sight System and, after WW2, the Coastal Radio Station of the Italian Navy with the callsign "ICS". It was closed on 25th March 1997.

 

 

 
Initially published: 2009
Last revision: 31st July 2020
©2017 by Hans-Dieter Teichmann

Impressum/Editor's Note