# Radio Call signs



## Degema

Back in the 60s R/Os had a book which listed in alphabetical order the call signs of ships/radio stations. Does anyone still have a copy?
I'm looking for the call signs of the following ships: Dalla, Donga, Pegu and Mazatec. 

Many thanks

Degema


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## John Leary

*Radio Callsigns*

Hi Degema

I believe the book with the call-signs was published by the ITU. I remember throwing old ones out as new editions were published (Sob, Sob)! I have a HMSO publication from 1963 which gives the signal letters for UK and Commonwealth ships at that time.

If your ships were registered in Glasgow, the call-signs for three of them were Dallas GHBS, Donga GGHH, and Pegu GKVU. No reference I'm afraid for 
Mazatec. Hope that helps.
Regards John


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## niggle

Hi Degema,

John is correct that ship callsigns were published by the ITU along with other similar sized A4 paperback lists for coast stations etc but all the ships I sailed on used the Admiralty List of Radio Signals which if my memory serves me well was split into 6 volumes but cannot remember what number referred to which area of signals. I will put that out to the membership of R/Os to put the names to the volume numbers. Just checked the UK Hydrographic office web site and and surprised to see that they are still published and available.

Regards Nigel


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## Ron Stringer

*Call Signs*

As stated the List of Call Signs was published by the ITU (International Telecommunications Union), a UN agency based in Geneva, Switzerland. Details of the call letters of new or changed registry ships were added (and those of re-registered or scrapped vessels deleted) periodically by means of supplements to the List. Every few years a complete, new version was published. 

However the information came from an appointed official source in each country that issued ship radio licences. In many countries this was a government department (well-known for their responsiveness and rapid reactions). By the time they had produced a list of their recent licence issues, informed the ITU in Geneva (by surface mail of course) and then the receipts had been assembled by their bureaucrats in a country-by-country list, vetted and sent to the printers for binding and publishing in book form, the information was always many, many months out of date.

On the ITU website there is a facility called MARS (Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System) that allows you to enter a ship's name and obtain details of such things as callsigns and numerical identities. the IRL is http://www.itu.int/cgi-bin/htsh/mars/ship_search.sh. However this only works for currently licenced ships, not for ones that have been scrapped.

You might be able to persuade someone at the ITU to look the information up for you from their archives. Alternatively you could raise your question on the website of the Radio Officers Association (run for ex-radio officers and others interested in radio matters). They can be found at http://www.anything-it.biz/roass/


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## alex page

if my memory serves me right the adm list of sigs vol 1 gave info on coast stations 2 time sigs and nav wrngs 3 weather 4 ??? never used it 5 Df and Decca etc .....Alex


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## Ron Stringer

*Alrs*

Alex & Nigel,

You were right in that for a long time there were the ALRS Volumes you mention but none of them carried Ship's Callsigns or other ship details. The only callsigns listed were those of Coast Stations, DF beacons and the like that were listed. At some point in the late 1960s or 1970s another volume was added - VHF Radio Station details - listing port and pilot VHF stations. 
By way of their weekly amendments via the Admiralty's 'Notices to Mariners', the information in these publications was kept relatively up to date - months, sometimes years, ahead of the ITU publications.


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## Degema

Thanks guys for your comments and advice. John the callsigns you gave me look good. I remember them from my time with Ocean Fleets in the 70s. By the way did you ever come across an R/O by the name of Andy Willis during your time with Brocklebanks?

Degema


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## John Leary

*Radio Call Signs*

Hi Guys

Some time ago I came across a copy of an ITU do***ent entitled "List of Radio Determination and Special Service Station" dated 1966. On the inside cover is an extract from the List of ITU Publications. A copy of this list will be posted as soon as I can. You will see that the "List of Ship Stations" was number five in the series. Hope it is of interest to you.
Regards

John


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## John Leary

*Radio Call Signs*

Sorry Degema, Andy Willis does not ring any bells. Mind you I'm beginning to forget what happened a few hours ago (lol).
Regards
John(Thumb)


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## bruce graham

*List of Ships CallSigns*

Greetings. I'm attempting to restore a small Marconi equipped charter boat radio station circa 1980 to 1984 on the W. Cork coast, Ireland. I need to replace various publications inc the List of Ship and Coast Stations for posterity, also the PO Handbook for Radio officers, both of which suc***bed to damp. Any ideas?. 73's. Bruce. [ex MIMCO]


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## Varley

If she's still to be at sea and licensed (SOLAS or not) I think you will need up to date ITU publications and , if trading abroad, tariff information. Not sure about RO handbook - depends on flag I suspect.

Any accounting authority will provide them but free, at best, only if you sign up. They tend to be distributed like the waste material from a deranged person of the opposite gender and you might find any ship management company with a spare set that the supplier has not wanted to pay for the return postage. Alternatively from chart agents. 

The Admiralty lists were only a requirement of British Radio Stations. Again available for chart agents.


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## hawkey01

Bruce,

welcome to SN. I presume the publications you require are for the era of the station and not new ones. Help will be forthcoming I am sure.

Hawkey01


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## spacetracker

"By the way did you ever come across an R/O by the name of Andy Willis during your time with Brocklebanks?"

Pretty sure I took over a Clan boat (Macnab?) from an Andy Willis about 1976 Believe he was an amatuer archeologist (honest!). He related a story about leaving a DTI radar course to go off on a dig somewhere.


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## purserjuk

I can help with three cal signs.
Dalla GHBS
Donga GGHH
Pegu GHBR
All when serving with Paddy Henderson & Elder Dempster.
Regards


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## A.D.FROST

LloydsRegesters also gives ships call signs


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## Larry Bennett

The ALRS Volumes are indeed still published and well-used. The current volumes are:

Vol 1- Maritime Radio Stations (2 parts)
Vol 2 - Radio Aids to Navigation, Time Signals etc....
Vol 3 - Maritime Safety Information (weather broadcasts, ice reports, Navtex etc) (2 parts)
Vol 4 - Met Observation Stations
Vol 5 - GMDSS
Vol 6 - Port Operations, Pilotage and Vessel Traffic Services (7 parts)

In addition Vol 6 is available as a digital version as part of the ADP (Admiralty Digital Publications) suite which includes Lights and Tides.

All published annually and updated by weekly NM for safety-critical information.

Larry (Radio Signals Manager, UKHO).


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## Rogerfrench

Apropos of nothing really, and a comment from the Deck dept may be out of place, but one call sign I can still remember was from an ED mailboat, either Accra or Apapa. I think Apapa, but it was a long time ago.
Anyway, the call sign was MACE, and I remember it because it had a great rhythm to it, and we often heard it interfering with the piped music around the accommodation.

da-da di-da da-di-da-di di

O.K, I'll get me coat and go now.


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## Mayday

niggle said:


> Hi Degema,
> 
> John is correct that ship callsigns were published by the ITU along with other similar sized A4 paperback lists for coast stations etc but all the ships I sailed on used the Admiralty List of Radio Signals which if my memory serves me well was split into 6 volumes but cannot remember what number referred to which area of signals. I will put that out to the membership of R/Os to put the names to the volume numbers. Just checked the UK Hydrographic office web site and and surprised to see that they are still published and available.
> 
> Regards Nigel


Vol 1 A and B Coast stations
Vol 2 DF stations
Vol 3 weather
Vol 4 Weather reporting stations (Land)
Vol 5 Navigation warnings
Vol6 Pilot stations

John.


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## Tony Selman

Elders and Fyffes Mazatec built in 1972 c/s was GRAY. Source is 1974 Lloyds List. I can find no other Mazatec between mid 50's and that date.


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## stan mayes

Hi Rogerfrench from another Deck Dept --
MACE was Apapa - GJSW was Accra.
Stan


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## Rogerfrench

stan mayes said:


> Hi Rogerfrench from another Deck Dept --
> MACE was Apapa - GJSW was Accra.
> Stan


Thank you Stan!


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## kittijay

hello, if anyone is still reading this thread, it brings back memories of Degema GKHV I think and I found the Aureols call sign had a sort of rythm about it. i.e. GMGJ. I have to admit I used to sometimes get wrist siezure with GKHV on HF. I was also on the Salaga GYRR.


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## sven-olof

I have UIT List of ship stations 13 ed. jan 1973.
There is Mazatec "GRAY"


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## Graham Glover

*Radio Call Signs*

Hi John Leary

Did you go to NESWT Bridlington in 1959. I knew a John Leary there.

Graham Glover R/O


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## John Leary

To Graham Glover
Hi Graham

Sorry I am not the guy you knew because I did my training in the early 1960's at the Wireless College, Colwyn Bay. I never came across anyone with the same name as me.

To R651400
Hi
In 1963 call signs GVSN and GVSM were allocated to the Oriana and Romanby respectively.

Regards to all
John


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## trotterdotpom

R651400 said:


> Thanks John. Oriana/GVSN for sure. Can't imagine Ropner's "Romanby" with two RO's!


Could have been a Junior doivng his first 6 months.

John T


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## sandy steel

Sure that GVSN was the Oriana which entered service in 1960.
Sandy


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## Troppo

I always wondered why she got a GVxx callsign, rather than something further up the list, like a GBxx or a GCxx.


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## spacetracker

Re Oriana/GVSN: same thing for Windsor Castle/GVTG


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## Elders R/O

*Call Sigb for Degema and Dixcove*



kittijay said:


> hello, if anyone is still reading this thread, it brings back memories of Degema GKHV I think and I found the Aureols call sign had a sort of rythm about it. i.e. GMGJ. I have to admit I used to sometimes get wrist siezure with GKHV on HF. I was also on the Salaga GYRR.


The call sign for Degema was GCHV and her sister ship the Dixcove was GCHU. Only difference in the ships was the type of heavy lift derrick on the aft deck between hatch 4/5


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## lakercapt

R651400 said:


> Thanks John. Oriana/GVSN for sure. Can't imagine Ropner's "Romanby" with two RO's!


Quite right as I was on her for the first eight months of her career (Romanby)and there was only one "Sparks"


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## SparksG1714

Like the rythm? 
GDBS Headlam & Sons' Sneaton, the last UK registered Liberty ship
GHVA Persian Shipping Services' John L Manta, the last UK registered Victory ship


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## orchanet

Hi R651400 - Just a tad late in response - I believe GVSN was th "Margaret Bowater"


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## orchanet

Hi again R641400 - I should have read down a bit further - Yes GVSN was "Oriana". I also served on her as 7th R/O).


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## sandypat

*GVSN Signal Letters*



R651400 said:


> Just seen a pic of radio room GVSN or GVSM with two R/O's.
> Anyone put a name to it?



Golf Victor Sierra November / GVSN / Oriana 
Port of Registry London 
22354 Reg Tonnage 
Official No. 301235


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## Loptap

Hi John
Appreciate that your post is quite old - but if you are still on here and still have that 1963 publication could you please tell me the call signs for Strick Lines Baluchistan (1956), Charles H. Merz (CEGB) and Denholm's Wellpark (1958). Also if MABT is not one of these - what ship is it? (Don't know why it is stuck in my head!)
Many thanks


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## John Leary

Hi Loptap

Strick Lines Baluchistan (GVJD), Charles H. Merz (GSMV) and Denholm's Wellpark (GXQF). Albistan (MABT).

Hope that helps
73
John


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## Loptap

John Leary said:


> Hi Loptap
> 
> Strick Lines Baluchistan (GVJD), Charles H. Merz (GSMV) and Denholm's Wellpark (GXQF). Albistan (MABT).
> 
> Hope that helps
> 73
> John


Thank You John - that is brilliant - I have searched for such a long time! I thought (correctly) that I had Baluchistan but couldn't confirm it - the other two I couldn't remember but instantly recognise. Still don't know why MABT is stuck in my head - even if it is also a Strick Lines ship.

Thanks again.


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## mariner77

*Question re very early call signs*

Hello all, I’m a new member here but would like to start with a question that will be hard, if not impossible, to answer.
I am carrying out some research on four ships of the Dublin Steam Packet Company
RMS Leinster, RMS Connaught, RMS Munster and RMS Ulster (commonly referred to as "The Provinces").
Two of these ships, RMS Leinster 1896 – 1918 (official Number 104974) and RMS Connaught 1897 – 1917 (official Number 104980), were torpedoed during WW1, with heavy loss of life in the case of the RMS Leinster.
I am especially trying to find the Radio Call signs used by each of the ships.
I would greatly appreciate any assistance you could give by way of pointing me in the direction of the best source of this information.

Regards and Thanks
73 Robert


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## johnvvc

>>> Dalla GHBS, Donga GGHH, Pegu GHBR <<<

None of these appear in my ex-GLV 11th Ed 1983 ITU "Call Signs Maritime Mobile Service"

Obviously suc***bed to the cutting torches by then...


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## hawkey01

Robert,

Welcome to SN. You never know a wealth on information on the site so the C/S may come to light. 
Enjoy all we have to offer.

Neville - Hawkey01


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## Jumbsailor

Degema said:


> Back in the 60s R/Os had a book which listed in alphabetical order the call signs of ships/radio stations. Does anyone still have a copy?
> I'm looking for the call signs of the following ships: Dalla, Donga, Pegu and Mazatec.
> 
> Many thanks
> 
> Degema


Do I know you - I was on the Pegu after I left the Fulani great memories down the WA coast!!!


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## gw4xxf

International radio regs required all ships to carry the ITU books.
As mentioned, they were always well past their "use by date" by the time they arrived on board.
I don't recall ever using any of them.
I'm not too certain abt the requirement for UK registered vessels to carry the ALRS volumes but of course we all did because they were up-to-date and constantly updated by weekly corrections.
Hours of fun with scissors and sticky paste to fill in those dull hours on watch!


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## Ron Stringer

The ITU publications were useful for some purposes. I used the "Dicky Dapple" almost every day at sea and the List of Ship Stations almost as frequently. For details about watch frequencies and times for coast stations the ALRS were far more useful than the ITU equivalents.


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## Michael Kirwan

Hello all,

Has anyone the callsign for the Sea Container ship "Sapphire Bounty" and "Aqaba Crown" in 1979/80?
One of them was ZFCH
Regards,
Michael


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