# Volksmarine - GDR



## Worldspan (Jan 2, 2012)

Our new neighbours came round for a drink this evening and during the course of conversation it turned out that he'd been a radio op in the 'Volksmarine' - the navy of the former GDR. 

He mentioned something that I'd heard of but never come across: they would send Morse code (not RTTY) from a keyboard. Was this ever used by the RN/MN?

But on another tack, presumably the Volksmarine used tactical callsigns but did they also have a main WT station with an GDR 'D' callsign? It would be fun to ring his doorbell with such a call.

W


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Would Rugen Radio/DHS qualify?


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## Troppo2 (Jun 25, 2018)

A mate of mine used a keyboard to send CW, but they were very rare...


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

I used a DGM Morse keyboard on SS COVE TRADER/KRBY, and SS KING/WAKL and also at Tuckerton Radio (NJ, USA) when I worked there. I think a few other ships. But as traffic went to satellite, I took to taking my Vibroplex with me for sending the required position reports (AMVER or USMER) and OBS reports on WT. My last WT QSO with a USA coast station was with NMF when I sent my arrival message back in 1992 before I went home on medical leave to have a cataracts removed at 42 years of age.

73

DR
David J. Ring, Jr., N1EA


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

I went for a booze up on a DDR ship in Takoradi. We were supposed to reciprocate and the RO (a bit "political") wanted me to send a message on W/T making a date (can't recall why we couldn't do it on VHF unless we or them didn't have it). I told him I couldn't because our aerial was all over the deck and he reckoned that "macht nichts". I don't think my Oceanspan would have worked due to interlocks but he wouldn't have it. I think I finished up going up the road, commie git!

John T


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## sparks69 (Dec 18, 2005)

Now now JT that's not very PC !


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

sparks69 said:


> Now now JT that's not very PC !


It was OK then, Chris, the Thought Police hadn't been invented then - you should have heard what we called the locals!

John T


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## Worldspan (Jan 2, 2012)

Thanks for the replies about the GDR coast stn and the keyboard Morse. I haven't yet got around to talking to him about Rugen Radio but have checked it out. Perhaps Y5M would be the call that he'd know.
M


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Worldspan said:


> Thanks for the replies about the GDR coast stn and the keyboard Morse. I haven't yet got around to talking to him about Rugen Radio but have checked it out. Perhaps Y5M would be the call that he'd know.
> M


Ruegen Radio was pretty good, you could hear them everywhere - call sign DHS. Didn't think it was a military outfit but if you sent them an OBS they'd probably start a Stasi file on you.

John T


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## seaman38 (Mar 16, 2016)

trotterdotpom said:


> It was OK then, Chris, the Thought Police hadn't been invented then - you should have heard what we called the locals!
> 
> John T


Probably 'little black princesses' depending upon the amount of beer consumed, or 'little red princesses' if you were at the bauxite berth


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