# Call signs - Loves and hates



## bfraser47

Dunno where the thought came from, but I suddenly starting thinking about some of the call signs we had use on the key. Found the most awkward to be Das Island in the Gulf...2AI15, or Dakar Radio 6VA, Lagos Radio 5..something, Columbo 4PB

Easiest was Tenerife EAT and LasPalmas EAL, or Aidjan TUA, but for pure rhythm, Hong Kong VPS... or even Kharg Island in the Gulf EPY8

Worst call sign ever sailed with...MTWM (Br. Trader) right at the bottom of GKA etc traffic lists, had to sit most of the watch for your turn and by the time you`ve done the QSL you're almost into the next watch.

Must be a lot others I've forgotten or never used..... how about yours

73s Brian


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## Enri

Having the shack next to the chart room, GZC7, the call sign for the naval station on Mauritious used to drive me mad, the ships I was on seemed to spend al lot of time in that area, shows how bad it was, after forty years I can still hear it going around in my head, and I was deck department!


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## trotterdotpom

Brian, I think Lagos was 5OW. A pretty useless station. The callsign is a metaphor for the country ... Lots of "dashes".

John T


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## cajef

Used to go into Puerto Cortes, Costa Rica can always remember Cortes Radio call sign a nice simple TIM.


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## MikeGDH

How about mv 'Luhesand'.....5B2109.
Mike


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## ex ro

HI MikeGDH by coincidence was freelance R/O on mv Chrysovalandou Dyo call sign 5B2108 regestered in Famagusta ex Jardines Eastern Trader must be one of the worst names and callsigns ever 
Regards Alan


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## MikeGDH

Hi Alan!
What a coincidence!
That type of c/s was normally given to R/T-only ships....suppose the Cypriot authorities got a bit confused when they started doing FOC!
Strangely enough, the Luhesand's (5B2109) only R/T was on the lifeboat gear!
Cheers!
Mike.


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## bfraser47

trotterdotpom said:


> Brian, I think Lagos was 5OW. A pretty useless station. The callsign is a metaphor for the country ... Lots of "dashes".
> 
> John T


Got that right mate....national motto " You Dash Me" question mark intentionally omitted.


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## Keith Adkins

My worst was not the callsign but the name of the ship! The Chevron tanker SS E Hornsby Wasson. Try telling a coast station that your ships name starts EH, sometimes a tad difficult


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## rknibbs

When I was on the Br Trader the callsign was MTWG, horrible because as you say it was at the end of the tfc list but also because some operators would insist on transposing the callsign to GMTW!!! Or was that my poor sending?


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## bfraser47

rknibbs said:


> When I was on the Br Trader the callsign was MTWG, horrible because as you say it was at the end of the tfc list but also because some operators would insist on transposing the callsign to GMTW!!! Or was that my poor sending?


Maybe it was MTWG ...but what`s the last 'dot' between friends. Another stinker was Br. Officer MPKR ...enjoyed her, that,`s when I got to use SUQ (Suez Canal) but probably more appropriate when pronounced as a word !!!

Someone's gonna have to go a long way to beat the 5B call signs for awkwardness ...bet someone will !!!


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## bluemoon

Whilst working for SSM I went from the Baron Maclay/GPEE to the Cape Leeuwin/GPOT.


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## G4UMW

Another odd name - Abdul Razaak Sanusi. Callsign from memory was GWOV. Used to get no end of queries from coast stations asking was I really a British ship!


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## Dave McGouldrick

ex ro said:


> HI MikeGDH by coincidence was freelance R/O on mv Chrysovalandou Dyo call sign 5B2108 regestered in Famagusta ex Jardines Eastern Trader must be one of the worst names and callsigns ever
> Regards Alan


I sailed on Pola Anna (5B2291) in mid 70s. She was ex Lagganbank.


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## sparks69

rknibbs said:


> When I was on the Br Trader the callsign was MTWG, horrible because as you say it was at the end of the tfc list but also because some operators would insist on transposing the callsign to GMTW!!! Or was that my poor sending?


When on the Br Trader or Br Valour, can't remember which, I used to send the OBS message a bit before the traffic list and then GKA would pass any traffic he had on hand once I had sent the OBS !
Worked fine for me.


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## King Ratt

I liked Singapore Radio/9VG, it rolled off the key, as did my favourite ship c/s GJMC aka RFA Tidespring.
Worst one was Das Island/2AI15.


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## spacetracker

Inappropriately named bulker was "Sunnyway", which, from memory, the call-sign was a GKA unfriendly GXYW. Same company had "Bonnieway" and "Causeway". At least the names got slightly better with call-signs respectively GVHV and GVHU.


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## Ron Stringer

Didn't like GXPX as a callsign (_Bretwalda_) because of its position in the traffic list but disliked GNJH (_Regent Pembroke_) because it didn't seem to have any rhythm.


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## richardwakeley

King Ratt liked 9VG.
I can go one better. 9VG de 9VGQ.
Wish I was still there - on Centaur


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## trotterdotpom

bluemoon said:


> Whilst working for SSM I went from the Baron Maclay/GPEE to the Cape Leeuwin/GPOT.


Good one Blue Moon. I see you put a slash between Cape Leeuwin and GPOT too ... ! 

By coincidence, I too sailed on GPOT .... Mackay (Qld) to London at economical speed during the 70's fuel crisis. How we laughed.

John T


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## sparks69

King Ratt said:


> I liked Singapore Radio/9VG, it rolled off the key, as did my favourite ship c/s GJMC aka RFA Tidespring.
> Worst one was Das Island/2AI15.


Just to prove I could still do it, I retrieved my bug key from the loft and banged out 2AI15 a couple of times then my favourites EPY8 - Bandar Mashur & 6VA Dakar.
Felt much better after doing that.


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## bfraser47

richardwakeley said:


> King Ratt liked 9VG.
> I can go one better. 9VG de 9VGQ.
> Wish I was still there - on Centaur


I knew it.... so you were one of those posh sparks on Centaur who`d never invite us oinks from the lower order of ships onboard at 9VG. Frightened we`ve have a go at the passies.... or the sheep, none of us could figger out which were greater in number.
Signed.... Envious of GJKH and GMSJ [=P]


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## bfraser47

sparks69 said:


> Just to prove I could still do it, I retrieved my bug key from the loft and banged out 2AI15 a couple of times then my favourites EPY8 - Bandar Mashur & 6VA Dakar.
> Felt much better after doing that.


Great stuff, three favourites from the start of the thread and a third mention for 2AI15 (but I seem to remember is was Das Island) however its certainly winning so far as worst coast station callsign


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## richardwakeley

Brian,
Not me! You will have to blame Gibson, or Holman, or Myers for that. And Centaur was still GLRU when you were in Bluies. My 'moment of glory' was in 1979.
220 passies and 5,000 sheep. It's still debatable which were the better looking.
Richard


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## bfraser47

richardwakeley said:


> Brian,
> Not me! You will have to blame Gibson, or Holman, or Myers for that. And Centaur was still GLRU when you were in Bluies. My 'moment of glory' was in 1979.
> 220 passies and 5,000 sheep. It's still debatable which were the better looking.
> Richard


Always the latter, after all we had 12 passies of our own


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## trotterdotpom

sparks69 said:


> Just to prove I could still do it, I retrieved my bug key from the loft and banged out 2AI15 a couple of times then my favourites EPY8 - Bandar Mashur & 6VA Dakar.
> Felt much better after doing that.


Calling 6VA was easy, Chris. Getting an answer was a different matter.

John T


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## trotterdotpom

"220 passies and 5,000 sheep. It's still debatable which were the better looking."

..... or which were being fleeced.

John T


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## King Ratt

richardwakeley said:


> King Ratt liked 9VG.
> I can go one better. 9VG de 9VGQ.
> Wish I was still there - on Centaur


Brilliant!

KR


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## bfraser47

trotterdotpom said:


> Calling 6VA was easy, Chris. Getting an answer was a different matter.
> 
> John T


Called them using Le Morse. Worked for moi (==D)


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## trotterdotpom

bfraser47 said:


> Called them using Le Morse. Worked for moi (==D)


If they answered on 500 kcs it must have been Senegal National Day.
The best way to get them was on their 8 mcs (I think) HF sked - best to wig in 10 minutes before the scheduled time because time wasn't their strong point.

John T


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## Robert Wheeler

spacetracker said:


> Inappropriately named bulker was "Sunnyway", which, from memory, the call-sign was a GKA unfriendly GXYW. Same company had "Bonnieway" and "Causeway". At least the names got slightly better with call-signs respectively GVHV and GVHU.


Spacetracker - thankyou. I've been trying for ages to remember c/s for the "Sunnyway".


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## bfraser47

R651400 said:


> Alway thought somewhere in the depths of the Post Master General's office there was some ex R/O especially assigned to the allocation of call-signs who knew how to give them that rhythmic sound in morse making it easier to send and receive.
> Suppose GMBZ/Melampus my first Bluey deep-sea should be my favourite but GJXM/Ajax had a great sending rhythm.
> Very few vowels in my time but two come to mind.. GOHN and GOAE Pretoria and Edinburgh Castle or vice versa.


Werry interesting... QRA and current QTH, NOW , some of us wiz thees gentleman scores to settle have - sofort


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## trotterdotpom

"Very few vowels in my time but two come to mind.. GOHN and GOAE Pretoria and Edinburgh Castle or vice versa."

I never really had a "vowel movement" over callsigns but I occasionally find myself tapping out CQ CQ CQ de GNEB GNEB GNEB .... "Duncansby Head", the worst ship I was ever on. I must ask my shrink about that sometime.

John T


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## holland25

I always thought CFH ,Halifax had a nice rhythm.


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## cajef

Two that I always found with an easy rhythm were Empress of Canada/GHLA and Regent Falcon/GDRU which the second mate always stated should be phonetically 'God Damn Runner Up'


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## david.hopcroft

I bought myself a bug key when I joined the Safmarine reefer Langkloof - ZSHI. Tripped off a bug key just fine, but always last in traffic lists, and it got worse when the name changed to S.A.Langkloof no-one would believe the S.A. bit.

David
+


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## Troppo

IAR Rome Radio...

I always imagined the morse with a jaunty Italian tune in the background....


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## rknibbs

I always thought British Architect/GXFB had a nice rhythm


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## Varley

Don't think I ever worked it but Bern radio's was catchy.


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## G4UMW

Two callsigns which (to me) had a pleasing rhythm: Norvegia Team/GREZ and Wellington Star/GNPD - known to the mates as "Got No Proper Drivers".


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## richardwakeley

JT,
now you reminded me. It was useless to call any of those west africa stations on 500. Just wait for their traffic list on 4, 6, 8 mcs, which band depended on the gmt, and try to get a qry after the list. i guess they only had one operator.
I expect they are stll there collecting their salary now. maybe lagos has more than one now, concentrating on internet.
Richard


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## trotterdotpom

richardwakeley said:


> JT,
> now you reminded me. It was useless to call any of those west africa stations on 500. Just wait for their traffic list on 4, 6, 8 mcs, which band depended on the gmt, and try to get a qry after the list. i guess they only had one operator.
> I expect they are stll there collecting their salary now. maybe lagos has more than one now, concentrating on internet.
> Richard


At least they didn't want your bank account details in those days, Richard.

John T


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## Robert M Hughes

SVA - Athens was smooth - but when run together caused some upset.
I had GGVC/ Retainer a lot of coast stations chose to make it GVCG which led to some slow keying on my part - some of them must have been taking the piss!

Bob


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## andysk

richardwakeley said:


> JT,
> now you reminded me. It was useless to call any of those west africa stations on 500. Just wait for their traffic list on 4, 6, 8 mcs, which band depended on the gmt, and try to get a qry after the list. i guess they only had one operator.
> I expect they are stll there collecting their salary now. maybe lagos has more than one now, concentrating on internet.
> Richard


Hmmm TUA (Abidjan) always answered on 500 for the OBS, they were one of the few good ones around there, apart from 6VA on a good day, between EAL/T and ZSV/C

Andy


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## bfraser47

andysk said:


> Hmmm TUA (Abidjan) always answered on 500 for the OBS, they were one of the few good ones around there, apart from 6VA on a good day, between EAL/T and ZSV/C
> 
> Andy


Exactly as I remember.
Post #16 by Sparks69 bugged me cos I never thought of that trick, but when I thought more about it realised I always worked on the basis of send your OBS to the nearest coast station for it to be of use. Couldn't figger out how the UK met office would find a set of OBS from the West African coast of use when compiling the West Atlantic Forecast...... however if it gets your tfc fm GKA before the tfc list then.... wish I'd thought of it!!!!!


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## bfraser47

bfraser47 said:


> Exactly as I remember.
> Post #16 by Sparks69 bugged me cos I never thought of that trick, but when I thought more about it realised I always worked on the basis of send your OBS to the nearest coast station for it to be of use. Couldn't figger out how the UK met office would find a set of OBS from the West African coast of use when compiling the West Atlantic Forecast...... however if it gets your tfc fm GKA before the tfc list then.... wish I'd thought of it!!!!!


....but I thought about it again and realised if it was addressed to Meteo Abidjan it would still get there via GKA. It's taken me 40 odd years to figger it out..duh. In mitigation may I offer that my first and only trip as a puppy r/o was on a non-obs ship... and the senior loved his Tennant's, so there was a gap in my education. Where we you when I needed you Sarks69 ?


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## Austinsparks

San Juan was a nice one to call - NMR. And they were very responsive and happy to take all the OBS!


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## ex ro

nicest callsign for me was John I Jacobs Bulkcarrier Rosewood GOST had nice basic station with Commander and Redifon R408 main rx nice ship with all metal furniture in cabins and was a good company to work for UK officers and United Nations crew


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## duncs

A good one was the 'Baltic Venture/GNHW'. Sending fast, e.g. GNF de GNHW ge hw K. It could confuse the shore station.
Worst, Mauritius/3BM. How many R/O,s swallowed their *** ends and dropped their books when the dreaded 3B(sent as one), was heard, only to be followed by M?

Duncs


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## Ivinghoe

*Call Signs*

Having been with Cunard for a number of years, I found GBSS (Queen Elizabeth) easy to rattle off on the key, but with GBTT (Queen Mary) I sometimes got stuck on the last T making it drawn out 

An awkward call sign was Cunard's Saxonia GSJS which sounded like a SOS being sent out 

I was for a while direct employ with Lamport & Holt - the liberty ship Lassell with a call sign that rolled off the key - GFND


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## Bill Greig

I always thought ***berland/GPPY bounced along quite nicely.
Bill


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## sparks69

Then of course was S V A but we won't mention that !


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## Peter Eccleson

Worst call sign was Port Alfred/GHHD
Best was QE2/GBTT


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## tony kemp

*Call Signs*

Easiest call sign to remember was M A T E 'Trevelyan'
The old Hains Steamship Co. Takes me back to a voyage in the 1960s. m.v. 'Trevelyan' was scrapped round 1962


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## Troppo

I was too young to hear the Queens on MF, but I heard a recording of GBTT's final QTO from New York...the tx did indeed sound terrible...chirpy and rough.

Mind you, it was probably about 30 yrs old by then....


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## marconiman

I quite liked the notes of GBTT & GBSS a deep sound and very distinctive, it also cut through the medley of higher notes in dense traffic as in the channel. The call signs were familiar to hear, as serving on the Dart Atlantic, a trans Atlantic container ship at the time on the Southampton - New York run.

Dart Atlantic's c/s was GOOF, which was hilarious on the maiden voyage to NY, WSL or it may have been WCC wouldn't believe it and thought I was taking the p*ss, took some persuading it was real and told them to look it up in the index of ship's call signs. Her sister ship Dart America wasn't quite so bad with GOOB.

Another gem was the Redbrook a world wide tramper., she had the c/s MARX and an amusing incident happened in Pasau Hainan Island, China which then in the 60s was at the time of the red guard era. On shore leave which was only in specified places in those days, a social centre in a small village where a communist 'lesson' was being given, the old man jumped to his feet and said 'sparks put the ship's call sign on the blackboard', which I promptly did - MARX amid cheers and whoops from the attendees. Although appreciated, we beat a fairly fast retreat as I fear it could have been the wrong form of communism.


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## holland25

R651400 said:


> No disrespect to IMR but up in GND when heard...
> Queen Mary/GBTT and Queen Elizabeth/GBSS and worse of all United States/KJEH had very powerful but absolutely appalling signals on MF.
> The only ship that stuck out was Mauretania/GTTM not only for the rhythm of the call but I think the only Atlantic Cunarder fitted with Marconi equipment.


Though not as big as her more glamorous sisters,the intermediate Parthia, GSWQ was outfitted and manned by Marconi,1950s.


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## Naytikos

My worst was MWMN Shelldrake; best SVPI World Nomad

Athens had to have the best coast station c/s: SVA
Dakar is very similar, I agree, but the S flows more smoothly than 6.


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## jecartas

HI MikeGDH by coincidence was freelance R/O on mv Chrysovalandou Dyo call sign 5B2108 regestered in Famagusta ex Jardines Eastern Trader must be one of the worst names and callsigns ever 
Regards Alan


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## GW3OQK

Had there been a call from UU2 I would have expected the Lone Ranger. What about a seasonal A15ET
A


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## 7woodlane

In the List of Coast Stations of the 50s. A Lebanese coast station. OD2AAD. Also those old favourites the two Swedish ships. **** and SHYT/Birka. These callsigns have now been deleted.


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## ccurtis1

Best call sign ever and so appropriate:-
GROG, Arapaho


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## Roger Bentley

*Call sign*



R651400 said:


> There used to be a Greek owned WW2 Sam class liberty with the name...
> 
> "FLIGHT LIEUTENANT PETER VASSALIDES R.A.F"
> 
> I think Flt Lt Vassalides was the late son of the owner.
> No idea what the SV call sign was but it would be nice to know the history behind the name.


The call sign was SWCU. Lloyds list 1950-51. This ship was former Liberty ship Lot Whitcomb. Cheers, Roger


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## Roger Bentley

*Call sign*



R651400 said:


> There used to be a Greek owned WW2 Sam class liberty with the name...
> 
> "FLIGHT LIEUTENANT PETER VASSALIDES R.A.F"
> 
> I think Flt Lt Vassalides was the late son of the owner.
> No idea what the SV call sign was but it would be nice to know the history behind the name.


Call sign was SWCU. Former name of this ship was Lot Whitcomb. Cheers, Roger


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## MikeGDH

jecartas said:


> HI MikeGDH by coincidence was freelance R/O on mv Chrysovalandou Dyo call sign 5B2108 regestered in Famagusta ex Jardines Eastern Trader must be one of the worst names and callsigns ever
> Regards Alan


Hell yes Alan!
The c/s alone is bad enough.....but, coupled with that name, kind of speaks for itself!!

All the best!
Mike


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## Willum

I moved from 5NDF to GBTT distinct improvement. It amused me to hear stations call the likes of GLD by sending 'GLD', pause, on 5-ton expecting them to come back with 'de' then hearing a long drawn-out 'dah -- di-dit ----- dit' as if saying, go on then, if you must. On another occasion I wound up a greek ship on 5-ton by borrowing the fictitious callsign MPFC (monty pythons flying circus)


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## trotterdotpom

In some parts of the world, calling the coast station and getting a "de" was quite common, but it wasn't the way to go with a busy station in the English Channel.

What was the purpose of using a fictitious call sign?

John T


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## Troppo

That is HF procedure. I have never heard it used on MF.....

The CRS would be rightly pissed off at some idiot doing that on 5 ton...


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## Wismajorvik

R651400 said:


> 1960's...No British or North European coast station would ever reply to the single call gimmick and very few if any on HF.
> PCH was responsive to P and four dashes (CH) probably for a bit of fun than anything else.
> As for using a fictitious call on 500 kcs as a wind-up? I'm gob-smacked!


Running between Venezuala and NY I would frequently tune up on HF and send "N". There would be an immediate response from two or more USCG stations. I would pick one for my OBS and thank the others .


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## Wismajorvik

R651400 said:


> Not surprised!! Did you try it with WSL or WCC?


No, they were professionals!


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## Oceanspanner

Any of you guys who had the foresight to half inch a copy of the Admiralty List help fill in the following list :-

ss Chirripo GWKK
ss Cydonia ????
mv Baron Wemyss ????
ss Ceramic ????
mv La Hortensia GHBQ
mv City of Melbourne ????
mv City of Adelaide GMNE

Would be really grateful if someone could oblige.

Cheers


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## samh116

*Call Signs*

Hi Oceanspanner

From memory City of Melbourne was GCNB

Cheers


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## trotterdotpom

The 1970s Baron Wemyss was GQUJ.

John T


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## trotterdotpom

Could be wrong, but I think WSL and WCC didn't accept OBS and AMVER messages. The Coastguard stations, NBN and whatnot, definitely didn't accept private messages.

All of the US stations were of course, the best of the best ... I never tried calling "N" ... what's so hard about NBN?

John T


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## Roger Bentley

Oceanspanner said:


> Any of you guys who had the foresight to half inch a copy of the Admiralty List help fill in the following list :-
> 
> ss Chirripo GWKK
> ss Cydonia ????
> mv Baron Wemyss ????
> ss Ceramic ????
> mv La Hortensia GHBQ
> mv City of Melbourne ????
> mv City of Adelaide GMNE
> 
> Would be really grateful if someone could oblige.
> 
> Cheers


I have 1961 La Hortensia - GHBQ, Ceramic 1948 GFLM, and City of Melbourne 1959 GBLE. Another presumably earlier Baron Wemyss was GCQE, Cheers, Roger


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## BobClay

I seem to remember a coast station callsign XFA which I think was on the Pacific Coast of Mexico (my memory is a bit corrupted these days.) That ran off the key all by itself:

DAH DIT DIT DAH DIT DIT DAH DIT DIT DAH

and another distinctive one was I think Penang Radio, 9MG

DAH DAH DAH DAH DIT DAH DAH DAH DAH DIT

(==D)


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## Oceanspanner

Thanks Sam, Trotter and Roger for the speedy replies. It was the earlier sixties version of the Baron Wemyss - a right rustbucket that bits kept falling off. Roger's version for City of Melbourne rings true. Only the Cydonia to go now and my list will be complete. It may be down to having a memory like a Swiss cheese but it is odd that I could remember 3 out of 7 no problem but hadn't a clue about the other 4. Ah well at my age I suppose I should consider myself lucky to be able to remember at all.

Thanks again guys,

Cheers,

Pat


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## samh116

Hi Guys

My mistake, just checked some old docs and City of Melbourne was GBLE. GCNB was the Oronsay which I also served on.


Cheers

Sam


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## jimg0nxx

trotterdotpom said:


> Could be wrong, but I think WSL and WCC didn't accept OBS and AMVER messages. The Coastguard stations, NBN and whatnot, definitely didn't accept private messages.
> 
> All of the US stations were of course, the best of the best ... I never tried calling "N" ... what's so hard about NBN?
> 
> John T


If I recollect correctly, the US commercial stations - WSL, WCC etc did, on their call band slip they used to send QRU? OBS? On my first ship which was on the North Atlantic run my Chief R/O warned me against using them for OBS(on pain of death), as they charged for the service. Not sure who had to pay, but think it may have been the Met Office.
Jim


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## trotterdotpom

That rings a bell, Jim.

John T


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## jimg0nxx

Right John, they may also in the latter days of my time at sea touted for Amver.
Jim


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## IMRCoSparks

jimg0nxx said:


> If I recollect correctly, the US commercial stations - WSL, WCC etc did, on their call band slip they used to send QRU? OBS? On my first ship which was on the North Atlantic run my Chief R/O warned me against using them for OBS(on pain of death), as they charged for the service. Not sure who had to pay, but think it may have been the Met Office.
> Jim


Sailing with IMR equipped Cunard ships, we were instructed by the Chief R/O to use the Mackay Radio stations ( WSL KFS) to send our OBS as it was a good source of revenue.


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## Naytikos

posted by trotterdotpom
_



All of the US stations were of course, the best of the best ..

Click to expand...

_I have the utmost respect for your dry humour John, I just trust this is another example of it?


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## Ron Stringer

jimg0nxx said:


> On my first ship which was on the North Atlantic run my Chief R/O warned me against using them for OBS(on pain of death), as they charged for the service. Not sure who had to pay, but think it may have been the Met Office.
> Jim


I had exactly the same instructions from the Chief R/O on my first ship so I guess the request not to use the commercial stations came from the UK Met Office. 

NMN, NMA and, down in the Caribbean, NMR were always eager to take your OBS.


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## marconiman

I think any OBS sent to USCG stations was addressed to Washington and Bracknell was out of the loop, probably exempt from charges even if sent to WSL/WCC. Sightings of ice went to NIK. His 'Limits of all known ice' reports was first class.


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## david.hopcroft

Pat

The 1963 List of Call Signs show GCQE as Baron Wemyss

Tanker orders usually came from WCC or KPH, or both really, RCA stations would qsp. I seem to remember they wouldn't go 'de' but the call band would stop which was your cue to jump in. Similar with HZY so that maybe RCA also ? 

David
+


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## trotterdotpom

Naytikos said:


> posted by trotterdotpom
> 
> I have the utmost respect for your dry humour John, I just trust this is another example of it?


Erm, not really, Naytikos. I always found American stations pretty good, you obviously didn't. Why not?

I do recall a lot of bother trying to make a phone call in the Delaware River - it was like batting your head against a brick wall with several VHF stations. They didn't understand the ship charging system, gold Francs or anything. In the end I just told them what they wanted to hear and never recorded it. I thought the normal commercial and coastguard stations were as good as any and better than a lot.

John T


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## Oceanspanner

David,

Many thanks,

Pat

ps If you still have access to the list could you look up the ss Cydonia - one of Stag lines finest. Again many thanks


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## Roger Bentley

Oceanspanner said:


> David,
> 
> Many thanks,
> 
> Pat
> 
> ps If you still have access to the list could you look up the ss Cydonia - one of Stag lines finest. Again many thanks


The call sign was GTBV - According to Lloyds 61-63. Cheers, Roger


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## Oceanspanner

Many thanks Roger, my list is now complete.

Cheers,

Pat


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## Roger Bentley

Pat, Cydonia call sign GTBV - from Lloyds list 1962-63. Cheers, Roger,


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## marconiman

I believe Royal Mail Line's Amazon was GVVV - sounds like a tune and test transmission.


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## Naytikos

posted by trotterdotpom:
_



Erm, not really, Naytikos. I always found American stations pretty good, you obviously didn't. Why not?

Click to expand...

_To keep it short:

I thoroughly agree about the short-range R/T coast stations, both MF and VHF. They obviously walked to a different beat to the rest of the maritime world. "What's your billing?" As an IMR accounting ship, I said "ITT". That station actually called ITT somewhere, who, of course, had never heard of the ship, or any ship. That resulted in a very interesting conversation....!

Or the time I called the head office in Wichita, Kansas through WOM, whilst in the Southern Arabian Sea: "What's your location?" Gave lat and long. "No, what's the nearest point of land?" 
"Aden" 
"Where's Aden?"
And so on.

Or, departing Freeport Bahamas and proceeding to pass between Cuba and the Southern Bahamas and through the Windward Passage at a time when Cuba was going through a belligerent phase; call the USCG in Miami and ask if our route would be safe: "We are aware of no significant navigational impediments to your proposed route".
Well, thank you very much, does Castro know?

Just examples which come readily to mind.


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## J. Davies

or there was the Swire offshore vessel "Big Orange XI" calling Portishead on R/T off Banana, Ivory Coast:

What's the name of your ship?
Big Orange XI
Whats your position?
Off Banana

Silence


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## david.hopcroft

Took an RT booking at GKZ for Big Orange XI - Don't be daft said the man on RT. Just call him 2182......................Instant reply !!

Can't remember the call sign though.

David
+


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## Tony Magon

Re Luhesand

Hi MikeGDH

Used to work Luhesand/5B2109 when she was around the South Pacific when I worked at ZLB - She finally finished her lease and headed back to Europe -
Worked her finally about a few days before she arrived back at her European Port on 8mhz - Her transmitter had quite a distinctive note.

Also who remembers HOOJ/SXXE which I think was the Ellinis??

She used to do the South pacific cruise run, and last seen many years ago tied up at Timaru, after her cruise run days were over.


Tony Magon VK2IC ex ZLO ZLB ZLC and VIS - and ZMSI ZMMG and ZMCR


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## hawkey01

HOOJ - Australis.

SXXE - I am not sure it was Ellinis - what came to mind was Amerikanis.

Roger need your book.

Neville - Hawkey01


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## Neil Purdon

SXXE - Americanis (sic!) Rather surprised to see the "c". (ITU Alphabetical List of Call Signs 6th Edition March 1972)

I have a watercolour of her as the former Union-Castle Intermediate Liner KENYA CASTLE - GNCF


Neil


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## Roger Bentley

hawkey01 said:


> HOOJ - Australis.
> 
> SXXE - I am not sure it was Ellinis - what came to mind was Amerikanis.
> 
> Roger need your book.
> 
> Neville - Hawkey01


Neville, I only have 50-51 and 62-63, Tony Selman has 1974-75 and 77-78 Lloyds lists he is your man possibly for this one. Cheers, Roger6


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## MikeGDH

Tony Magon said:


> Re Luhesand
> 
> Hi MikeGDH
> 
> Used to work Luhesand/5B2109 when she was around the South Pacific when I worked at ZLB - She finally finished her lease and headed back to Europe -
> Worked her finally about a few days before she arrived back at her European Port on 8mhz - Her transmitter had quite a distinctive note.
> 
> Also who remembers HOOJ/SXXE which I think was the Ellinis??
> 
> She used to do the South pacific cruise run, and last seen many years ago tied up at Timaru, after her cruise run days were over.
> 
> 
> Tony Magon VK2IC ex ZLO ZLB ZLC and VIS - and ZMSI ZMMG and ZMCR


Hi Tony.....yep, must've qso'd you many times when you were at zlb!
It was Australis at Timaru for several months - we bunkered her there for her final voyage when I was on Athelviscount/GHKY. 
Did you know Ray Dominey? Haven't heard him in years. Also Jon Brennan (ex-ZLB & ZLC) is a near neighbour of mine.
73, keep well & have a great xmas/2015.
Mike (zl1mh).


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## dick odwyer

How about MV "Sir Andrew Duncan" c/s MYBN. Not too many on the GKA list after that.


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## beedeesea

"Dunkyle" wasn't too far ahead of you.......MXJZ.

Brian


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