# International code of signals-- Flags



## Paul Baxter (Oct 4, 2008)

I am looking for a directory of Ships call signs eg: "GHGY"

Where could I find these callsigns?

I kept these callsigns in my navigation book but it has been lost due to poor storage.Paper turned yellow etc.

Appreciate ones time.
Regards.

Paul Baxter


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

I can't help you Paul but await responses with interest as I would like to add call signs to a number of ship histories.


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

paul..........

i think you refer to the Admiralty List of Ship Stations.

these do***ents give the information you seek, but do not deal in flags.

there are many volumes, and i suggest asking at your national marine college for obsolete copies.
i could have given you scores of them when my marine college sank

the International Code of Signals (INTERCO) does not give ships call signs, but does work with the various flag signals which have been applicable over many years, and are still part of the study for a deck officer.


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## surfaceblow (Jan 16, 2008)

I have a copy of a list complied by Jerry Hale of American Merchant Ships that was active in 1987. I can send the list to those interested. At the present time the list is in MS Word but can be exported into most file types.


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

There is a coffee mug made by Dunnoon Stoneware in Scotland which has various flags on. They also do one with a map of the UK on and the sea areas marked out with the Beaufort scale and wave heights etc on the back. They were about £10. each when I bought mine.


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Paul,

There used to be an annual publication called "Indicatifs d'Appel" which listed all ships' callsigns. 
Nowadays, there are many electronic databases with the information but, unfortunately, most of the reliable ones are subscription services. (Thumb)


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Have just found Dunoon Stoneware's e-mail address: [email protected]


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## Tai Pan (Mar 24, 2006)

Paul Baxter said:


> I am looking for a directory of Ships call signs eg: "GHGY"
> 
> Where could I find these callsigns?
> 
> ...


Try ROASS.org. roger bentley might be able to help.


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Paul,

the ITU books which give all relevant information are still available. I have checked the callsign which you quoted but it is I am sure not the vessel you want. As you know these callsigns are reallocated over the years. GHGY is now a vessel called Mijouca. If it is from some years ago then you would need old ITU publications or Lloyds registry books.

Hawkey01


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## John Leary (Mar 30, 2005)

Paul

The GHGY callsign was allocated in 1963 to TELAMON, registered Liverpool, registered tonnage 5288, official number 301354. This is the only year for which I have callsigns for UK and Commonwealth ships. If this is the era you are interested in send me a private message with the ships names of interest.
Regards
John


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## Roger Bentley (Nov 15, 2005)

John, The ROA archivist has received a request for the name of a ship with the call sign GVER. Apparently the radio rrom for this ship appeared in an RNLI film - the receivers were the Mercury and Electra. I have searched Lloyds List for 1961-62 without success although I did locate a GVDR. I did notice that the letter E is rarely used in G call signs. I do have the list of ship and coast stations for 1955 and will be starting on that soon but perhaps you can answer the query from oyou source. Regards, Roger


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## John Leary (Mar 30, 2005)

Roger
There is nothing in my book for GVER. The nearest callsign is GVFR which was allocated to the Corbank, registered London, registered tonnage1072, official number 187464.

Until you mentioned it above I had never appreciated that the letter E was omitted from UK G callsigns. However there are plenty of ME's.

I looked but sadly there was no MVER allocated in 1963.

Sorry that I could not help. Best regards
John


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

A quick google of 'GHGY + ship' came up with 'ss Telamon/GHGY one of the Silver Line'
Google is your friend...

Mike


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## Peter4447 (Jan 26, 2006)

Out of interest I have just added a page from a publication called The Dumpy Book of Ships in the Gallery that was published around 1955. This lists the call signs of a number of famous British ships which, sadly, the like of which will never be seen again.
A fascinating little publication which I am sure kindled a love of ships for many schoolboys!
Peter(Thumb)


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

Everards used to have a collective call sign GZXD at one time, we used to use it to find other ships of the fleet and pass the watch chatting to others watchkeepers. It was also used if an Everard ship was in trouble, with a big fleet at one time with a big fleet there would invariably be another ship nearby to render assistance. I wonder what has happened to that call sign.

Regards Robert


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Unfortunately Marconi didn't think callsigns worthy of publication until January 1960 unless the rules changed for some reason.
Mariner lists mostly GDs in January/February 1960 up to GKs and the odd GL in May/June 1963. There are the odd out of sequence ones such as GWWQ.
I must have been unfortunate getting GCQE and GZJE while at sea. It appears that about 10% of call signs had a vowel somewhere.
If you have a lot of patience and a very fast connection you can download all the international lists of weather observing ships from 1955 to 1972 at http://icoads.noaa.gov/metadata/wmo47/cdmp_1955-72/
Knocks the age related lettering back though.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

*Callsigns*



Marconi Sahib said:


> Mariner lists mostly GDs in January/February 1960 up to GKs and the odd GL in May/June 1963. There are the odd out of seqeince ones such as GWWQ.


Kris,

It seems that the Post Office (or the BOT) recycled callsigns from early days. On another post on the site, someone gave details of a vessel built in 1940 with the callsign (I think) GBYE. My first ship was Elders & Fyffes ''Golfito'' which was delivered in December 1949, almost 10 years later, had the callsign GBYL - 10 letters along in the alphabet. With the various unfriendly activities that went on during that decade, I have to assume that more than 10 British ships were built in the interim.[=P]


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

In the OBS lists they're all over the place, Ron.
I had a GQNX built in 1952 plus a GBLV built in 1948 and a GCQE built in 1960.
Then you have the problem of pre 1922 callsigns having three letters and being changed when the new convention came in.
Lusitania's callsign was MFA in 1913.


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## Roger Bentley (Nov 15, 2005)

*Re GVER*



John Leary said:


> Roger
> There is nothing in my book for GVER. The nearest callsign is GVFR which was allocated to the Corbank, registered London, registered tonnage1072, official number 187464.
> 
> Until you mentioned it above I had never appreciated that the letter E was omitted from UK G callsigns. However there are plenty of ME's.
> ...


Many thanks John, I am beginning to wonder if the original picture actually had GVER shown, or possibly since it was originally shown in a RNLI publication film whether it related to a ship which was lost. Best wishes, Roger


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## Roger Bentley (Nov 15, 2005)

I agree most call signs seemed to have a rhythm built in, but one I always remember as being very odd was the international call for HMS Tactician as it was GGGG!


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## Paul Baxter (Oct 4, 2008)

*Ghgy Telamon*



mikeg said:


> A quick google of 'GHGY + ship' came up with 'ss Telamon/GHGY one of the Silver Line'
> Google is your friend...
> 
> Mike


Yes The Telamon is one of 3 ex Silver Line cargo vessel bought from Silver Line straight of the Stocks ex Silverlaurel =Teleman
. There are others ex sliverline Ulysses ex silverholly,and Telresias ex slilverelm. 

The two vessels silverlaurel and SilverSilverelm where put into N.S.M.O service All this in 1950 when in 1960 changed names to Teleman and Telemachus.


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## Tai Pan (Mar 24, 2006)

Paul Baxter said:


> Yes The Telamon is one of 3 ex Silver Line cargo vessel bought from Silver Line straight of the Stocks ex Silverlaurel =Teleman
> . There are others ex sliverline Ulysses ex silverholly,and Telresias ex slilverelm.
> 
> The two vessels silverlaurel and SilverSilverelm where put into N.S.M.O service All this in 1950 when in 1960 changed names to Teleman and Telemachus.


Did a few trips on Ulysses/GDWV, both as 2nd and 1st. hottest radio rooms in Blue Funnel, behind wheelhouse with door to chartroom, the only port opened onto the funnel, nice ships though, steam turbines and a good smoke room, had a mock fireplace in it.(Thumb)


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