Member Pinboard

This is the page for our Naval friends to publish private news - till room is exhausted. For obvious reasons we can only accept non-commercial information relating to member and amateur radio matters.
Thank you for your understanding.

Marinefreunde.com

Maritime Radio Telegram Award
German Spy Museum in Berlin
International Call Signs of the Fast Patrol Boats - message -
Blitz & Anker
NATO Conference in Thessalonica
MFCA - Admiral Tegetthoff Award
MFCA - Jubilee Award
MFCA - Novara Award
MFCA - AGM 2004 and Vienna

Maritime Radio Telegram Award

This award was created to commemorate nearly 90 years of manual radio communications between ships and shore, and the contribution of radio officers and operators both at sea and at coastal radio stations to

"Safety of life at sea".

The "Maritime Radio Telegram Award" is given to licenced radio amateurs, shortwave listeners and former radio officers of the merchant marine and navy. It remembers to the era of wire telegraphy and its usage in the maritime mobile service. Museum ships and other institutions of maritime radio may obtain the award by an offical request.

More information you will get at the homepage of MRTA

Responsible: Jürgen DL8HCI, MF812

German Spy Museum in Berlin

The architect Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard Diel from the University of arts in Berlin chairs the Institut for "Transmediale Gestaltung" and the work shop for architectur, design and communication. He made a scatch for the project of an International Spymuseum in Berlin-Tempelhof.

© Joachim Beckh

Here you can look at a design study IntMusESpio

Now it is done.
More information you will get at the homepage of German Spy Museum

Responsible: Joachim Beckh

International Call Signs of the Fast Patrol Boats

Message

The Veterans of the Fast Patrol Boats of the German Navy have started to research their history. After 1945 a few boats were under British Authority, then in 1956 the Bundesmarine was established. Some Fast Patrol Boats carried the International Call Signs (ICS) starting with DS.., others carried than DB.. as International Call Sign. On 1st December 1981 the International Call Signs of the Fast Patrol Boats were changed to DR.., but only few documents are left.

If you have any documents or knowledge on the International Call Signs of the Fast Patrol Boats of the German Navy please contact:

LT Joachim Beckh
phone: +49 (4631) 666 2660
mailto: JoachimBeckh@Bundeswehr.org

Responsible: Joachim Beckh

Blitz & Anker

Information Technology
history & background

New developments in Information Technology (IT) inevitably have a direct impact on the Information Exchange in Politics, Business and Military establishments. Even in the past the delivering speed of a message has often been a deciding factor between victory and defeat.

19^th Century researchers in radio-telegraphy brought about the raw material for today’s IT in which all the original procedures are now electronically compounded. Marconi, Morse and Bell are world known inventors. In Germany, pioneers such as Reis, the Count of Arco and Huelsmeyer have received lesser recognition and Ferdinand Schneider from Fulda has remained almost completely unnoticed?

But Technology alone has hardly a life of its own. The choice of its employment is what gives it a true identity recognizable only in the marks left by it throughout time. History shows that even the best of materials can fulfill its highest potentials only in the hands of the most competent people.

The way from the Wigwag Signal to the digital Information Exchange has received here extensive coverage.

Part I, 560 pages, ISBN 3-8334-2996-8

Part II, 636 pages, ISBN 3-8334-2997-6

no figures, price by bookshop EUR 49,95

Selling only via bookshop or www.libri.de after october 2005 and as a limited number of books part I and II within the signature of the author during our AGM 2005.

Born in Stuttgart in 1963. Lives in Denmark with his wife. Studied electro-mechanics and energy plant electronics with extensive technical training in the US-Navy. After five years of active seaduty his experience won him the position of technical instructor in different academical environments.

His introduction to the world of networks found him as IT-Security representative. At the same time he took new task as instructor, founding especially challanging the teaching of communications history, which included guiding national and international group excursions through a historical exposition. He gained additional experience as Database-, Systems- and Network Administrator and he is presently active in character-oriented Information Exchange.

Joachim Beckh discovered his pleasure for writing during his school and sea-duty years. He published articles in the newspaper of the communication school of the Austrian army, the MarineForum, the F-Flagge (Communication Newspaper of the German Army) and the MF-QTC (Newspaper of Naval Radio Operators). His professional expertise served and supported the making of documentaries such as the ZDF report on the life of Admiral Canaris and the BBC Television-Series ?Battle of the Atlantic?.

Responsible: Joachim Beckh

NATO Conference in Thessalonica

Participation of Joey, MF 768 in the MARITIME COMMAND and CONTROL INFORMATION SYSTEM TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP (MTWG).

Being continuously on official trips is not always the most pleasant part of one’s profession nor does it have positive effects on our family life, as frequent travellers know. Sometimes there is however the one, always presumed, pleasant part. From the 2^nd to 5^th April 2007 Joachim Beckh, MF 768, was participating in the 23^rd MTWG conference on discussions about the further technical development and present problems of the standard software (MCCIS = MARITIME COMMAND and CONTROL INFORMATION SYSTEM) for the RECOGNIZED MARITIME PICTURE (RMP).

In times of the Morse key a CONTACT REPORT was sent to report vessel movements, which had to be manually implemented into an overall maritime picture. Today formatted texts are available in the standardized NATO format in data bases. The test formats are filled with support of modern PC and standard programs. These text formats can then be automatically read and displayed by computer systems - here the MCCIS. In this way, a detailed and verified graphic picture of the oceans can be produced.

Conference in Thessalonica

The 23^rd MTWG was held in Thessalonica/Greece. 42 participants from 28 different commands/offices represented 13 nations of NATO. It is impressive, how and with which effort the new members, for example Poland and the Baltic States, take over the responsibility in their NATO duties. In this respect the "fresh blood" in the since more than 50 years existing NATO has certainly positive effects. One disadvantage although is, that with more members you always complicate the decision making processes, as it can be seen in the EU.

The reunion with a Greek comrade from the MARITIME OPERATIONS CENTER (MOCC) of the NATO DEPLOYMENT CORPS GREECE (NDR-GR), Ensign Ioannis Panagiotakis, was especially pleasant. I also got the honour to meet his comrade Ensign Ioannis Ioannidis SV2FPU and their superior, the NDR GR Chief MOCC-Branch, Commander Athanassios Papadatos.

Joey and Howard with Ioannis at home Ioannis Panagiotakis performing
in a traditional Greek dance

After the official part was finished, we were able to enjoy the rich Greek culture. The excellent culinary dishes in Thessalonica were only surpassed by the hospitality of the Greek Navy. On the departure we received the QSL-cards of the Amateur Radio Station of the Greek Navy in Thessalonica.

QSL card SV2FPU

I would appreciate if an active radio contact in the old fashioned way could be established by the MF-Runde and other Radio Amateur Organizations. Maybe one or the other can check my report personally.

Thessalonica is definitely worth a journey!

Responsible: Joachim Beckh

Admiral Tegetthoff Award of "Marine Funker Club Austria"

This award shows a copperplate print illustrating the sea battle at Lissa (1866) under the command of Austrian admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff.
4-colour print of 26 x 19 cm size. This award represents a special link between the naval amateur radio clubs worldwide via radio contacts with their members and club stations.

For further details please see MFCA homepage.

Responsible: OE6NFK, RN4582 MF485

Jubilee Award of "Marine Funker Club Austria"

For details please see MFCA homepage.

Responsible: OE6NFK, RN4582 MF485

Novara Award of "Marine Funker Club Austria"

For details please see MFCA homepage.

Responsible: OE6NFK, RN4582 MF485

Vienna and MFCA´s AGM 2004

Museum of Military History

On occasion of MFCA’s annual general meeting (MFCA = Marine Funker Club Austria) the two MF friends Peter, DL9SJ (MF 311) including XYL and Hans-Jürgen, DK9OS (MF 787) visited the city of Vienna from September 3rd to 6th, 2004.
They were cheerfully received by chairman OM Sepp, OE6ESG and his XYL Elfriede who stayed at the same hotel.

Nostalgic ships on Danube Canal

The very first day our hosts invited us for a visit to the Danube Canal where we had the chance to see some ships entering for the "Nostalgia Gathering of Ships". When the old diesel-driven tugboat “Josef” berthed alongside quay we welcomed Josef, OE1JLU and Sepp, OE3OLC with Nick, OE8NIK and further members to join later on.

Carriage ride by "Fiaker"

Starting by a “Fiaker” ride (horse-drawn cab) from St. Stephan’s Cathedral in the evening we got to experience the cosy atmosphere of Vienna downtown with its very particular charm.

On Saturday we met with a great number of friends in the Museum of Military History to attend the MFCA´s 2004 Annual General Meeting in the lecturing room which began at 09.30 h.
The board was surprised to welcome 13 members eligible to vote and two YLs as guests. After the official opening, with special welcome to both MF friends from Germany, the board presented its official statements followed by the main topic of the meeting: board elections.

General meeting New board Participants of AGM

After founding of club and 7 years of business there was a change:
Previously vice-chairman, OM Werner, OE6NFK (MFCA 58, MF 841) was elected new chairman now. New vice-chairman and treasurer was made OM Sepp, OE6ESG (MFCA 4, MF 485).
Re-elected were OM Nick, OE8NIK(MFCA 3, MF 426) for foreign affairs and OM Sepp, OE3OLC (MFCA 17, MF 843) for packet radio and award manager, as well as the auditors. All proposals for election were given unanimous resolution while all those elected assumed their functions.
The new chairman expressed his thanks for the confidence placed in him. In recognition of his merits he appreciated his predecessor OM Sepp who had founded the MFCA seven years ago and made a success of it.

After further reports had been given, as well as details on projects for the near future, the two MF friends from Germany were asked to speak. Peter, DL9SJ, thanked the MFCA for the invitation, the successful organization of the AGM and for the sightseeing programme.
In his capacity as a member of the board, Hans-Jürgen, DK9OS, presented best regards from our Harald, DL5XI, and the entire board of MF-RUNDE. He submitted a memorial plaque to the new chairman as well as an illustrated book about the "Cap San Diego" (DL0MFH), flag ship of the MF-RUNDE. Hans-Jürgen expressed his thanks to the new board with best wishes for successful management and always lucky sailing of the MFCA "vessel".

Present for us

Special thanks were given to the Edlinger family for their excellent care and support during our stay at Vienna, in anticipation of further interesting places to see. We invited to the Meeting of the MF-RUNDE, combined with AGM, at Wingst near Cuxhaven from September 23rd to 28th, 2005. Both, new chairman and vice-chairman accepted gratefully. Hans-Jürgen gave a short review on the intended programme which should comprise a visit to the high-sea island of Heligoland.

It was agreed to have a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tegetthoff monument in Cuxhaven, while Hans-Jürgen requested as many MFCA members in uniform to attend as possible.
Also the new board reciprocated with a present: a red white red ribbon with MFCA anchor thereon and a colour photo in A3 size of the Hamradio 2004 were handed over to Hans-Jürgen. With thanks on behalf of the MF-RUNDE he promised to pass same on to Harald, DL5XI.

Museum of Military History

On completion of the meeting all participants came together in the navy room of the Museum of Military History and had lunch together in the "Prater", with a ride in the huge Ferris Wheel and other sightseeing objects.

"Vienna Prater" impressions

Grinzing was the programme for the evening, where we also got to see the favourite seat of Hans Moser. It goes without saying that we had to taste the "Heuriger" (Austrian specialty; new wine), and the day ended in merry company when we made our way back by tram.

"Heuriger" garden Hans Moser Outdoor taverne "Dach"

All of the Sunday was marked by Schönbrunn Palace with its objects of interest. After a guided tour through the palace we set out to walk or took the "Panorama Train" for visit of the palm-tree house, the "Gloriette", a memorial place, and strolled along the park with its beautiful gardens.

Schönbrunn Palace

With his excellent tunes on the accordion Peter, DL9SJ, made for entertainment in the late evening. Even the residents of our hotel were eager to listen or dance to his playing of special Viennese songs and, of course, shanties.

Entertainement at hotel

After breakfast in common, we started for our journey back home on Monday having enjoyed an unforgettable weekend in the metropolis of Vienna. Many thanks to MFCA.

Responsible: DK9OS, RN4636 MF787