"Calling the AMs and MMs is nothing but a waste of time", one of my
DX-friends once declared, "They do not even count for DXCC!" Right,
they do not even count for DXCC (and many other attractive awards and
diplomas) - but is that really of so much importance? Compared with the
rareness of entities on the DXCC Most-Wanted Lists, aeronautical-mobile stations (amateur-radio operators in airplanes:
callsigns followed by /AM) belong to the so-called rare and maritime-mobile stations (amateur-radio operators on ships:
callsigns followed by /MM) at least to the semi-rare category.
Moreover, having a QSO with the two species is a thrilling event, and a
lot of fun anyway. I think, contacting /AM- and /MM-stations is
something out of the ordinary.
A pity
that only scarcely more than half of them send a QSL - as sort of a
reward for enthusiasm. I'm eagerly collecting their QSLs since I started
my amateur-radio activity. In this QSLhibition I'd like to show you a
selection of the /AM- and /MM-cards so far received. I hope you enjoy
them as much as I do. Be surprised by the variety of ships and vessels
from where radio amateurs sent out their calls to contact their
"terrestrial" friends: cargo and container ships, tankers, training
ships with and without sails, simple sailing boats, ferries, destroyers
and rocket cruisers (on peaceful mission, hopefully...), or simply a
chartered boat to go on a far-away DXpedition in the South Atlantic and
a river boat bound for an ecological expedition in the Russian north!
Not to forget those maritime stations that are not permanently mobile at
all... And those serving or having served the maritime-mobile service,
and the many museum ships bearing testimony of a great past.
This
collection will be continually extended.
Hadi Teichmann, DJ2PJ
Abbreviations:
C/S=Container
Ship FPSO=Floating Production Storage and Offloading
F/S="Feuerschiff", light vessel FT=factory trawler I/B=ice
breaker L/S=light ship L/V=light vessel M/F=passenger ship
M/S=motor ship M/T= motor tanker M/V=merchant or motor vessel
P/V=polar vessel R/C=rocket cruiser R/S=research ship
R/V=research vessel S/S=steam or sailing ship T/B=torpedo boat |