Maritime Mobile (/MM)
When holidaying on cruise voyages, I have operated Maritime Mobile from various ships sailing European and international waters.
Fred Olsen Cruise: MS Braemar (July 2008)
Between 13th and 24th July 2008, I operated /MM aboard the Fred Olsen ↗ cruise liner MS Braemar ↗.
The voyage sailed from Southampton down the Atlantic coast, through the Straits of Gibraltar, and across the Mediterranean to Rome. Because the vessel was registered in Nassau, Bahamas, and navigated international and various territorial seas, a sequence of CEPT and maritime mobile callsigns were used.
MS Braemar at sea during the July 2008 voyage (Click image to zoom)
Callsigns Used by Territorial Waters
| Callsign | Territory / Waters |
|---|---|
G8LRS/C6A/MM |
International Waters (Vessel Flag State: Nassau, Bahamas) |
CT1/G8LRS/MM |
Portuguese Territorial Waters |
EA3/G8LRS/MM |
Spanish Territorial Waters (Catalonia / Mediterranean Coast) |
EA6/G8LRS/MM |
Balearic Islands Waters |
F/G8LRS/MM |
French Territorial Waters |
I1/G8LRS/MM |
Italian Territorial Waters |
TK/G8LRS/MM |
Corsican Waters |
Portable Equipment Setup
Operating from a ship cabin balcony requires a compact, discreet setup. Equipment utilized for portable maritime voyages includes:
- Transceiver: Yaesu FT-817 ultra-portable HF/VHF/UHF multi-mode transceiver
- Antenna Matching: MFJ-16010 portable random-wire tuner
- Balcony Antenna: Temporary wire whip / end-fed counterpoise grounded safely to balcony fixtures
- Modes: PSK31 digital modes and CW/SSB contacts
