A - J / Rufzeichen/Calls
Biografien / Biographies
A1ZR - Rotch, Edith - USA → 1RO, W1ZR
AR1YL - Reich → Hermanson, Elsie – Syria → W4CQL
CT1BE - de Avillez, Piédade - Portugal → EP1BE
CV5KYL - Bratescu ← Malinowska, Helena → SP3KYL → SP3RAI - Romania - see SP3KYL
E-095 - Huertas, Isabel - Spain
„Mein KW-Empfänger ist ein klassischer O-V-1, mehr gibt es darüber nicht zu sagen. Mit ihm habe ich am Vormittag des 1. Dezember im 40m-Band von EAR1 in einem QSP „für EAR94 in Barcelona“) von F8DG, Le Brix, aus Colombes gehört. Er sei mit seinem Dreidecker in drei Etappen auf einem Flug Paris-Saigon (Indochina) unterwegs. Sein Flugzeug sei mit einem Kurzwellensender ausgestattet, der zu gewissen Stunden zwischen xx15 und xx20 auf 28MHz das Rufzeichen FAJHU und Mitteilungen über den Verlauf des Fluges ausstrahle. Ich konnte weder Genaueres erfahren, noch fand ich zunächst die Zeit, mich an den Empfänger zu setzen – bis ich am 16. Dezember um 2315 GMT zwischen den kommerziellen Funkstationen PLR und WEA plötzlich zu meiner großen Freude und Überraschung auf 28 MHz „QST de FAJHU“ hörte. Das Signal kam mit R=8-9 und T=3, mit QSB und QSX, von einem automatischen Geber, gefolgt von einem CQ-Ruf und, von Hand gegeben, ‚Hallo 8DG. Guten Abend. Die Nacht ist kalt.‘ Eine Stunde später kam: ‚t b‘, für: ‚tout bien‘, also: ‚alles in Ordnung‘ und: ‚QRD Benghasi, QRF Paris.‘ Diese Meldung kam über 2.000km nach Madrid! – Am 17. Dezember hörte ich nach vier und sechs Uhr morgens die Signale von 8DG via FAJHU wieder mit ‚t b‘ und ‚Allo, allo, bonsoir‘. Die letzte Nachricht, die ich empfangen konnte, erreichte mich am 18. Dezember nach vier Uhr früh – über eine Ehtfernung von nunmehr 4.000km, mit R=7-8 und der Klartext-Meldung: ‚Todo macha bien‘. – Später entnahm ich der Presse, daß Le Brix und sein Gefährte in einen furchtbaren Sturm geraten waren und mit dem Fallschirm abspringen mußten. Sie blieben unverletzt, aber die Maschine und der Funksender wurden leider zerstört.“
(Source: EAR/4.Jg./Nr 56/Dezember 1929, p.5)
EG6YL - Dunn, Barbara - England → G6YL
EP1BE → CT1BE - de Avillez, Piédade - Portugal
1927 lizensiert (zwischen Märzund Mai): Sekretärin des "Rede dos Emisores Portugueses" war die erste YL in Portugal (CB 1937: Lisboa)
(Source: Aufruf zur Zusammenarbeit mit spanischen YLs, in: EAR, 2.Jg., Nr. 25, Mai 1927, p6, via EA4DO)
XYL von Dr. Eugenio de Avillez, EP-1AE, Präsident der REP.
„Comenzó esta estación con un montaje Reversed de dos lámparas, con el cual procubara, en telefonia, conseguir la comunicación entre Lisboa y las differentes ciudades de Portugal. La potencia, muy pequeña, pues empleaba 400 voltios con dos lámparas de recepción, me permitió, sin embargo, ser oído claramente en Oporto con toda regularidad y en 280 metros de longitud de onda. Con las mismas lámparas. Pero en 70 metros, tuve QSO con gran parte de Europa y algunas estaciones de América del Norte, lo me entusiasmó y decidió a majorar la estación para trabajar con más potencia. Y asi hoy con una generadora que me puede suministrar hasta 100 vatios de batido todos los grandes DX.“
(Source: EAR, 2.Jg, Nr. 18, Januar 1927, p4, via EA4DO)
EU3EW ← RK-305 → U1BU - Podsorskaja, W.M. - Sovjet Union
Erste Besitzerin einer Radioamateurfunkstation in der Leningrader Kurzwellensektion (LSKW). - Als zukünftige U1BU erinnerte sie sich 1936 an ihren Weg in den Radioamateuräther [mit einigen Kürzungen]:
„Im Jahre 1927 beschloss ich, ein Radio aufzustellen, kaufte in einem Geschäft einen Detektorempfänger und hörte mir großem Vergnügen Radioübertragungen. Doch eines Tages schwieg der Empfänger. Niemand in meiner Umgebung kannte sich mit Radiotechnik aus. So bechloss ich, den Empfänger selber zu öffnen. Zuerst begriff ich nichts. Aber nach genauer Betrachtung stellte ich fest, dass jede Leitung mit einem Ende irgendwo angelötet oder unter eine Mutter geklemmt war, mit dem anderen Ende aber Kontakt mit irgendeinem anderen Teil hatte. Wahrscheinlich, dachte ich, hat sich einer der Drähte meines „Schaposchnikow“s gelöst. Vorsichtig überprüfte ich sie und die Lötstellen mit einer Pinzette auf ihre Unversehrtheit. Ich fand den Fehler, behob ihn, und der Empfänger arbeitete wieder. Danach wollte ich mehr wissen. Erklärende Radioliteratur hatte ich nicht zur Hand, aber dann half mir das Journal Radiofreund. 1928 baute ich meinen ersten Röhrenempfänger und stellte sogar selbstständig einen Akkumulator her.
1929 erfuhr ich aus dem Radio von der Existenz der Organisation ODR in meiner Gegend und darüber, daß sie Kurse über Radiotechnik anbieten. In diese Kurse ging ich lernen. Ich war auch ordentlicher Diensthabender Organisator und Gruppensprecher.
Kurz darauf wurde beim regionalen Sowjet eine Kurzwellensektion gegründet. Die Langwelle befriedigte mich schon nicht mehr, ich fing an das Morsealphabet zu lernen.
Im Jahre 1930 nahm ich an einem Kurs für Kurzwellenfunker teil, baute zu der Zeit einen Kurzwellenempfänger, empfing 90-100 Zeichen vom Summer und erhielt das SWL-Rufzeichen RK-3055. Ich reichte einen Antrag für einen Sender ein, und Anfang 1932 bekam ich das Rufzeichen EU3EW. Der Sender war natürlich schon vorher gebaut. Ich stellte ihn auf den Tisch zu den anderen Apparaten. Ich kann nicht mit Worten ausdrücken, was ich den Tag fühlte. Die ersten Rufzeichen, die ich in den Äther schickte, waren für mich wie Musik.
Jetzt befriedigt mich auch der Dreipunkt nicht mehr. Ich brauche eine Quarzstabilisation. Der erste Sender mit Quarz gelang mir nicht. Ich sparte Geld, baute einen zweiten Gleichrichter für die Versorgung der Röhren des Generators und schließlich jenen neuen Sender, mit dem ich heute in Telegraphie arbeite.
Bei der Arbeit mit der Kurzwelle begeistert mich die Möglichkeit des Umgangs mit den vielen Kurzwellenamateuren, aber am meisten daß sie mir eine uneingeschränkte Quellen zur Beherrschung der Radiotechnik ist. Obwohl ich schon 48 Jahre alt bin, gehört mangeweile nicht zu meinem Wortschatz. Nach der Arbeit eile ich nach Hause zu den Büchern und zu meinem EMpfänger und Sender. Ich lese viel über Radiotechnik, manchmal gibt es Schwierigkeiten, aber dann helfen die Freunde, dann hilft die Sektion der KW-Amateure. In ihr fühle ich mich als Mitglied eines hervorragenden Kollektivs von Kurzwellenenthusiasten.“
Eine Bestätigung für ihre Aktivität fand W.Podsorskaja mit dem dritten Platz (1533 Punkte) im ersten Phonie-Test Leningrad-Moskau, der vom 11.März bis 11. April 1936 durchgeführt wurde.
(Source: NN)
F8YL - Schotte, Mme. - France
"In Frankreich war Madame Schotte F8YL in Poitiers, später in Vincennes (Seine) die einzige lizensierte YL. Sie war mit Louis Schotte F8GB verheiratet und wohnte 1938 in Vincennes. Leider fehlen jedwede Nachrichten seit dem letzten Weltkrieg. Ihr Rufzeichen gehört jetzt Annie Manissier in Grisy les Platres."
(Source: R. Stuber, Old Timer News, Nr 105)
"F8YL SCHOTTE (MMe. Louis), 14, rue Penthièvre, Poitiers
(Source: "Liste des Postes Radioélectriques privés d'emissions autorisées", 1932)
„Madame Schotte appears for the first time only in 1931 (not 1932) in the „Liste des Postes Radioélectriques“ à la date du 1er Aout 1931, 14 rue de Penthièvre, Poitiers (Vincennes)
In the „Annuaire des amateurs-émetteurs“, REF, Nov. 1936 (BREF L3778) she appears to live at „Les Ondes“, Domaine Fontaine Lestang, Toulouse (Haute Garonne). This line was crossed out by pen and ink and replaced by: 2 rue Lejemptel, Vincennes (Seine), and again crossed out by pen and ink and updated by: 4 Sentier de la Belgique, Meudon. In the „Annaire des amateurs-émetteurs“, REF, February 1938 (BREF L 0851) and January 1939 (BREF L 0068) her address is again: 2 rue Lejemptel, Vincennes.
All these addresses match with those of her husband, the L.Col. Louis Schotte, 8GB. The call 8GB was issued for the first time in 1930 to Marcel Dionnet in Ivry-surSeine and Dionnet still holds that callsign in 1931 in the same list which shows Mme Schotte as F8YL. Therefore it was she who convinced her husband to become a radio amateur, since we find his call 8GB with the name L. Schotte only in 1936 (till 1939). Dionnet must have gone QRT around 1935.
L. Schotte appears in the list of French prisoners of war who returned safely to France in 1945. Since that date we lose hius trace and that of 8YL. - It must be said that 8YL and her husband were enthusiastic people since they chose to name their villa ‚Les Ondes‘, as mentioned above.“
(Source: Letter Erik Ludwig, F9LT, Service Historique du R.E.F., 17.08.1999)
G2IA → GM2IA, Burns, D. J. Ann - England
"Ann J. Burns war vermutlich dritte YL-operator. Sie hatte bereits 1928 als erste Frau das "Postmaster General First Class Certificate" erhalten, fand jedoch, wie ihr G. Marconi in einem Brief vom 23. November 1928 bestätigte, keine Anstellung als Bordfunkerin."
(Source: Old Timer News Nr. 104)
“It would be regrettable if the recent announcement of the death of Miss A. J. Burns GM2IA should be allowed to pass without mention of the piece of history she left us – a letter signed by Marconi himself in November 1928, congratulating jer on being the first woman in Great Britain to gain the Postmaster General’s first cass certificate with Q.G. endorsement. While being unable at that time to suggest an adequate outlet for her abilitities, as a ship operator, he would let her know if the policy regardingwomen operators changed.
As the one girl in a family of eight brothers, Miss Burnd developed and interest in radio which led her taking a course in magnetism, radio and electricity in Glasgow. When her hopes of becoming a ship_s radio officer were dashed she took her pilots licence and became one of the few woman members of the Scottish Flying Club. Naturally her operating interest was mainly in C.W. However, she became deeply involved in local government and was to become the longest serving councillor in Scotlnd. When she died on 20th July 1990, Berwickshire lost one of its most prominent citizens who had been made a Honorary Freeman in the Dicstrict in 1987.
Although always known in her public life as ‘Councillor Miss Burns’, in fact GM2IA was married in 1941, and we are grateful to her daughter for … supplying the information concerning her wenterprising and public-spirited mother’s life.”
(Source: Constance Hall, G8LY)
"... Other pre-war operators in the UK were Miss Constance Hall G8LY, still active today on 80m, and Miss D.A.J. Burns GM2IA, now a Silent Key."
(Source: Walt Davidson G3NYY, ex-Science Museum, London historian, e-mail to QSL COLL)
G2YL - Corry, Nell - England
"Als zweite YL erhielt Nelly Corry die Lizenz mit dem Rufzeichen G2YL. Sie machte Geschichte, als sie beim ersten internationalen 28 MHz-Contest von 1935 an der Spitze aller europäischen Teilnehmer stand."
(Source: Old Timer News Nr. 104)
" ... Nell Corry was still listed in the 1966 RSGB Call Book, still living at Tadworth, Surrey."
(Source: Walt Davidson G3NYY, ex-Science Museum, London historian, e-mail to QSL COLL)
"Went on the air in 1932. She bought a 'kit of parts', built a receiver, listened on the ham bands, taught herself Morse by listening and eventually met a local Ham who showed her how to build a transmitter and acquire a license. Was the fiurst European Ham to WAC on 10 meters (1935). Acquired her 100th DX QSL in 1939. Had WBE and BERTA."
(Source, Photo: CQ-YL, p 77(
G3OT - Hessing, Clare - England
In fact, Clare Hessing was a teenager when she got G3OT in 1938 and because she was under age her license had to be held by her father, Clarence Hessing. That’s why prior to WW2 her entry in all the Call Books is simply “C. L. Hessing” and not “Miss C. L. Hessing” because the license had to be in the name of a responsible person over 21, such as a guardian or parent. After the war, by which time she was over 21, her transmitting license could be held in her own name and was! Check out the Call Books in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s and you’ll find her listed as “Clare L. Hessing.” - The 1939 Electoral Register for the Leamington district (TNA_R39_ 5691_56911_012) would not have shown Clare as being at 11 Tachbrook Road either, as you also had to be over 21 to vote in those days. - I think Clare, G3OT, has the distinction of being the only teenage YL operator in the UK prior to the Second World War. Even Beatrice, G6SF, was just over 21 when she got her ticket
(Source: G4UZN ANthony West, Mail, August 2020)
G6YL - Dunn, Barbara - England
Received her licence on 1. Sept 1927 als 6YL. - „As an SWL she heard a special program sent out from the Drummondville Beam Station in Quebec, to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of their Confederation on 2 July 1927. She made contacts with yachts and passenger ships, and often monitored radio signals between aircraft and ground stations.
For Australians, the most interesting report Barbara recorded (her reports are verbatim and cover both sides ofd the conversations, so she was obviously as proficient at shorthand as she was at CW) were those between Kingsford Smith in the ‚Southern Cross‘ on the flight from Ireland to New York in June 1930 and various ships at sea and land stations. Her 30 hour vigil at the radio on this occasion was written up in the ,Daily Express‘; it certainly was a remarkable effort.
Barbara’s first VK contacts were with a maritime station. She had a series of contacts with G5WQ in November/December 1931, on the Blue Funnel ship ‚Ascanius‘ between Las Palmas and Australia.
She continued to operate for 50 years. By 1930, when Barbara became the first YL to win a RSGB Trophy, she had made over 2.000 contacts, and before she shut her key down she had made over 15.000 QSOs, all on CW.“
(Source: Christine Taylor VK5CTY in „Radio Amateur“ Oct 98, p 33)
"Provincial District Meetings (POMs) started in 1929 and for the next ten years they played a vital part in the life of the RSGB. Ladies very rarely attended PDMs in those days but there were two important exceptions. Barbara Dunn, G6YL, was the first exception. Being of a quiet and retiring nature, for a long time few of the hundreds who contacted her efficient and intensely active low power station at Stock in Essex, knew the operator was a lady. Gerry Marcuse G2NM did know, however, and it was he who was probably responsible in persuading Miss Dunn to come to the 1930 Convention. A few weeks earlier, G6YL had been awarded the newly donated 1930 Committee Cup for outstanding work in the first series of 1.7 Mc/s tests. Her presence at the convention caused quite a stir, as did the fact that when Marcuse made the presentation she became the first lady to become the holder of a Society Trophy. Barbara Dunn, who was licensed in 1927, remained Britain's only YL transmitting amateur until 1932 when Nell Corry of Tadworth, Surrey, became G2YL. Miss Corry, who made history in 1935 by working a British Empire station in each of the five continents on 28 Mc/s during a period of six hours 20 minutes, quickly established herself as a most competent operator."
(Source: John Clarricoats G6CL, "World at Their Fingertips", 1967: RSGB)
"I had the privilege to work Barbara Dunn myself in 1963. It was a QRQ CW QSO on 3.5 Mc/s. Our QSO was number 11525 in her log. On the card a number of awards are listed ... updated in Barbara's own handwriting. ... By 1984 she had disappeared from the callbook listings. Presumably her licence lapsed and/or she became a Silent Key between 1979 and 1983."
(Source: Walt Davidson G3NYY, ex-Science Museum, London historian, e-mail to QSL COLL)
G5WQ "Reg" = J. Reg Witty, was half brother to G6YL. G5WQ and G6YL shared the same father but different mother. G5WQ’s mother died and his father married again, then G6YL was born into the family .
G5WQ heard SOS message in June 1928 of Airship Italioa disaster on north pole but a russian amateur was credited with the report to the authorities and not G5WQ , although PA0APX also heard the SOS message and heard G5WQ in CW relaying information and I havea letter written by PA0APX in 1971 regarding this, PA0APX in his 80th year of age in 1971. - G5WQ was the Pacific Beacon operator for the 1929 Graf Zeppelin , for
navigation purposes , the worlds first round the world airship cruise, he used a Marconi callsign but I do not know what it was.
(Pictures: G5WQ QSL, December 1925 to SWL Livesy who was to become G6Li. / Photograph of reg witty G5WQ on board ship [en route to sydney australia] with transmitter , possibly the transmitter he used as the pacific navigating beacon for the LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin world's first round the world flight in August 1929 / photograph of G5WQ shack, circa 1925 / copy of telegram sent to Muriel Witty [g5wq sister] 08/1930 , also mentioning G6YL ["wyell" ] and report of signals , possibly from G5WQ)
(Source: Ian, M0BCG, 28.3.2006)
„I never listen on the fone bands, hi!“ (Note on her 1966 QSL)
1962/66-QSLs show her at Cardew Lodge, Dalston. Carlisle
Was licensed 1927 as EG6YL
G8LY - Hall, Constance - England
"I was born in Northumberland, May 1911, I lived in serveral other places, and until 1948 we never had any electricity and often no gas either. - I was not the 2nd G YL operator, as you sought. He YL operators before the World War 2 were: G2YL, G6YL, GM2IA and myself G8LY.
I obtained my Radio Transmitting Licence in 1936, just 60 years ago, after having been 'wireless mad' as friends described my interest in a little crystal receiver, which my father had been given, in 1924, and could not make it work! He gave it to me to play with it. I soon got it going and that was the beginning of a lifetime hobby. In 1927 my parents and I moved from Lee on the Solent, into the heart of the country, and my father being a very good tree climber was persuaded to climb a very high one and connected a long length of wire to a high branch, while my mother stood on the bottom hoping he would not fall - no, the only thing that fell was the free end of the wire, which nearly knocked her down! The crystal receiver gave very good results thanks to that HIGH tree! Later on we moved again, near to a town, Basingstoke, and one day I saw and went in to an electric shop, and noticed some valves, wire and cables! I was delighted to discover that the owner was a Radio Amateur, G6OU. When I told my parents, they went to see him, and explained about me and my crystal receiver. So I was given an empty room in our house on the third (top) floor, and many visits to G6OU, who had a long suffering wife, like so many Ham wifes do, with OMs glued to their radio! And ofg course my father was very helpful with his tree climbing!
One day I received 5£, a prize for reporting signals during a wireless contest in South America. 5£ was a good amount of money in these days. By the time I had decided I would really like to become a Radio Amateur! I had to apply for permission, from the Authorities, to get a Dummy Licence, meaning that I could build equipment but must always use only a 'dummy aerial', in other words, a 'dummy load'.
My application was granted, and when I felt capable enough after several months of testing etc. I applied for a full licence, giving various details of why I wanted it. The Full Licence was duly granted, provided I could send and receive the Morse Code at 12 words per minute, which of course I knew about, so was ready!
I had to take the Morse Code at Basingstoke Post Office and when I went for the appointment, the man who was to take the test took me in a very moisy room with several people in it. He decided we could not do the test with all the noise, so disappeared for a while, and found a little empty room where we could hear each other speak, and the 'dits and dahs' could also be heard. I passed OK. That was in 1936, and I am writing this in 1996.
I asked why they gave me the callsign 68LY, when G8YL would have been nice, but no reply."
(Source: Constance Hall, G8LY, Letters to QSL COLL, 17.08.1996 and 04.10.1996, at age 85, at "Restawhile", 10 Clanwilliam Road, Lee on the Solent, Hants. PO13 9HX)
G3GH - Myler, Catharine H. - England
"Die YL hat mir geschrieben, daß sie Violinsolistin oder -virtuosin gewesen sei. Das entsprechende Schriftstück ist aber nicht mehr erhalten"
(Source: Brief von Dr. Bruno D. Pultke DL1EV, 19.12.1996)
"The New Year Honour's List, published on January 1, 1946, recorded that ... Mrs. M.K.H. Myler, G3GH ... all listed as members of the Royal Observer Corps - had been awarded the British Empire Medal."
(Source: John Clarricoats, "World at their fingertips", p201)
GM2IA → G2IA - Burns, Ann J. - England
H9XF → HB9F - Moret, Madeleine - Switzerland
"Im Juli 1923 begann die PTT mit der Veröffentlichung einer Liste aller bis anhin erteilten Empfangskonzessionen. Darunter finden wir...Madeleine Moret. ... Am 1. Mai 1927 erhielt Madeleine Moret in Lausanne die Konzession No. 8 mit Rufzeichen H9XF für die Klasse C. Die erste englische YL, Barbara Dunn G6YL, erhielt zur gleichen Zeit die Sendelizenz. Madeleine Moret gehörte somit zusammen mit Barbara Dunn, der ersten polnischen YL Jane Burchard SP3YL und der französischen YL Madame Schotte F8YL zu den allerersten europäischen YLs." Am 1. Januar 1929 wurde daraus HB9F, jetzt das Klubrufzeichen der USKA Sektion Bern
(Source: R. Stuber HB9T in: "Faszination der kurzen Wellen", Zürich, Eigenverlag, 1978)
War beruflich Telegraphistin, hat nie Phonie gemacht, war verheiratet, starb in geistiger Verwirrung, war 1958 nicht mehr aktiv
(Source: Anneli HB9YL, zweite YL in der Schweiz, nach ihr HB9YY als 3. YL -- mündl. bei Ham Radio 06/1997)
I1MQ - Ricchetti → Garibalda, Ada – Italy
Prima YL italiana operatore in CW. - … Ada Garibaldi fa parte di un ristretto numero di radioamatori da Guinness dei Primati. È la prima donna marconista ancora praticante in Italia. … Non ha mai conosciuto Guglielmo Marconi, ma ha collegato per diverso tempo Adriano Cavalieri Ducati, ce diede inizio ad una delle prime imprese che al tempo di Marconi era da pionieri: chi non ricorda i condensatori Ducati, le prime radio e anche i ciclomotori. A bassa voce dice di avere fidanzati ovunque. Ada Garibaldi Ricchetti, 81 anni, è la più anziana radioamatrice d'Italia e ancora oggi svolge con grande dedizione un hobby che il computer sta praticamente cancellando. Vive e continua la sua passione per la telegrafia a Diano Marina. Iniziò a conoscere il codice morse e a manipolare il tasto a soli 13 anni, era il 1937, seguendo la passione e l'attività di marconista del padre Giovanni, sottocapo della Regia Marina. Con la radio ha imparato anche a leggere e a parlare l'inglese. A 18 anni entrò a far parte della squadra di marconiste del Comando della regia Aviazione: “Le soldatesse esistevano già a quell'epoca”, sottolinea orgogliosa nonna. Ada dopo aver visto in tv l'altro ieri le prime donne ufficiali in divisa. Una stanza del suo appartamento è stata trasformata in una grande stazione radio che potrebbe essere giustamente definita il vero e unico museo dei marconisti della Liguria. Odia internet, tiene spento il telefonino cellulare ce le hanno regalato i figli e che usa solo in caso di emergenza, trascorre le giornate attaccata alla radio, l'unica sua grande passione che ha interrotto nel 1991 quando è mancato suo marito.“Ho ripreso l'attività da pochi anni. Per me – racconta Ada Garibaldi – la radio è come una droga. resto in ascolto dalla mattina alla sera quando i figli e i nipotini, ovviamente, me lo permettono. A volte mi ricordano che devo fare anche la nonna”. Di una simpatia estrema Ada Garibaldi non si fa certo supplicare da chi le chiede di raccontare la sua storia. Ada ha iniziato a conoscere il mondo della radio da bambina: alla ninna nanna preferiva ascoltare il papà che trasmetteva alla radio. L'altra sua passione erano i giocatori, i mitici Frossi, Meazza, Piola, e le melodie trasmesse alla radio dalla mitica orchestra Angelini. Con il codice morse ha trovato anche l'amore. Il tasto e il microfono furono galeotti. “È vero. Ho conosciuto Tullio, che poi diventò mio marito, pure lui soldato, in servizio al Genio Pontieri. Ci siamo sposati nel 1954. Alto che internet e chat. Ci siamo innamorati con il beep della radio, che emozione”. Il suo primo vero amore fu in realtà un olandesino che aveva conosciuto, sempre con il codice morse, quando aveva appena 14 anni. Ancora oggi custodisce gelosamente tute le corrispondenze vie etere in un “log book”, il quaderno di stazione. La sua vita è costellata di grandi emozioni: “Soddisfazioni ne ho avute davvero tante. La più grande nel 1942 quando fui chiamata anch'io per il servizio militare, meglio dire “inviata”. Mi chiesero di partecipare a tre corsi, uno al Ruffini d'Imperia, uno a Genova e uno di perfezionamento a Milano. Entra in servizio all'aeroporto di Torni-Mirafiori. Eravamo un bel gruppo di marconiste addette alla sala radio. Il traffico che si svolgeva via telegrafo e via telescrivente, a causa dei continui bombardamenti, fu interrotto e mai ripristinato”. Oggi, a sessant'anni dal servizio militare, Ada Garibaldi si sente ancora una soldatessa. “quando ho visto sfilare in tv sulla passerella di una nave due modelle in divisa grigioazzurra, non ho potuto fare a meno di pensare, con tenerezza, alla diciottenne marconista Ada Garibaldi, che si recava a fare servizio alla sala radio di Miriafiori con le scarpe bucate, sotto le bombe degli aeri. Retorica? - chiude Ada . Molti della mia età ricorderanno che le scarpe si trovavano solo a “borsa nera” a prezzi folli”.
(Partial translation) I1MQ Ada Garibaldi Ricchetti, YL first Italian operator in CW
Ada Garibaldi is part of a small number of radio amateurs from Guinness World Records. She is the first female radio operator still practicing in Italy. She never met Guglielmo Marconi, but was connected for some time with Adriano Cavalieri Ducati, founder of the first companies in the days of Marconi, producer of the legendary Ducati capacitor, early radios and later even mopeds. Ada Garibaldi Ricchetti, 81 (in 2013), is the oldest radioamatrice of Italy. She lives and continues her passion for telegraphy in Diano Marina. She began to learn Morse code in 1937, at age 13, inspired by the the passion of her father Giovanni, a radio operator and Deputy Chief of the Royal Navy. With the radio she also learned to read and speak English. At 18 she joined the team marconiste at the Aviation Command. A room of her apartment has been transformed into a great radio station that could be rightly called the true and only museum of Radio Officers of Liguria. She hates the internet and mobile phones and spends her days attached to the radio, her only passion, interrupted only in 1991 when her husband died. -- With morse code has also found love: "It is true. I met Tullio, who later became my husband, he too was a soldier in service to the Genio Pontieri. We married in 1954.- I've had so many satisfactions. The largest in 1942 when I was called up – or rather sent - for military service, too. I trained in three camps, in Ruffini of Imperia, in Genoa, and one of improvement in Milan, before I went on duty at the airport Lathes-Mirafiori. We were a big group of marconistes in the radio room. The traffic was via telegraph and teletype, under constant bombing. "
(Source: ext. Link 07 April 2015)
The second YL ham operator in Italy was Ada Garibaldi I1MQ. I1MQ was her father's call, which she also used. Her father was with the Italian Navy, and taught her morse code when she was a child. She was licensed in 1937, age seventeen, and shared a QSL card with him. She was a telegraphist at Turin airport during World War II; when Italian licenses were issued again in 1950, she was given the call I1ADA. Her father died in 1965 and she obtained I1MQ again.
(Source: HamGallery ext. Link 07 April 2015)
May 1937. Strange question for Giovanni I1MQ: That Russian in the log – he did not remember that we worked him. Same thing with an Italian two months ago… Zhen he touched the PA output triode. It was warm. He carefully observed – and the next day had the confirmation: Ada. his daughter, 13 at the time, had inherited his passion and had learned the morse code just listening to him. She had taken advantage of his absence to operate with his I1MQ call... - It's a lady with a sweet voice that answers the telephone. I1MQ Ada, Miss Ada Garibaldi Ricchetti, … despite her 87 years maybe she can respond to all my questions. She kindly ask about my call, and when he hears the IZ0 prefix said me "ah, but you are a rookie you then! A young newbie!" ... I ask what are the best things she remember about the radio: in addition to QSOs made secretly as a child, what she is most proud of is that with her ability in morse code she served our country, Italy, like an Italian, like a soldier and like a mother. The worst thing is that, since a few months, she now must stay away from the key because her hands must rest. "But," she says - "I always listen to you, eh!" Then she asks me if I operate CW. "Else", she says "if you've never used a key you cannot say you are really a radioamateur." My last question .. "Ada, what would you say to ‘rookies’ like me today regarding the radio? Any advice?" - "You must always be faithful to the radio. Whether you use it once a year or every day, you must always think that the radio is part of your life. Don't give it up for the Internet, cell phones, and all those modern gadgets that are out there now."
(Source: IZ0IEN ext. Link 07 April 2015)
IXI (IXL?) - Mrs. Ingram - England
"The first year for DX YL operation is 1913, when the call IXI was issued to a Mrs. C. E. Ingram, in England, for a transmitting license. She remains the only YL on the DX list until 1922, when Australia's first lady received the call VK2FV, to add a third continent [to North America and Europe]"
(Source: Louise Ramsey Moreau WB6BBO, QST, February 1972)
J1DN → (JA)4CK, J9FS, J1IX, J2IX → JH4WKS - Chiyono Sugita ("Suzy") →Suzuki - Japan
„Mrs. C. S. Suzuki, J2IX, ex J1DN, is very well known to all 40m Dxers. She was on the air from 1933 to 1937 from Tokyo. In 1937 she was married and moved to Adawara from where she has been on ever since. She operates both 20 and 40 phone and cw and now acts as foreign QSL manager of the JARL“
(Source: Radio Yearbook 1940, incl. photo)
1933: J2IX Suzy ; confirmed in CB 1937 as of Tokyo.
J9FS → (JA)4CK, J1DN, J1IX, J2IX → JH4WKS - Chiyono Sugita ("Suzy") →Suzuki - Japan → J1DN