Her Majesties Air Force Vessels (HMAFV)

[Hughmac]

Hmrafv's

Hmrafv's

I used to work the ship-to-shore comms with the HMRAFV's in the mid 70's from RAF Pitreavie Castle, doing phone patches and weather reports. I was great to work on your tod, instead of the crowded bunker comcen. Our call sign - I still remember it - was MKL (Mike Kilo Lima).

We used to share the shack with a civvie operator - **** hot on morse, whilst we could only manage 18 wpm at a stretch whilst most circuit speeds was 14 wpm, I seem to remember, even slower when working with pilots, specially on nav trainers, Dominie flights.

Good times

Cheers
Hughmac

 

[BillyH]

Spent a lot of sea time out of Falmouth, torpedo recovery on the ATDU/TTU range off Navis Point. Allso on Seal/Seagul in the deep water range well off Lands End. Seal and Seagull had a door in the transom this opened for weapon recovery.A stern wave would flood the flat, compressing stale air and paint fumes in ones lungs. "Oh look me dinner is floating around my knees". Boat crews all bloody good fun, afloat of ashore.



BillyH DT_Xtremez_39:DT_Xtremez_39:

 

[Soupdragon]

Arrrrrr I seem to remember at some point in the 70's the Bridlington boat trying to do a bit of showboating close to the beach for the tourists and plowing into a sewer outlet pipe.
Hopefully there'll be a goater who was there..........?

Is this the one you mean?

 

[Soupdragon]

and this is what happens when the radar goes duff in fog

 

[Soupdragon]

a bad day for all concerned here, luckily no one seriously hurt.

Exploded while refuelling Blyth

 

[morse1001]

View attachment 13240

Is this the one you mean?

1390 was the boat based at Tenby when I was detached there, back in 1980's

 

[Rothgar]

I used to work the ship-to-shore comms with the HMRAFV's in the mid 70's from RAF Pitreavie Castle, doing phone patches and weather reports. I was great to work on your tod, instead of the crowded bunker comcen. Our call sign - I still remember it - was MKL (Mike Kilo Lima).

We used to share the shack with a civvie operator - **** hot on morse, whilst we could only manage 18 wpm at a stretch whilst most circuit speeds was 14 wpm, I seem to remember, even slower when working with pilots, specially on nav trainers, Dominie flights.

Good times

Cheers
Hughmac

I was at the other end of the country Hughmac at Plymouth, Mount Wise from 77 - 79. Pretty certain our callsign was MKD and Plymouth Rescue.

 

[morse1001]

I was at the other end of the country Hughmac at Plymouth, Mount Wise from 77 - 79. Pretty certain our callsign was MKD and Plymouth Rescue.

I worked Bldg118 at Pitreavie 1979-80 the Plymouth Rescue for a couple of months in 1981 before my Wops course at Mt Batten.

 

[Hughmac]

I worked Bldg118 at Pitreavie 1979-80 the Plymouth Rescue for a couple of months in 1981 before my Wops course at Mt Batten.

That's when I was at Pitreavie. Most of the time I was down the bunker in the main comcen. I demobbed from RAF Pitreavie in March 1980. I had been posted from Wildenrath to Pitreavie in 78

Bldg118 was the name of the ship-to-shore coms room? I seem to remember that there was a double console and to the right of it the phone patching control board. many of the time we were transmitting on one frequency and receiving on another and it was sometimes easier to get the weather forecast to the HMRAFV's when they were further out, rather than near Rosyth.

The HMRAFV's in the late 70's were engaged in anti-gun smuggling for Northern Ireland... or is my memory shot?

Cheers
Hughmac

 

[Hughmac]

I was at the other end of the country Hughmac at Plymouth, Mount Wise from 77 - 79. Pretty certain our callsign was MKD and Plymouth Rescue.

Funny how you could be on night shift with the earphones on, packed with static and just the sound of your call sign would jolt you awake if you had nodded off: --/-.-/.-.. or in RT Mike Kilo Lima.

Do you remember DHJ59 and JWT?

 

[Dobs]

Hmrafv's

Hmrafv's

I used to work the ship-to-shore comms with the HMRAFV's in the mid 70's from RAF Pitreavie Castle, doing phone patches and weather reports. I was great to work on your tod, instead of the crowded bunker comcen. Our call sign - I still remember it - was MKL (Mike Kilo Lima).

We used to share the shack with a civvie operator - **** hot on morse, whilst we could only manage 18 wpm at a stretch whilst most circuit speeds was 14 wpm, I seem to remember, even slower when working with pilots, specially on nav trainers, Dominie flights.

Good times

Cheers
Hughmac

Worked at Pitreavie 1972/73. Started at 118 but then ended down the pit when the new kit was fitted. Dual consuls with Voice/C/W/RTTP. This had a foot pedal to engage the transmitters. Went to Salalah then back to Alness on Seal. So I was working back to Pitreavie and possibly to you Jan 75 to Oct 79.

 

[Dobs]

That's when I was at Pitreavie. Most of the time I was down the bunker in the main comcen. I demobbed from RAF Pitreavie in March 1980. I had been posted from Wildenrath to Pitreavie in 78

Bldg118 was the name of the ship-to-shore coms room? I seem to remember that there was a double console and to the right of it the phone patching control board. many of the time we were transmitting on one frequency and receiving on another and it was sometimes easier to get the weather forecast to the HMRAFV's when they were further out, rather than near Rosyth.

The HMRAFV's in the late 70's were engaged in anti-gun smuggling for Northern Ireland... or is my memory shot?

Cheers
Hughmac

Your memory is absolutely fine. The anti gun running trips were called Granada's. About ten days to two weeks in length.