GBTT

[Twynkle]

As a matter of interest, QE2's great call sign GBTT -  this hasn't ever had it's own topic!
Try a search for all the references, they come up under all sorts of headings.
At least one Forum member has managed to use it as his (car registration) number plate.

It would be really good to hear from Officers and Crew about the much less obvious ways of how and when and where 'GBTT' was used from on board QE2 when she was properly well occupied, earning her keep!
For example - was she referred to as GBTT on the radio?

Rob 'n' Mods - might it cause more extra work to give it a topic of its own?
Rosie
 

[Rob Lightbody]

And as you can see here it is now being used by Queen Elizabeth

QE lost GBTT back in 2011 when she was no longer Registered in the UK.

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,2402.msg39251.html#msg39251

[Bruce Nicholls]

Do ships ever use their call signs?

I have never actually heard anyone use it, including a textbook mayday I picked up once. I have certainly never used ours on Lone Gerd (MLNU5) and normally just call as "Motor Yacht Lone Gerd". DSC radios must have made them fairly superfluous today.

[Rod]

GBTT was frequently used calling Portishead Radio.

[Bruce Nicholls]

GBTT was frequently used calling Portishead Radio.

Thanks Rod I shall keep listening.

[skilly56]

Andy,

Queen Elizabeth's call sign was changed from GBTT to ZCEF2 when she was re-registered in Bermuda.

Skilly

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Interesting link here with the original GBTT, i.e. Queen Mary (or was there another GBTT before her perhaps?) :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,1141.0.html

Read down to Rod's final posting... 

[June Ingram]

Does anyone know when GBTT was painted over the bridge so it was visible from above ?  And was this being done on all ships ?

[Willum]

Some pertinent GBTT trivia.

1) We had, in the Radio Room, a home made morse GBTT sender made by Jim Neary it was a motorised bakelite wheel with a microswitch on it, you could summon it from any of the radio bays and we used it to send a Tone   --.  -...  -  -  in morse when raising WOO or WOM for phone calls to USA, it was instantly heard by Greg and the good guys at WOO ocean Gate Radio. - It would have been cheeky to try that with Portishead.

2) A certain un-named Chief R/O once called Portishead saying 'Portishead Radio, Golf Travo Bango Bango'

3) The 1 and 2  lifeboats had Callsigns GBTT22 and GBTT33

4) Portishead used to call us either 'Great Britains Terrific Traveller'  or 'Great Big Tasty T*****s' depending who was on watch.

5) The Vibroplex company, american morse key manufacturers donated 2 semi-automatic morse keys to the Radio Room. These were used extensively by Phil Marriott and Brian Martin, but the rest of us preferred an old fashioned  proper key!!  (All proper key is theft)

6) On the subject of Morse we once sent the ENTIRE passenger list with names DOB Passport Number and nationality to a chinese coast station in the days before telex. It took over 5 hours and is believed to be the biggest telegram ever sent, we took it in turns 1/2 hr at a time.
When we got to the port the agent said it would have been ok to hand over a printed list on arrival instead.

7) Finally GBTT was, and remains, the most famous callsign in maritime history.



 Willum
G3YPQ the least famous callsign in maritime history.

Ex R/O QE2 78 to 88



 

[June Ingram]

Thank you, Willum, very much for all of this fascinating information.  GBTT has a certain flair to it.... !  June

[Rod]

I remember about the Golf bravo.....!!!!!!

[Willum]

 Boom! Boom!   

Years after I left Cunard I got a call from Terry Kearney to go back and fit a Voyage Data recorder and make and supply an interface to the 110v DC Watertight door controls. At the wardy cocktail party a pax said, 'Ah yes, I remember the old Wardroom President. Didn't you call him The Bugler?'
'Close', I said.

[Twynkle]

Some pertinent GBTT trivia.

1) We had, in the Radio Room, a home made morse GBTT sender made by Jim Neary it was a motorised bakelite wheel with a microswitch on it, you could summon it from any of the radio bays and we used it to send a Tone   --.  -...  -  -  in morse when raising WOO or WOM for phone calls to USA, it was instantly heard by Greg and the good guys at WOO ocean Gate Radio. - It would have been cheeky to try that with Portishead.

2) A certain un-named Chief R/O once called Portishead saying 'Portishead Radio, Golf Travo Bango Bango'

3) The 1 and 2  lifeboats had Callsigns GBTT22 and GBTT33

4) Portishead used to call us either 'Great Britains Terrific Traveller'  or 'Great Big Tasty T*****s' depending who was on watch.

5) The Vibroplex company, american morse key manufacturers donated 2 semi-automatic morse keys to the Radio Room. These were used extensively by Phil Marriott and Brian Martin, but the rest of us preferred an old fashioned  proper key!!  (All proper key is theft)

6) On the subject of Morse we once sent the ENTIRE passenger list with names DOB Passport Number and nationality to a chinese coast station in the days before telex. It took over 5 hours and is believed to be the biggest telegram ever sent, we took it in turns 1/2 hr at a time.
When we got to the port the agent said it would have been ok to hand over a printed list on arrival instead.

7) Finally GBTT was, and remains, the most famous callsign in maritime history.



 Willum
G3YPQ the least famous callsign in maritime history.

Ex R/O QE2 78 to 88

Hi Willum
This has got to be one of the best bits story-wise about QE2
Here was I thinking it was all straight-laced when making calls ship to shore and ship to ship, little did we guess the stories behind the formal facade!
As a matter of interest, what department did the Radio workers belong to?
Also, thinking of lists etc, did QE2 have a Manifest Officer in the 70's-80s?
Please excuse the questions  - having been 'All at Sea' for the past three months, I'm only just beginning to catch up - and need to say, 'Welcome! Thank you, Too - It's really great that you have joined us'
(Rod and others will tell you that my questions are probably too frequent...and probably seem highly naive!)
All the best
Rosie
(We love N Cornwall!)

Mods - apologies as my post probably needs to be transferred to
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,4087.msg61823.html#msg61823

[Willum]

Hello, - Latter things first, we used to have the Manifest office only for the World Cruise as the paperwork was always more extreme. In my latter days this was Tim Castle and Cliff Morris aided by a couple of PO's and a very unreliable photocopier.

The ship had 5 R/Os in a separate department with green between the gold stripes. Chief R/O, 3 watchkeepers and a Technical R/O (my job) though from time to time the Tech R/O became a watchkeeper. We were directly employed by a subsidiary of Cunard known as 'Radio and Electronic Services Ltd' with offices in Cunard Building in Liverpool. RES supplied R/O's to the Passenger and cargo ships run by Cunard plus one or 2 other ships under contract such as m.v.England and for some reason a Nigerian Oil Tanker called m.v. Oliobiri.

Next to the radio room was the Tech R/O's Workshop known as 'The potting shed' at the top of A-Stairway and immediately outside the forward, normally-closed,  doors of the Queens Grill.

Incidentally, last week was an annual event called 'Marine Radio Day' held on the anniversary of the sinking of Titanic.
Its run by Radio Amateurs many of whom were ships R/O's and Coast station ops. During the contacts (All on Morse of course) you state your favourite ship, so I was proud to be sending QE2/GBTT and it drew a lot of admiring comments. Still get a bit of a buzz sending 'GBTT' on morse.

[June Ingram]

Still get a bit of a buzz sending 'GBTT' on morse.

I can really imagine how that would be the case !

[Thomas Hypher]

Just found this About QE2 Dated 11/2/18

https://www.marinelink.com/news/maritime/qe2-shipping-llc

That implies the UK and more specifically Southampton registry to me at least. Would be great and is right. Just read it's an old article from 2013 though (the registry one)  .

[Roy Warrender]

The last photo I saw of the roof on the forum showed the Vanatu Callsign had replaced  GBTT on the bridge Roof, i seem to think that either the Callsign or IMO Has  to be Prominently Displayed for Aerial surveillance

[Thomas Hypher]

When Rob went to Dubai, he was able to see her call sign, only painted over.

Yes, I remember seeing that in his photos and videos. GBTT painted over.

[Thomas Hypher]

The last photo I saw of the roof on the forum showed the Vanatu Callsign had replaced  GBTT on the bridge Roof, i seem to think that either the Callsign or IMO Has  to be Prominently Displayed for Aerial surveillance

I'm not sure it ever appeared on the bridge roof like GBTT used to. Do you have a photo, as I've looked at what are likely the 2009 drydocking photos (or early 2013 - definitely in Dubai either way) and cannot see the new callsign? Was it in place for long as no callsign was visible by the time Rob visited in April 2011, just her IMO number on the bridge roof that may or may not have been added since her time in Dubai?

[Roy Warrender]

Hi Thomas  GBTT Was Clearly Shown Painted on the Roof In Last Nights  Documentary Shown On Channel 5  Prior to her arrival in Dubai

[Thomas Hypher]

Hi Thomas  GBTT Was Clearly Shown Painted on the Roof In Last Nights  Documentary Shown On Channel 5  Prior to her arrival in Dubai

I know, I was asking about her Vanuatu callsign  . GBTT was replaced when she was re-registered in 2009 around the time of her first post-Cunard drydocking in preparation for the failed Cape Town venture.

[Roy Warrender]

Hi Thomas Re the Vanatu Callsign
I reported To MarineTraffic that The callsign On the Roof Had changed To YJVW6 after I spotted it in a Photo on the  forum
Sorry I don't Know How to find the photo or the date it was posted
No doubt it would have been changed on her Registration in Vanatu
It would be nice now she is a static Hotel if they changed it back To GBTT ,.
I wonder what Callsign is displayed in the Radio Room

[Andy Holloway]

Hi Thomas Re the Vanatu Callsign
I reported To MarineTraffic that The callsign On the Roof Had changed To YJVW6 after I spotted it in a Photo on the  forum
Sorry I don't Know How to find the photo or the date it was posted
No doubt it would have been changed on her Registration in Vanatu
It would be nice now she is a static Hotel if they changed it back To GBTT ,.
I wonder what Callsign is displayed in the Radio Room

Roy, oh dear you are about 18 years out of date. The Radio Room went in the 2000 refit in Bremerhaven and was converted into a luxury penthouse suite.

I was just about to add a post for Willum, which i will do separately from this one.

[trevorc]

Roy, oh dear you are about 18 years out of date. The Radio Room went in the 2000 refit in Bremerhaven and was converted into a luxury penthouse suite.

Never knew that!

[Rob Lightbody]

Never knew that!

It became the Aquitania suite, which I enjoyed luxuriating in in Dubai in 2011!

[Thomas Hypher]

It became the Aquitania suite, which I enjoyed luxuriating in in Dubai in 2011!

On Boat Deck at A Stairwell?

[trevorc]

It became the Aquitania suite, which I enjoyed luxuriating in in Dubai in 2011!

Lucky you! This is the one? https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/gallery/displayimage.php?album=149&pid=5476#top_display_media

[BlueSparky]

GBTT was frequently used calling Portishead Radio.

Always used the call sign when calling shore stations

[Andy Holloway]

It became the Aquitania suite, which I enjoyed luxuriating in in Dubai in 2011!

You were in good company then Rob, it was the suite that John Cleese was assigned to when he travelled on QE2 Eastbound.

[BlueSparky]

Hello, - Latter things first, we used to have the Manifest office only for the World Cruise as the paperwork was always more extreme. In my latter days this was Tim Castle and Cliff Morris aided by a couple of PO's and a very unreliable photocopier.

The ship had 5 R/Os in a separate department with green between the gold stripes. Chief R/O, 3 watchkeepers and a Technical R/O (my job) though from time to time the Tech R/O became a watchkeeper. We were directly employed by a subsidiary of Cunard known as 'Radio and Electronic Services Ltd' with offices in Cunard Building in Liverpool. RES supplied R/O's to the Passenger and cargo ships run by Cunard plus one or 2 other ships under contract such as m.v.England and for some reason a Nigerian Oil Tanker called m.v. Oliobiri.

Next to the radio room was the Tech R/O's Workshop known as 'The potting shed' at the top of A-Stairway and immediately outside the forward, normally-closed,  doors of the Queens Grill.

Incidentally, last week was an annual event called 'Marine Radio Day' held on the anniversary of the sinking of Titanic.
Its run by Radio Amateurs many of whom were ships R/O's and Coast station ops. During the contacts (All on Morse of course) you state your favourite ship, so I was proud to be sending QE2/GBTT and it drew a lot of admiring comments. Still get a bit of a buzz sending 'GBTT' on morse.

You may have sent using this key at some time Willum!   73 de ZL4KL