About Us
Who we are? We are Radio Amateurs!
Amateur Radio (ham radio) is a popular hobby and service that brings people, electronics, and communication together.
Amateur radio started shortly after the first successful experiments in the field of wireless communication in the early 19th century, while the rapid growth of this field began in the 20th century with the advent of radio and the widespread use of other electronic devices in everyday life.
Interest in radio was spurred on in those days by the lack of other long-distance means of communication between people, with the exception of mail and telegraph, which were limited both geographically and were available only to a certain circle of citizens. In this sense, radio favorably differed from mail in the speed of information transmission and from the telegraph, allowing us to get rid of wires and establish communications almost all over the planet.
The military became the first user of Radio and used radio communications to coordinate actions between units.
World War I. Military signalmen transmit a telegram.
Of course, due to technical limitations, voice transmission was impossible, and only Morse telegraph code was used for communication, but this was already a real miracle.
In addition to the military, enthusiasts became interested in radio for completely peaceful purposes – communications with the same enthusiasts around the world.
Photo of the beginning of the 20th century, a woman radio amateur.
Photo from the beginning of the 20th century, radio amateur .
For these enthusiasts, certain short-wave radio frequency range were allocated, on which it was possible to conduct communications with enthusiasts from other countries. And so the term appeared – shortwave radio amateurs (*in post-USSR countries), which is used everywhere today, despite the fact that amateur bands have come out as ultrashort bands up to gigahertz frequencies.
All these trends did not bypass Soviet Azerbaijan at that time, where HF amateur radio was born and clubs were organized back in the 1920s. In those years, it was how we perceive the Internet these days, that is, the borders expanded immensely, it was possible to communicate with radio amateurs not only from other cities, but also from other countries and even continents.
In October 1926, the first legal shortwaves appeared on the air in the territory of the former USSR, which was legalized by the decision of the People’s Commissariat for Posts and Telegraphs (NKPiT) of the USSR. Until the end of October 1928, shortwaves received individual call signs, the so-called. “digital series” (their prefixes consisted of numbers – from 01 to 99, with the appropriate suffix RA).
By the decision of the NKPiT dated 10/25/1926, for educational purposes, the call sign RA-29 was received by the school of 2 stupas. (Gandzhinsky district, Colonia, Helenendorf). The certificate (from 7 / VI-26 -!) indicated the transmitter power of 50 W and a wavelength of 100 m (later – au7KAA).
In 1928 Khionaki B.A. became the first shortwave in the Azerbaijan Soviet Republic, who received the call sign 67RA (Baku, Telephone, 5; had a QSO with 82RW; later – au7AA).
67RA, 1928.
B. Khionaki (67RA / au7AA – third from left) among the members of the delegation of the republics of Transcaucasia at the 1st All-Union Conference of Shortwaves in Moscow, December 28-29, 1928
On March 17, 1928, Baku shortwaves successfully made QSOs with the amateur radio station of the balloon, which was launched from Kuntsevo near Moscow. The flight lasted 40 hours and the USSR Central Airborne Control Service took part in it – Dmitry Lipmanov from Moscow (20RA) worked on the air from the “basket” of the balloon.
The only collective amateur radio station of this period (according to surviving data) was UK6MA (SKB under the Baku City Council OCOAVIAKHIM USSR; earlier: RB06, au7KAB), which was the center of the shortwave movement in the republic.
One of the Baku shortwaves radio amateurs, 1936.
The stand of the Baku shortwave section at the amateur radio exhibition, 1936
It should be noted that among the republics of Transcaucasia in the Azerbaijan SSR, the formation and development of the short-wave movement began in the pre-war period, it was the most massive. Apparently, this was influenced by the fact that Azerbaijan was a more developed industrial region of Transcaucasia (oil production and other industries).
In the 60s, under the strict supervision of the controlling state bodies and the patronage of the Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation and Navy (DOSAAF), radio engineering circles and clubs were created, and in spite of everything people, both adults and young people were fond of amateur radio.
Radio clubs were perhaps the most popular among the pioneering environment of Soviet Azerbaijan. The most famous children’s radio club was based in the Palace of Pioneers named after Y. A. Gagarin (*Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who became the first human to journey into outer space.).
The work of this club is well described by an article from the 60s, discovered by old radio amateurs:
“Baku Palace of Pioneers named after Y.A. Gagarin can rightfully be called the university of young Baku residents, - writes the author of the article R. Karyakina. - In his club and offices, everyone can find something to their liking. The radio engineering office of the Palace is especially popular. A large group of future creators of new technology enthusiastically designs various devices, studies telemechanic and automation, assembles VHF radio stations ... ”
Another radio club was located in the Palace of Culture named after 26 Baku Commissars.
Young Baku amateur radio designers participated in the All-Union competitions and the exhibition of creativity of radio amateur designers DOSAAF, trying to keep up with other similar enthusiasts from other countries of the former USSR.
Young radio amateurs in the Palace of Pioneers. Y. A. Gagarin of the Baku city .
Pioneer camp “Artek”. Yu.A. Gagarin, August 20, 1966
He worked on the air as U5ARTEK / KEDR.
Next to him are pioneers from Azerbaijan – participants in the All-Union Gathering of Young Technicians, Aidyn Akperov and Galina Zelinskaya.
When talking about the development of amateur radio in Azerbaijan, it is necessary to mention the name of Joseph Semenovich Reichstein (ex-UD6GF, ex-4K6GF, silent key), Honored Trainer of Azerbaijan and the USSR Armed Forces in radio sports, Honorary Radio Operator of the USSR, judge of the all-Union category. From 1955 to April 1, 2007, he made 253,620 QSOs with shortwave radios in the USSR and many countries.
The radio club 4K7Z created by him named after Major General of the Tank Forces of the USSR, twice Hero of the Soviet Union Azi Akhadovich Aslanov, made the most significant contribution to the country’s radio sports movement. This club, which used to be an assembly point for radio amateurs in the city of Baku, unfortunately, was left without the premises in which it was located from the moment of its creation.
Joseph Semenovich Reichstein (1928-2008)
Another club that needs to be mentioned is SAFARI DX Activator Club, call sign 4J10SFR, which reduced its activity after the death of its leader, Natik Kasimov (ex-4J5T, silent key).
At the moment, radio amateurs of Azerbaijan working on the air are represented by two organizations – the Azerbaijan Radio Sports Federation and the Society of Radio Amateurs of Azerbaijan.
Despite all the difficulties, love for the amateur radio hobby does not fade away in our country. Amateur radio is alive in Azerbaijan, although, of course, it is far from flourishing. At the moment, there are about 100 radio amateurs in Azerbaijan with call signs representing the country on the air, people who are not indifferent to the radio and everything connected with it. This site is dedicated to them, creative and certainly talented people, the purpose of which is to represent the radio amateurs of Azerbaijan in the Internet space.
