Association

The Marinefunker-Runde was established in 1977 by German  radio amateurs who formerly served as radio officers in the German Navy. However, after 30 years of existence,  the group which was originally called  “still operating former navy radio operators group” changed their name to “MF-Runde e.V.” 

The association welcomed soon as members radio operators of the merchant fleet, fishing fleet and other fleets as well as radio operators of maritime and official communication services. Pleasure boat skippers with a sea licence and amateur radio licence are also entitled to get a MF-Runde membership. The main requirement to become a member is an amateur radio licence both as transmitting radio amateur or as a shortwave listener. Our constitution allows also in some extraordinary cases a very limited number of non-maritime radio amateurs, and, of course, disabled radio amateurs as members. Also members of museum ship radio crews are entitled to get a MF-Runde membership.

The change in the association was 2006 clearly evident, when a former merchant radio officer was elected as Chairman instead of a navy member.

The MF-Runde e.V. cooperates with the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) and the Deutscher Marinebund (DMB) and participates at the Amateur Radio Round Table (RTA).

As a fellowship of radio amateurs we get together regularly in a number of radio nets.  Although many of us maintain with a passion their skills in radio telegraphy (CW), our major phone (SSB) radio net on Sunday mornings shows that the number of “speakers” predominates.

During weekends we transmit on Saturdays (CW) and Sundays (SSB) a quite informative weekly bulletin. We established a system of Traffic Masters (TM) who handle the net participant’s registrations, the transmission of the bulletin and the participant’s confirmations (ZAP).

Highlights of our association’s life are our several days lasting annual meetings, and the annual MF-Runde Radio Activity Week. MF-Runde issues a series of attractive maritime awards. In cooperation with international sister societies we participate actively in international maritime radio events, e.g. the Naval Contest.

MF-Runde has worldwide more than 320 members – among them several radio stations on-board museum ships.