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callsign G2AIQ which was first issued to him on the 1st of January 1938；
51 years ago。
5。 George Yiapapas （formerly SV1GY）。
George Yiapapas is a Greek amateur who was very active for over 25
years yet nobody seems to have heard of him。 In 1935 George and his
father Costas built a one…valve transmitter using a type 59 pentode with
suppressor grid modulation； and succeeded in contacting most of the
world with this QRP rig。 The electron coupled oscillator could not have
put more than 4 or 5 watts into the antenna。
After the war George went to Jordan in 1956 to work for Cable &
Wireless the English company which operated the old Eastern Telegraph
cable network。 He used the callsign JY1GY for about a year and was then
transferred to Tripoli in the Kingdom of Lybia； during the reign of King
Idris； where he obtained an official licence with the call 5A3TA。
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In 1960 he was again transferred； this time to Kuwait； where he
operated the equipment of Mohamet Behbehani 9K2AM for over six years。
George now has a small shop in Piraeus； the port of Athens and is no
longer active on the amateur bands。
6。 Stefanos Eleftheriou （1895…1979）。
Stefanos Eleftheriou； Head of the Telecommmunications section of
the Ministry of Posts & Telegraphs （Greek initials T。T。T。） played a vital
role in the early development of amateur radio in Greece。
When he returned from Switzerland； where he had studied Electrical
Engineering； he had to do his compulsory military service which had been
deferred while he was completing his education。 A friend of his told him
〃Don't go into the Army； join the Navy； they have an amazing wireless
station at Votanikos with which they can contact the Fleet anywhere in the
world〃。 As it happened there was a vacancy for an officer and Stefanos
together with another young man called Nikolis faced a Selection Board of
naval officers who really didn't know what qualifications they were
looking for。 He was successful whereas Nikolis went to the Ministry of
Posts & Telegraphs where he ended up as Director…General many years
later。
The MARCONI COMPANY of England had built an impressive
wireless station for the Greek Royal Navy at Votanikos； a suburb of
Athens。 There was a transmitter which operated on 600 metres and a larger
one on long waves above 2；000 metres which used the callsign SXA。
Stefanos told me how he was summoned by the Director of the Naval
Station Admiral Mezeviris who asked him 〃Tell me； young man； what do
you know about wireless？〃
〃Well sir〃； replied Eleftheriou； 〃I studied Electrical Engineering in
Switzerland … I really don't anything about wireless。〃
〃Neither do I〃； replied the Admiral candidly。 〃Nor do most of my
officers。 We must set up a school to train technicians and wireless
operators。 I entrust you with the task of getting all the necessary books and
other materials。 Write to England； the U。S。A。； France and Germany and
get whatever you need。 When you are ready I will appoint staff to assist
you。〃 That was how Eleftheriou became the head of the first school for
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training wireless officers for the Greek Royal Navy。
A couple of years later Eleftheriou joined the staff of the Ministry of
Post & Telegraphs。 A newspaper of 1930 had a photograph of him with
one of his triplet sons。
In his capacity of Head of the Telecommunications Section at the
Ministry he worked hard to get official recognition of amateur radio。 A
handful of us who were active 'under cover' so to speak； frequently visited
him in his office。 He was a very likeable person and had a talent for
anecdotes。 One day he told us that he had attended a Joint Services
Committee which had been set up to study the requirements for building a
broadcasting station in Athens。 A station had been in regular operation in
the northern city of Thessaloniki （Salonica） since 1928； built by the
pioneer of Broadcasting in the Balkans Christos Tsingeridis。
When the question of wavelength for the proposed station was
considered somebody said a wavelength of 2；000 metres might be
appropriate。 One of the military officers； who shall be nameless； remarked
angrily 〃What！ 2；000 metres。 We are spending all this money only to be
received up to Koukouvaounes？ This is outrageous！〃 （Koukouvaounes
was then a small village with a funny name about 3 miles south…west of
Athens。
Eleftheriou lived to the ripe old age of 84。 When I last saw him he
promised to give me his collection of old photographs and a large number
of books and documents relating to the development of radio
communications in Greece。 Unfortunately； shortly after his death his wife
and three sons moved house temporarily and a packing case containing all
these priceless papers was lost in
7。 Norman F。Joly G3FNJ。 （Formerly SV1RX）。
I was born in Izmir （then known as Smyrna）； on the west coast of
Turkey in Asia Minor； in 1911； of British parents。 My British nationality
was established through the Treaty of Capitulation which was then in force
between Turkey and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland。 I remember there was a British Post Office in Smyrna and we
posted our letters with British postage stamps （of King Edward VII）
overprinted with the word LEVANT。
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My grandmother on my father's side had come from Russia。 It is a
strange coincidence that Takis Coumbias （ex SV1AAA）； Bill Tavaniotis
（ex SV1KE） and I all had roots in southern Russia。 My grandmother on
my mother's side was the daughter of the Dutch consul in Smyrna。 Quite a
mixed bag。
In 1922； at the end of the war between Turkey and Greece； the town
of Smyrna was destroyed by fire when the Greek army was routed。 My
widowed mother with four young children； was advised to take us on
board a British merchant vessel while the town changed hands。 We were
told to take a little food with us just for a day or two。 We carried a large
string bag with some bread； cheese and fruit； and one knife； one fork and
one spoon between the five of us。 I remember it was night and my mother
put all her jewelry in a small leather bag。 As I pulled the cord to close it
the pin of a large broach stuck out through the top。 My mother grabbed it
and said I would hurt myself … I was only 11 years old at the time。 She
looked around the bedroom； lifted up a corner of the mattress of her bed
and hid the pouch ‘safely' underneath it。 We hurried out of the house … and
never went back。
We and many other families spent one night on the merchant vessel
w