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WERE DISCOVERED〃
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The dawn of amateur radio in the U。K。 and Greece ： a personal view
〃THE SIX INSTALLATIONS SEIZED BY THE POLICE〃
Two of the newspapers printed the identical photograph （included in
the montage） with the following caption； 'The Communist transmitters
seized by the Piraeus police'。 This was a photograph of the shack of Mikes
Psalidas SV1AF。 At the top right one can see a 2…inch home…made monitor
oscilloscope； which the newspapers described as a 'powerful radar'！
〃During the last three days〃； wrote one newspaper； 〃the police in
Piraeus have been investigating a very serious case implicating leading
cadres of the Communist party。〃 Of course； it was nothing of the sort。 The
equipment they had seized belonged to five radio amateurs； George
Gerardos SV1AG； Mikes Psalidas SV1AF； Nasos Coucoulis SV1AC；
Aghis Cazazis SV1CA and Sotiris Stefanou who didn't have a callsign yet。
In fact Mikes Psalidas was not even at home at the time of the police raid；
as he was in a military camp in the outskirts of Athens； doing his
compulsory military service。 The newspapers described in detail what had
been found。 〃At the house of Mikes Psalidas； who is a student at the
Athens Polytechnic； the police found wireless telegraphy receiving
equipment （a National HRO）； wireless telephony equipment in full
working order； that is； two transmitting microphones； a step…down
transformer and various other items。〃
The same newspaper went on 〃Unfortunately； at the house of Aghis
Cazazis； at 25 Tenedou street； the search was inconclusive because a
certain person； well known to the police； and whose arrest is imminent；
removed a high power transmitter just before the police arrived and
disappeared with it。〃
Another newspaper referred to 〃telegrams in code〃； received from
abroad and from the secret headquarters of the Communists； 〃which are
now being deciphered by a special department〃。 These were SV1AG's
little collection of QSL cards。
Stefanos Eleftheriou of the Ministry immediately took up the matter。
Firstly； he pointed out to the Piraeus police that Athens did not come under
their jurisdiction； and they had no right to arrest anybody there without a
warrant。 Secondly； all the five radio amateurs they had arrested were
known for their nationalistic political convictions； particularly Psalidas
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The dawn of amateur radio in the U。K。 and Greece ： a personal view
whose father was a senior officer of the Royal Hellenic airforce。
Before the 'suspects' were released and their confiscated equipment
returned to them； they were warned not to speak to newspaper reporters at
the risk of getting a kick up their backsides。 This was to prevent the public
from learning how ludicrous had been the accusations； and how
completely unjustified the arrests had been。 But one newspaper came out
the following day with a banner headline 〃THE OWNERS OF THE
WIRELESS AND RADAR EQUIPMENT ALL TURNED OUT TO BE
STAUNCH ROYALISTS！〃 This paper sent a reporter to interview SV1AC。
They wrote； 〃In reply to a question from our reporter； Mr Coucoulis said
that when the police realised the foolishness of their action； they issued a
summons against him under Law 4749； which has absolutely nothing to do
with amateur radio。〃 〃During the ten years following the end of World War
II there were about 15 to 20 very active amateurs in the Athens area； all
using callsigns of their own choice because no government legislation had
yet been enacted。 Most of these operators subsequently obtained licences
and had to change to the official series。 I remember two YLs who were
very popular in Europe and the U。S。A。 because they spoke several
languages fluently； but they never re…appeared when licences began to be
issued。〃
Since 1945 the U。S。 and British signals units were authorised by the
Greek Ministry of Communications to issue calls to military and
diplomatic personnel in the series SV0WA in the case of American staff
and SV0AA for the British。
Socrates continued： 〃I heard that the Americans had formed a club
called 'Attica Amateur Radio Club' in Kifissia； a suburb to the north of
Athens； and in due course I was able to become a member。〃
〃In 1954〃； Socrates continued； 〃George Zarifis （currently SV1AA）
who was a regular army officer in the Legal Branch approached Mr
Nicolis who was Director of the Wireless Division at the Ministry of
Communications and asked him 'Since you have authorised the Americans
and the British to issue licences to their personnel； why do you not grant
the same facility to us Greek amateurs？'。 To which Nicolis had replied
'There is no law of the land recognising the very existence of radio
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The dawn of amateur radio in the U。K。 and Greece ： a personal view
amateurs so how can I issue licences to you？'。
〃It was then that we decided to form an association whose principal
objective would be the enactment of legislation recognising officially the
existence of radio amateurs in Greece。 As a recognised body we would
then be able to go back to Nicolis and get him to pursue the matter。
〃That was how； late in 1957； we formed the Radio Amateur
Association of Greece； R。A。A。G。； Greek initials E。E。R。
〃At the same time； after considerable effort； we got the Ministry to
issue 7 licences based on the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1930 （No 4797）
and the regulations relating to Law 1049 of 1949； as well as a document
dated July 8th 1957 issued by the radio division of the Central Intelligence
service （Greek initials K。Y。P。…R）。 This order authorised the installation of a
50 watt transmitter to an applicant under certain strict limitations； one of
which was that the station could only be operated from 06。00 to 08。00
hours and from 13。00 to midnight。 The seven lucky recipients are shown
in the accompanying photograph。
Akis Lianos SV1AD； Socrates Coutroubis SV1AE； Nasos Coucoulis
SV1AC （silent key）； George Zarifis SV1AA； Mikes Psalidas SV1AF；
George Vernardakis SV1AB and George Gerardos SV1AG （silent key）。
〃At that time （1958） my AM station consisted of a Hammarlund
SP600 receiver and a home…built transmitter using an Italian Geloso VFO…
exciter driving a pair of 6146s in the final； with anode and screen
modulation by a pair of 807s in class AB2。 I had also assembled a double
conversion receiver using a Geloso front end。 This was typical of the
equipment used in Greece and Italy in the early 1960s。
〃Licences continued to be issued until 1967 when the Junta Colonels
Papadopoulos and Patakos established the military dictatorship。 We were
all ordered to seal our equipment and obtain written confirmation from the
nearest Police authority that the disablement had b