Since 2000, each year for the domestic austrian amateur radio contest AOEC (All-Austrian-Contest) on 1st MAY the austrian authorities give their gouvernmental and related semi-official stations (so-called 'Staatsfunkstellen') the chance for interservice contacts with amateur radio operators. This contest is running on the 80, 40 and 30 meter (amateur radio) bands. The 80 (3.6/3.7 MHz) and 30 (10 MHz) meter bands are allocated by the ITU to different radio services on a shared basis. This situation offering the possibility that stations of the fixed and mobile service could use the same frequency as amateur radio stations and a legal oportunity for interservice simplex 2-way contacts between them.

The main purpose for this event is to train operators for a better interservice traffic in case of an emergency or disaster. This reason allowed phone contacts on 10 MHz also, as this band is only 'allocated' for narrow band modulation technics (like morse telegraphy) by the IARU (International Amateur Radio Union).

Participating 'gouvernmental' services
- Red Cross and other health/rescue organisations
- MOI, Police, Customs
- Military
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs/State Department

and their callsigns:
- OEH : Health and Rescue organisations
           OEH20 : Red Cross Federal Headquarter Vienna
           OEH_1 : Red Cross State Association HQs (Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz - Landesverbände),
                       e.g. OEH71 or OEH91
           OEH56 : Red Cross Salzburg
           OEH26 : Johanniter Unfallhilfe Wien
           OEH__01 : are mobile/portable units, e.g. OEH3101 or OEH6101
- OEI : Broadcasting stations, e.g. OEI (ORF Transmitter Facility Moosbrunn) - never heard any in AOEC
- OEP : Austrian Federal Police, e.g. OEP213
- OEQ : Austrian INTERPOL bureau  - never heard any in AOEC
- OER : Austrian Gendarmerie  - never heard any in AOEC
- OEY : Austrian Military (Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung - Bundesheer), e.g. OEY51 or OEY671
- OEC : Austrian diplomatic Service, e.g. OEC (HQ - Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vienna)
- OEN : Austrian Customs, e.g. OEN6000 (Styria State HQ Graz - Funkeinsatzleitstelle Zollwache Steiermark)
 

The first figure of the callsign indicate the austrian state (Bundesland):
(except for stations of the Austrian Military, which used in the past in the AOEC the figure 5 and
in 2003 figure 6 for all locations)

1 : not allocated
2 : Vienna (Wien)
3 : Lower Austria (Niederösterreich)
4 : Burgenland
5 : Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) and Salzburg
6 : Styria (Steiermark)
7 : Tyrol (Tirol)
8 : Carinthia (Kärnten)
9 : Vorarlberg
0 : not allocated

Callsigns from stations of the Austrian Military (Bundesheer) follow a different system:
Before 2003 they used callsigns from the OEY5-series, but because OEY5-callsigns are in use by austrian units in action (e.g. UN missions) the MoD changed their rules. Since 2003 all military stations in the AOEC use callsigns from the OEY6-series.
As a general rules for the second figure: it is the second figure of the ADL (Austrian District Locator, a reference number of the local clubs) of the Austrian Military Radio Society (AMRS) cooperated with the Austrian Amateur Radio Society (ÖVSV). The first figure of the ADLs of the AMRS is always 0 (zero) followed by a number indicating the federal state, which usualy follow the number in the prefixes of the austrian amateur radio callsigns: OE1 (Vienna, ADL: 01x) ; OE2 (Salzburg, ADL 02x); OE3 (Niederösterreich, ADL: 03x); OE4 (Burgenland, ADL 04x); OE5 (Oberösterreich, ADL 05x); OE6 (Steiermark, ADL 06x); OE7 (Tirol, ADL 07x); OE8 (Kärnten, ADL 08x) and OE9 (Vorarlberg with ADLs from the 09x-series). The third figure in the OEY6-callsign is a 'acounting' number, the first station gets 1, the second 2 etc.
For examples the HQ of the AMRS belongs to the ADL 011, operates with the callsign OEY611 and Mr. Kurt Emperger, amateur radio callsign OE5EKN, member of the ADL 055, got the callsign OEY651 for the AOEC 2004, as the first participator from OE5 (Oberösterreich State).
 
 

What might be of interesst:
I spoke with one official of the Österreichischer Versuchssender Verband / ÖVSV (Austrian Amateur Radio Society - the organizer of the AOEC) at the famous anual HAM-Fair in Friedrichshafen at Lake Konstanz in June 2001. He told me that they will try to involve other european 'agencies' to participate in this event also, e.g. the German Red Cross, which operates a network on shortwave with callsigns like DEK23, DEK2301, DEK88. Or the german Ministry of Interior HF-Net (callsigns like DER53 etc.) which was last time mentioned as active in the WUN-Bulletin 1st January 2000 while Y2K-Exercises. This development should improve better possibilities for any inter-organisation and interservice communications in case of larger disastrous events. Til now, September 2004 nothing happens so far, but see and wait and hope ...

Following some examples from QSL-Cards from these stations:

Below: Examples of a different kind of standard cards, which might be used also for contacts made outside the AOEC. Left: OEH6101, a mobile unit of OEH61 (Styria State HQ, Graz) - backside. They also hold the amateur radio clubstation callsign OE6XRK  -  OEH71  (Tyrol State HQ, Innsbruck - alias OE7XRK)  -  OEH91  (Vorarlberg State HQ, alias OE9XRK) confirming a QSO with OEH7101 in a Red Cross Y2K exercise net on 31. December 1999 on 3340 kHz (backside). 3340 kHz is the Red Cross channel Delta, for a list of the all channel designators see below on this site. QSL via the OP Werner, OE9FWV. Note: The last two stations issue QSLs of both standard forms (see above).

QSL from OEP213 (Bundesministerium für Inneres, Wien - Ministry of Interior/MOI, Vienna) confirmed by OE1CBK (alias OE8CBK) for a QSO in the AOEC 2001 with OEH6101 (tnx for the image to OM Tom/OE6PTG, member of OEH61). Til today I did not get any QSL for my own SWL-reports from OEP213.

Same for OEN6000 (Styria State Customs HQ, Graz - Funkeinsatzleitstelle Zollwache Steiermark, Graz), which was first time active in the AOEC 2003.

In 2001 again 12 stations (OEC, OEH20, OEH26, OEH31, OEH41, OEH5601, OEH6101, OEH71, OEH8101, OEH91, OEP213 and OEY51) were on.

The AOEC 2002 showed up with the following 10 stations: OEH20, OEH3101, OEH5601, OEH6101, OEH71, OEH7201, OEH8101, OEH91, OEP213 and OEY55.

In 2003: In 2003 14 stations were active with OEH20, OEH2601, OEH5101, OEH5601, OEH6101, OEH71 and OEH7101, OEH8101, OEH91, OEN6000, OEP213 (OP OE1CBK), OEY611 (OP: Robert - OE1RGC from the Starhemberg Baracs in Vienna), OEY621 (OP: Mathias - OE2MWN, Wallner Baracs in Saalfelden; QSL via OE2KCN) and OEY631 (OP Franz - OE3FQU, Ostarrichi Baracs in Amstetten).

For the 2004 AOEC I got reports about the following participating stations so far: OEH51, OEH5601, OEH6101, OEH8101, OEH91, OEP213, OEY611 (by OP Robert, OE4RGC), OEY651 (by OP Kurt, OE5EKN) and OEY671 (by OP Holger, OE7HPI)
 
 

Channel designators and frequencies (in kHz) for the amateur radio radio bands (SSB-Voice), the calling frequencies are underlined. Channel A-M are for phone (N and O are FM on VHF/UHF) , P-S are for digital modes (AMTOR/RTTY and CW).
 

Frequencies (in kHz) assigned to the Austrian Red Cross for their internal networks, both for voice SSB and digital modes, the calling frequencies are underlined.
 

Note: The channels J-O were allocated to the Salzburg Region only and are no longer valid, this frequencies are occupied by the german red cross network also.
For the purpose of the interservice AOEC on 1st May all frequencies within the 30 and 80 m band (3600-3800 and 10100-10150 kHz) are allowed to use, not only the assigned listed above.

For more informations:
Rotes Kreuz Wien, Funkreferat, Kat-Hilfsdienst, Nottendorfergasse, A-1030 Wien, Austria

also other health and rescue organisations using some of the frequencies which are allocated to the Red Cross.
For example OEH26 (Johanniter Unfallhilfe Wien - St. John's Aid Service, Vienna) which is licenced for the red cross calling channels (see designator D and I). BTW, their amateur radio clubcallsign is OE1XJW.
 
 

Some SWL-spots of austrian Ute stations on the WUN Utility-SWL-DXing mailing list:

> From: xxxxxxxxxxx
> To: "WUN" <wun @ mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [WUN] DIG: Logs
> Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 09:45:08 +0100
  (...)
> 7585.3 kHz   OEH31: Tulln, Austria 19.10 Pactor 2 Various Austrian Red Cross
> stations including OEH31, OEH20, OEH2001, OEH71. (17Aug02). (PT)
> Better RX last night. It is OEH 31 who is giving position as Tulln:
> "Hallo!  de  OEH31, RK Tulln, JN88AH (Sonntag - 18.08.2002, 17:39),  mit PTC II"

> From: xxxxxxxxxx
> To: wun @ mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [WUN] mixed logs
> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 00:37:08 +0200
  (...)
> 08019.5 kHz   OEY52: Austrian MIL station, AUT 1037 USB/MIL-
>        STD 188-141A tfc. to OEY81 and OEY41 after clng
>        NETZ2 [=collective call] (17Aug04) (LDO)
>
> 10273.5 kHz   OEY41: Austrian MIL station, AUT 0606 USB/MIL-
>        STD 188-141A tfc. to OEY52 (17Aug04) (LDO)