Marco Polo and his exploits also travel on radio frequencies, reaching every corner of the world. On the occasion of the celebrations of the 700th anniversary of the death of one of the most famous figures in the history of Venice, the Venice Section of the A.R.I. - Association of Italian Radio Amateurs - from 1 April to 30 June 2024 operated the special call sign IR3POLO, issued by the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, also participating on the airwaves in the memory of the merchant and traveller known for the story of his journey to the Far East, along what is now known as the Silk Road, described in the book "Il Milione".
In three months, 1858 connections were made with radio amateurs from all over the world using this special call sign, employing various methods ranging from morse telegraphy, telephony, and modern digital techniques involving the combination of computer and radio to connections via satellite. As many as 27 different countries have been connected with the latter system, while the total number of countries connected worldwide amounts to 73. A brief overview of the connected countries sees, in addition to all European countries and many relatively close compatriots, many distant and exotic ones such as Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, China, India and the United States.
On www.qrz.com, where many radio amateurs around the world enter information about their activities under their radio call sign, the call sign IR3POLO was included, creating a page illustrating the activity. More than 4,400 views have been achieved in the last 3 months, which is a success in terms of curiosity.
As is customary among radio amateurs, after each radio connection a postcard was exchanged, in QSL jargon, which contained, in addition to the technical data of the connection (name of the corresponding radio station, date, time and frequency used), also a brief description which, in this case, was commemorative of the character, his life and his famous work "Il Milione".