Dave wrote:
On 25 Jan 2006 11:38:59 -0800, said:
The VHF unit may
or may not be on...and if so... the squelch threshhold level is set
so high... that an outside party would have to be right next door...
to break through.
Now you've done it! Shot down the whole basis for the constant claims of the
know-it-all crowd that bridges on commercial vessels aren't manned much of
the time.
I am in the Navy.
We hail passing commercial ships where ever we go and keep a continuous
picture of who is where (linked to other naval units throughout the
hemisphere). We rarely don't get an answer. It is the law to keep a
proper watch and most ships play by the internationally accepted rules.
If the previous poster - billwarnock - is a watchkeeper on that
container ship then he is a very poor one. If he is a passenger he is
riding on a very poorly run ship. If he is crew then he should report
the command team.
Likely it is nothing but exageration.
Few ships steam around without a proper watch "by all available means"
these days.
Gaz