In article ,
Wayne.B wrote:

On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 07:29:36 -0500, "Armond Perretta"
wrote:

Unfortunately this abuses 16, so I don't often mention my boat name, just
something like "small white sailboat 400 yards on your bow," etc.

As long as you are calling someone and keep it brief, there is no
abuse of 16. You can also switch to low power which will limit the
range to a couple of miles.

Well you may not see it as "Abuse", However, by International Convention
(International Maritime Organization, or IMO, an appendige of the United
Nations) Marine Channel 16, IS a Calling and Distress Channel ONLY.....

One mans "Abuse", may be anothers, "Little White Lie"......

I routinly complain, to the Comander of USCG District 17 Communications
Operations, about USCG conducting Flight OPs Communications with their
Helio's on Channel 16, rather than switching to their Assigned Working
Channel of 21A. The first time, I got a nice letter stating, "That
the USCG was not Governed by the FCC Rules for Radio Operations."
Then I made an appointment with the Commander, and upon meeting him,
showed my credentials, as the local FCC Field Agent, and reminded him,
that Maritime Radio Communications was an International Convention,
and the United States, WAS Signitory to that Convention, and his
Oganization, was a part of the Department of Transportsation (at that
time, now a part of Homeland Security) and therfore WAS Required, by
said International Convention, to not conduct Flight OPs Traffic on
Marine Channel 16, UNLESS that Flight, was Designated a "Search & Rescue"
Flight, AND Flight OPs Traffic could not be passed by any other means.

The Commander did a little research, and I got a very nice letter from
him with a CC to all CommStations in USCG District 17, ammending the
Policy of conducting Comms on Marine Channel 16, so as to be in
compliance with the IMO's Convention. I also got a nice letter from
FCC Hq.

Seems like every time USCG District 17 gets a new Communications Officer,
they go back to their "Old Habits", and I have to remind them of their
responcibility.......


Bruce in alaska
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