In article ,
"Doug Dotson" wrote:

That's an unreasonable expectation to assume the USCG would hear a small
boat between Midway and Japan on HF, which is far from our area of
responsibilty. You're on your own out in waters like that, and 2182 or
4125
are for 20-200 mile coverage. Higher frequencies as you used to call
someone
nearer to your locaton, are certainly better for long haul comms.

Why is it that USCG "monitored" frequencies are not reliable at these
distances, but ham frequencies are pretty reliable. 4125 is just a bit above
the 80m ham band. I can talk to Australia, Africa, Europe and Asia
fairly reliably.

I think the bottom line is that for whatever reason, the USCG and USCGA do
not do a very good job of monitoring the frequencies that they claim to.
Hams are always on the air somewhere, getting a ham license is the best
insurance for one's safety.

Doug, k3qt
s/v Callista



Just a followup for the group on the above quesations. I had a chat
with the USCG District 17 (Alaska) Admiral, while I was traveling on
vacation. We chatted about the state of the USCG's Radio Systems, and
the lack of congressional funding to impliment the Basic GMDSS Coast
Stations for the US Coasts. Our congress has yet to fund the BASIC
implimentation of GMDSS that was MANDITORY for US Flagged Vessels
back in 1999. He told me he could get funding for as many Armed
Preditor Survalience Craft as he could wanted, but very little for
the Radio System. Not even very much for basic maintainience.
Those of us in the North Pacific know that USCG Kodiak maintains
a very excelent Station that was origanlly a Navy Communications
Operation. This is the lifeline for all North Pacific Mariners,
and they do an excelent job. USCG Hawii is also very good for those
folks out in the mid Pacific. The Regional MF/HF Staions at Ketchikan,
Yakatat, and Cold Bay, are plagued with very old equipment that is ALWAYS
breaking down, and spares are very limited. Consequently the Listening
Watch from these stations is not what it should be, due to the lack
of operational status. I suspect that the same is true for most of the
West Coast Regional USCG Stations. What is needed is for the public
(that's us Maritime Radio Users) to kick some congressional butts, and
get the USCG Radio Systems GMDSS UPGRADE FUNDED, and PROCURRED. Once
that happens things will improve, but if it doesn't, nothing is going to
get better, and most things will get worse.

Bruce in alaska who enjoyed his vacation to the Real World,
but fells a lot safer back in the bush
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add a 2 before @