(Steve) wrote in
om:
Thanks for this, does that mean I can assume the M800 is the same as
your 802 ?
I don't think so. The M800 isn't listed on Icom's manuals website so must
be old. Sorry I can't help more.
It would be great if it was 'toggleable' becuase like you we will have
a mix of people with different qualifications using the vessel and I
absolutely must ensure that we stay legal. Although it seems to me
that as a means of routine shore contact, a full ham licence at both
ends is virtually essential - is that correct ?
Here I'll give you some help. The ONLY people who should operate the HF
SSB radio are those who are WELL EDUCATED in its use. Each operator in the
USA is REQUIRED to have a "Restricted Radiotelephone Operator's Permit" to
be legal.
http://wireless.fcc.gov/commoperators/rp.html
This is a nothing license that simply gives the FCC someone to prosecute
who is under their jurisdiction because of how the Communications Act of
1934 is written. There's no skills test at all.
To operate GMDSS/DSC, you are required to be a licensed GMDSS OPERATOR,
having passed elements 1 and 7 of the General Radio Operator's License
examinations (GROL).
http://wireless.fcc.gov/commoperators/do.html
(I'll probably get slammed for pointing this out, but you can read it for
yourself on the webpages.) Radio salesmen selling GMDSS equipment to
yachties never mention any of this, of course, as it would stop sales of
expensive equipment. It's NOT a cellphone.
To repair GMDSS equipment, there's a repairman's license, too. I hold both
so have an operator/maintainer's license (elements 1,3,7 and 9) called a DB
license.
http://wireless.fcc.gov/commoperators/dm.html
As to the ham license, everyone who's going to operate the radio should go
get his General Class ham radio license. The code testing that turned
everyone off has NEARLY gone away and you only have to learn 5 wpm Morse
code, now, to get the General and have HF/SSB priviledges on the choice ham
bands. If you're gonna be at sea, having ham buddies ashore to handle
message traffic is well worth the effort. Local ham radio clubs in your
area hold classes to teach code and the written tests. I've gotten
children as young as 9 to pass the General tests, but that's no where near
the record of 4 or 5 years old. I recently lost $10 betting a 12-year-old
he couldn't pass his Extra Class ham license test before he became a
teenager. Losing that $10 was such a pleasure just to see the beaming
smile on his face....(c;
Now, IN AN EMERGENCY WHERE LIVES ARE IN DANGER....there are NO RADIO LAWS
in force! While I was helping the local mechanic figure out where the
water came from that flooded Lionheart's Perkins 4-108 diesel down in
Daytona Beach, I had our M-802 tuned to the Maritime Service Net on 14.300
Mhz. (RECORD THAT FREQUENCY...VERY IMPORTANT). This net runs nearly
24/7/365 on 14.300 Mhz USB to help boaters at sea. As we were working on
the engine, the captain of a Honduran commercial fishing vessel contacted
the hams on the net to try to get help for one of his crewmen who had been
in a fight and had a 7" knife stuck in his back between some vital organs.
He was in shock, of course, and his life was threatened. This captain was
NOT A HAM RADIO OPERATOR...which is FINE WHEN LIFE IS IN DANGER! Do not
hesitate to let ANYONE operate the radio during these emergencies,
especially on 14.300 Mhz where the hams will work day and night to save
lives and boats! A Canadian ham who is very active on this net contacted
the USCG to try to get help to the boat. USCG contacted the Honduran Air
Force who subsequently got a boat out to this slow fishing boat to get the
injured crewman off and to a hospital in Honduras. HE SURVIVED!! Makes ya
feel proud to be a ham...(c;
Hope this info and the webpages helps you get it all running. You really
need to learn the Element 1 practices and procedures for using HF radio
before getting on HF/SSB.
By the way, if you're interested in getting your GMDSS operator's license
or more, we make it SO easy because we give you all the questions and
answers to all the tests, now, instead of making you sit in front of the
steely-eyed FCC examiner from the Radio Gestapo WRITING out your answers to
the old tests back when the First Class FCC Radiotelephone License proudly
displayed on my wall meant you knew what you were doing. You can download
all these commercial test elements from:
http://wireless.fcc.gov/commoperators/eqp.html
memorize the answers and just go take the test from a volunteer examiner,
who is probably a local ham operator in your area.
Larry W4CSC and other fine old calls since 1957 (I was 11 when I got my ham
license.)