It's a moot point as nobody enforces the rules anymore, especially
for voluntary vessels (in the U.S. anyway). And some of the wording of
this rule is mis-leading. Such as "Voluntary vessels equipped with VHF-
DSC equipment must maintain a watch on 2182 kHz..." How does one
maintain a watch on 2182 with just a VHF? Voluntary vessels are not
required to have any radio, yet they are saying if I have a VHF with
DSC, I must maintain a watch on 2182??? But what if I have an older
VHF without DSC. Now I don't have to listen on 2182 unless I also have
an HF? Typical gov't gobbledy-gook.

Eric

On Apr 15, 10:31*pm, Larry wrote:
When was the last time you guys left your unused SSB radios tuned to
2182Khz and RUNNING with all that damned 2Mhz static when you were not
using it? *According to the rules, the HF radio must NEVER be turned off
while underway, but must be left on 2182Khz or a DSC-Distress channel.

In article ,
Larry wrote:

You wrote in news:you-8011E0.09563815042009
@netnews.worldnet.att.net:

The
Operator of a GMDSS Radio is REQUIRED to be Licensed as a GMDSS
Operator......


Boy, that's a hot-button topic.....but true. But, just having a DSC-
equipped, they told me was NOT a GMDSS-equipped ship.

Here's a little-known, but very important part of Part 80 of the FCC
Rules I bet everyone is guilty of violating.....

"§ 80.310 Watch required by voluntary
vessels.
Voluntary vessels not equipped with
DSC must maintain a watch on 2182
kHz and on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16)
whenever the vessel is underway and
the radio is not being used to communicate.
Noncommercial vessels, such as
recreational boats, may alternatively
maintain a watch on 156.450 MHz
(Channel 9) in lieu of VHF Channel 16
for call and reply purposes. Voluntary
vessels equipped with VHF-DSC equipment
must maintain a watch on 2182
kHz and on either 156.525 MHz (Channel
70) or VHF Channel 16 aurally whenever
the vessel is underway and the
radio is not being used to communicate.
Voluntary vessels equipped
with MF-HF DSC equipment must have
the radio turned on and set to an appropriate
DSC distress calling channel
or one of the radiotelephone distress
channels whenever the vessel is underway
and the radio is not being used to
communicate. Voluntary vessels
equipped with Inmarsat A, B, C, M or
Fleet F77 systems must have the unit
turned on and set to receive calls
whenever the vessel is underway and
the radio is not being used to communicate.
[73 FR 4485, Jan. 25, 2008]
VerDate Aug"

When was the last time you guys left your unused SSB radios tuned to
2182Khz and RUNNING with all that damned 2Mhz static when you were not
using it? According to the rules, the HF radio must NEVER be turned off
while underway, but must be left on 2182Khz or a DSC-Distress channel.

Larry is correct here, in that just because you have a DSC Equipped Radio
does NOT mean you are running, OR, complying with GMDSS, and have to
Maintain GMDSS Watches, or Operator Licensing. Another thing that needs
to be pointed out is, that you MUST have a Vessel Station License, IF
your vessel has an MF/HF Marine Radio Fitted, and you need to have a
Valid Operators Permit for you type of Station License. The 2182 Khz
Watch Requirement would only apply IF you have an MF/HF Radio Fitted.
Also be aware that IF your vessel is over 20 Meters in length (65 ft)
that you are REQUIRED to comply with the Bridge to Bridge Radiotelephone
Act, that REQUIRES that you either have, Two Operational Vhf Radios, one
of which is maintaining a Radio Watch on VHF Channel 13, or a Type
Accepted Vhf Radio that complies with the Bridge to Bridge
Radiotelephone Act, and has Two Receivers, one of which is fixed on Vhf
Marine Ch 13. Another NOTE here, If you should take another "Object" in
Tow, you are also REQUIRED, to comply with the Bridge to Bridge
Radiotelephone Act, NO Matter what your vessel Length is, Period.
The USCG is the Enforcement Arm for the Bridge to Bridge Radiotelephone
Act, in the US, and I have heard rumors that SOME Cowboy USCG Types have
actually cited Water-ski Boat Operators for not being in compliance, if
they **** of the Inspecting Officer, during a Safety Inspection while
afloat.

--
Bruce in alaska
add path after fast to reply

Bruce in alaska wrote in
:

In article ,
Larry wrote:

You wrote in news:you-8011E0.09563815042009
@netnews.worldnet.att.net:

The
Operator of a GMDSS Radio is REQUIRED to be Licensed as a GMDSS
Operator......


Boy, that's a hot-button topic.....but true. But, just having a DSC-
equipped, they told me was NOT a GMDSS-equipped ship.

Here's a little-known, but very important part of Part 80 of the FCC
Rules I bet everyone is guilty of violating.....

"§ 80.310 Watch required by voluntary
vessels.
Voluntary vessels not equipped with
DSC must maintain a watch on 2182
kHz and on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16)
whenever the vessel is underway and
the radio is not being used to communicate.
Noncommercial vessels, such as
recreational boats, may alternatively
maintain a watch on 156.450 MHz
(Channel 9) in lieu of VHF Channel 16
for call and reply purposes. Voluntary
vessels equipped with VHF-DSC equipment
must maintain a watch on 2182
kHz and on either 156.525 MHz (Channel
70) or VHF Channel 16 aurally whenever
the vessel is underway and the
radio is not being used to communicate.
Voluntary vessels equipped
with MF-HF DSC equipment must have
the radio turned on and set to an appropriate
DSC distress calling channel
or one of the radiotelephone distress
channels whenever the vessel is underway
and the radio is not being used to
communicate. Voluntary vessels
equipped with Inmarsat A, B, C, M or
Fleet F77 systems must have the unit
turned on and set to receive calls
whenever the vessel is underway and
the radio is not being used to communicate.
[73 FR 4485, Jan. 25, 2008]
VerDate Aug"

When was the last time you guys left your unused SSB radios tuned to
2182Khz and RUNNING with all that damned 2Mhz static when you were
not using it? According to the rules, the HF radio must NEVER be
turned off while underway, but must be left on 2182Khz or a
DSC-Distress channel.

Larry is correct here, in that just because you have a DSC Equipped
Radio does NOT mean you are running, OR, complying with GMDSS, and
have to Maintain GMDSS Watches, or Operator Licensing. Another thing
that needs to be pointed out is, that you MUST have a Vessel Station
License, IF your vessel has an MF/HF Marine Radio Fitted, and you need
to have a Valid Operators Permit for you type of Station License. The
2182 Khz Watch Requirement would only apply IF you have an MF/HF Radio
Fitted. Also be aware that IF your vessel is over 20 Meters in length
(65 ft) that you are REQUIRED to comply with the Bridge to Bridge
Radiotelephone Act, that REQUIRES that you either have, Two
Operational Vhf Radios, one of which is maintaining a Radio Watch on
VHF Channel 13, or a Type Accepted Vhf Radio that complies with the
Bridge to Bridge Radiotelephone Act, and has Two Receivers, one of
which is fixed on Vhf Marine Ch 13. Another NOTE here, If you should
take another "Object" in Tow, you are also REQUIRED, to comply with
the Bridge to Bridge Radiotelephone Act, NO Matter what your vessel
Length is, Period. The USCG is the Enforcement Arm for the Bridge to
Bridge Radiotelephone Act, in the US, and I have heard rumors that
SOME Cowboy USCG Types have actually cited Water-ski Boat Operators
for not being in compliance, if they **** of the Inspecting Officer,
during a Safety Inspection while afloat.


Everyone I know with an installed HF and Ship License is in violation of
the HF monitoring 2182 Khz requirement simply because the 2-3 Mhz marine
band is nothing but a huge static noise source, virtually unused by
anyone in the last 30 years. The M802 has a nice squelch, but it's
totally worthless below 6 Mhz as the atmospherics load simply overwhelms
it the lower you go in freq even at the maximum squelch setting,
rendering it useless. Noone in the boat would ever get any off-watch
sleep with 2182 listening for a distress call on a 41' ketch.

I really HAVE monitored it, trying to see how much range my triattic
capacitor hat has added to the 55' backstay antenna. We installed an
insulator on either end of the triattic with a center-connected jumper
down to just under the top insulator on the backstay. Range below 7 Mhz
and reported signal levels on the 75 meter ham phone band increased
markedly! The tuner loves the extra length. Great reports from the
Caribbean illegal phone freqs above 4Mhz, too....but they make me
nervous about the ship license implications. Those freqs are NOT
authorized Marine channels on any chart I find.

Every time I leave the boat, I toggle the M802 back to transmitting on
the marine channels ONLY to keep my captain outa jail.....(c;]

--
================================================== ==========
Larry W4CSC

I've decided to worship Thor. My god has a hammer and isn't
afraid to use it. Your god is a pacifist who got nailed to a
tree.

Any questions?

In article ,
Larry wrote:

Everyone I know with an installed HF and Ship License is in violation of
the HF monitoring 2182 Khz requirement simply because the 2-3 Mhz marine
band is nothing but a huge static noise source, virtually unused by
anyone in the last 30 years. The M802 has a nice squelch, but it's
totally worthless below 6 Mhz as the atmospherics load simply overwhelms
it the lower you go in freq even at the maximum squelch setting,
rendering it useless. Noone in the boat would ever get any off-watch
sleep with 2182 listening for a distress call on a 41' ketch.

I really HAVE monitored it, trying to see how much range my triattic
capacitor hat has added to the 55' backstay antenna. We installed an
insulator on either end of the triattic with a center-connected jumper
down to just under the top insulator on the backstay. Range below 7 Mhz
and reported signal levels on the 75 meter ham phone band increased
markedly! The tuner loves the extra length. Great reports from the
Caribbean illegal phone freqs above 4Mhz, too....but they make me
nervous about the ship license implications. Those freqs are NOT
authorized Marine channels on any chart I find.

Every time I leave the boat, I toggle the M802 back to transmitting on
the marine channels ONLY to keep my captain outa jail.....(c;]

--
================================================== ==========
Larry W4CSC

Up here in the North Pacific, we set the MF/HF Radio on 4125.0 Khz
while underway. This is the Primary for USCG Kodiak, which is the Primary
for the North Pacific. 2182.0 Khz has been useless since the inception
of modern SSB Radio's were fitted in the early 70's. It is so bad that
USCG CommSta's rarely even have a working receiver on that frequency,
because of lack of parts for the radios. Our NOAA HF Wx Stations use
4125.0 Khz to get local Wx Data from the Commercial Freight and Fishing
Fleets, twice a day, and then transmit the High Sea's Forecast two hours
later, for the North Pacific, by Region. This whole Wx senerio was start
40 years ago by a Fishing Mom (Peggy Dyson) in Kodiak, that transmitted
the Wx each evening to her then Hubby (Oscar Dyson) who was a Crabber
out in the North Pacific. Her Northern N-550/N/542 1Kw Hf Station WBH-29
was known and heard as the Voice of Kodiak, and used by all the Maritime
Stations on daily Basis. She would log ships positions and local Wx Data
for each vessel and more than once initiated a Search & Rescue when a
ship failed to report in two days in a row. She saved a LOT of Lives.
It was a very Sad Day, when Peggy reTired, and the NOAA Wx Stations took
over the Job. I still have a recording of her LAST Sched, somewhere...

--
Bruce in alaska
add path after fast to reply

Bruce in alaska wrote in news:fast-A25A3C.09460817042009
@netnews.worldnet.att.net:

Up here in the North Pacific, we set the MF/HF Radio on 4125.0 Khz
while underway. This is the Primary for USCG Kodiak, which is the Primary
for the North Pacific. 2182.0 Khz has been useless since the inception
of modern SSB Radio's were fitted in the early 70's. It is so bad that
USCG CommSta's rarely even have a working receiver on that frequency,
because of lack of parts for the radios. Our NOAA HF Wx Stations use


Somebody needs to CHANGE THE RULES.....that knows something about it, this
time, not those stupid assed FCC lawyers that sit in the chairs the
engineers used to occupy, now.

2-3 Mhz should be given back to the hams as it IS pretty useless for
emergency comms. But, alas, you know how SLOW the big elephant in the room
is to react to anything like REALITY.....

I was simply amazed when ITU let European hams back on 7.1-7.2 Mhz....25
years after the broadcasters left for all the US ham noise.



--
================================================== ==========
Larry

I've decided to worship Thor. My god has a hammer and isn't
afraid to use it. Your god is a pacifist who got nailed to a
tree.

Any questions?

On Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:05:42 GMT, Bruce in alaska
wrote:

Another NOTE here, If you should take another "Object" in
Tow, you are also REQUIRED, to comply with the Bridge to Bridge
Radiotelephone Act, NO Matter what your vessel Length is, Period.

I suppose "object" could be interpreted to be a dinghy.

That would put a *lot* of people in violation.

What is the CFR # on that?

In article ,
Wayne.B wrote:

On Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:05:42 GMT, Bruce in alaska
wrote:

Another NOTE here, If you should take another "Object" in
Tow, you are also REQUIRED, to comply with the Bridge to Bridge
Radiotelephone Act, NO Matter what your vessel Length is, Period.

I suppose "object" could be interpreted to be a dinghy.

That would put a *lot* of people in violation.

What is the CFR # on that?

Ok, well it seems that the FCC has AMENDED the Towing Requirement
to vessels over 7.8 Meters (26 Feet), since I last dealt with it.
So, it wouldn't apply to Water skiers anymore, OR smaller sailing
or power vessels. Thanks for making mew go back and look it up....

47CFR80 SubPart U .......

--
Bruce in alaska
add path after fast to reply

On Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:33:24 GMT, Bruce in alaska
wrote:

Ok, well it seems that the FCC has AMENDED the Towing Requirement
to vessels over 7.8 Meters (26 Feet), since I last dealt with it.
So, it wouldn't apply to Water skiers anymore, OR smaller sailing
or power vessels. Thanks for making mew go back and look it up....

47CFR80 SubPart U .......

I'm sure the original intent was for commercial tow boat operators but
that is not stated in the regs. My reading of Subpart U is that you
could be in compliance with a hand held VHF tuned to channel 13.

In article ,
Wayne.B wrote:

On Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:33:24 GMT, Bruce in alaska
wrote:

Ok, well it seems that the FCC has AMENDED the Towing Requirement
to vessels over 7.8 Meters (26 Feet), since I last dealt with it.
So, it wouldn't apply to Water skiers anymore, OR smaller sailing
or power vessels. Thanks for making mew go back and look it up....

47CFR80 SubPart U .......

I'm sure the original intent was for commercial tow boat operators but
that is not stated in the regs. My reading of Subpart U is that you
could be in compliance with a hand held VHF tuned to channel 13.

If, and only If, it is in addition to a fitted Vhf Radio, you leave it
on Vhf Channel 13 all the time, keep it at the Helm, AND you either,
Stop if the battery dies, or power it from an external power source.

The USCG is very particular about compliance, in this area, and should
there be a accident, or incident, while towing, they will haul you into
an Inquiry, and be asking if you were in compliance, and how, right
quick...

--
Bruce in alaska
add path after fast to reply

Hi,

I write software to control amateur radio equipment. It does not do everything that Ham Radio Deluxe can do, but it does do some unique functions.

I have recently added support for ICOM Marine Radios - like the M802.

If someone here would like to test it, please email me at

Thanks,

Howard