Man, you must have alot of spare time on your hands :)

That's a given, since as you know, my activities for the USCG are 100%
volunteer!
I specialized in communication areas that I felt needed improvement, and
additionally support other duties that are encouraged at the national and
all local levels. These include vessel safety patrols, marine safety
inspections, and harbor security. Of course I "tow the company line" there!
The USCG and the citizens we serve deserve no less.

So how does the USCG support skywave comms for stations not near the
coast?

By virtue of hundreds and in some cases thousands of miles distance
(North/South and East/West) between multiple antennas (of varying design
frequency, gain, direction and launch angle) at each of several antenna
sites.

You asked an interesting question about antenna locations earlier. It is my
belief that the site locations were neither arbitrary nor at the expense of
reliable communications for the defined area of operations of the USCG.
Nobody will argue that government does practically anything in the most
efficient manner possible. But most will agree that critical services are
provided in the most reliable fashion, nonetheless subject to the
availability of funds provided.


Doug, k3qt
s/v Callista

73,
Jack


"Jack Painter" wrote in message
news:8L_Gd.18132$B95.563@lakeread02...

"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote

Thank You! A great and sensible answer! And I agree that the squelch
doesn't work all that well on SSB.

Doug, k3qt
s/v Callista

"Me" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote:

I don't know the actual answer to this, but it seems to me that
the CG has clustered its monitoring stations for HF/MF along the
coasts.
What is the rationale behind this? It pretty much limits comms to
groundwave
in the covered areas. It would seems that a few stations spread out
around the country would vastly expand coverage via skywave. Is it
because
the CG is limited in it's jusisdiction and can't establish stations
inland?
One of the advantages of using the ham bands is that station are
stread
out
all over the world. At any given time day or night some station
either
via
groundwave or skywave is going to be listening.

Doug, k3qt
s/v Callista

It is because the USCG only deals with "Certain" Comms capability, so
any skywave comms which depend on what the E and F layers are doing
and what the GeoMagnetic Index is at the moment, aren't figured in.
That is also why MF was basically given up as a Maritime Comms System
when the switch to SSB from AM happened, by the USCG. Oh, the
"Official
Line" is that they have a 24/7 Watch on 2812 Khz, but in the REAL
World,
and not Jack's Universe, Most of those MF Receivers have the volume
turn
down, because the Operators can't deal with the white noise, when
trying
to hear something on one of the HF Receivers. Been that way for MANY
years, even if Jack doesn't acknowledge it. Some of the best FCC
Maritime Monitoring that was ever done was from the old Grand Island,
Nebraska, Station.......

Me


Are you still interested in answers to your questions, or would you two
just
rather continue your back-slapping stories? Your replies to each other
sound
pretty cozy, and I don't want to barge in between your barstools while
the
two of you solve the world's problems.

For the rest of the group still following G here is my universe:

1. "Squelch" is NEVER adjusted on any USCG guard receiver, VHF, MF, or
HF.
This applies equally to every Boat Station, Group, Sector, Activity,
Communication Station and Communication Area Master Station. Anyone not
drunk will also understand the following:

2. Volume is NEVER turned down, as was foolishly suggested above. Lets
be
serious for a moment. During critical SAR comms, volume will be turned
UP
on
affected systems, this will have the same effect as turning others
"down".
That is not a long term condition, and SSB receivers are in a separate
area
from the VHF consoles anyway. This is something some of you could
observe
if
you asked for a tour of a Group watchstanding system.

3. Boat Stations do NOT have SSB capability, their AOR is always within
VHF
range.

4. Some small patrol boats DO have SSB capability, namely all new 47'
MLBs's
which systematically replace the aging 41' patrol boats. Some 41's also
have
SSB. All aircraft have VHF/MF/HF systems.

5. Most Groups (or "Sectors" as they are transitioning to) and
Activities
have multiple towers (called "High Sites" ). Location of these
high-sites
normally allows significant overlap of the adjoining Group/Sector's AOR.

6. There are still areas of the Coastal-Continental United States that
have
small gaps in VHF coverage. Maine and Florida used to be the last ones
on
the East coast reporting this problem (there may be others we are not
aware
of). USCG AUX in Florida remedied that state's problem with volunteer
funded, erected and maintained towers and repeater systems in the
thousand
islands area of SW Florida.

7. Rescue-21 when fully implemented, will maintain full VHF coverage in
all
areas, and between 20-40 miles seaward. The first Group to have this
system
completed is adjacent to me, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Even with
Rescue-21 up and running there, that Group NOW has full MF-DSC-GMDSS
capability on 2187.5 khz and of course monitors 2182 khz (the
IMO-regulated
adjoining voice channel to 2mhz-DSC) on a 24/7 basis, just as all USCG
Groups do.

8. Each of a Group's several high-sites now has their own set of VHF
receivers and transmitters. Group watchstanders monitor a guard receiver
speaker from EACH high site, all playing "white noise" all the time.

9. The SSB/MF/HF systems of every GroupSector/Activity serves many other
purposes than just guarding 2182 khz, which is required by International
treaty for declared Sea Area A-2 (the range between VHF and HF shore
coverage of guard frequencies). IMO regulations are beyond the scope of
this
discussion, but I will be happy to try to elaborate some that relate to
ship
to shore communications later.

9. Automatic Direction Finding equipment with display on computer-screen
charts is selectable from all or individual high-sites.

10. Digital recording devices capture 100% of all incoming traffic to
USCG
Group receivers.

11. Auto-alarms received on 2182 khz (that are NOT during the
testing-periods allowed) occur up to several times a week. In no case
that
I
can remember, has the pleasure boat, fishing vessel or commercial ship
that
sounded them ever "cancelled" with apologies. Callouts and urgent marine
information broadcasts across wide areas result.

12. Auto-alarms received on VHF-DSC Ch-70 (156.525 mhz) with no
acknowledgement or cancellation occur at least weekly. Testing of
VHF-DSC
auto-alarms is illegal, so I guess it's no surprise that most don't
acknowledge. I have heard a commercial fishing captain call us to say
"the
darn thing just went off". He was DF'd and hunted-down before he
acknowledged this. It cost him nothing to apologize yet cost the Coast
Guard
an hour of SAR-callouts, boat-team launch, preparation for aircraft
launch,
etc.

13. Valid MAYDAY calls for USCG SAR-response are received on 2182 khz as
the
first communication used on average of once every two weeks or so along
the
Eastern seaboard.

14. HF is the ONLY 24hr skywave-reliable SSB system in use. MF is only
for
short range (20-200 miles), and only intended as a bridge between VHF
line
of sight and HF skywave. This doesn't stop us from completing hours of
SAR-case communications exclusively on 2182 khz as long as it remains
successful.

Hope this clears some of the fog spreading from various
barstool-scuttlebutt.

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach, Virginia

In article ,
"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote:

Thank You! A great and sensible answer! And I agree that the squelch
doesn't work all that well on SSB.

Doug, k3qt
s/v Callista

Just another note, basically ALL the SSB Squelch Systems around today,
are copies of, or Reverse Engineered versions, of the SEA Variable
Sylobic Rate Squelch design, that was first first introduced in the
Marine Radio MF/HF Radios in the Northern N550. This system was a Dick
Stephens design and was incororated into all of his radio designs
subsequent to that intorduction, as either builtin, or as an optional
addon board.

Bruce in alaska who was there, when all this happened......
--
add a 2 before @

In article 8L_Gd.18132$B95.563@lakeread02,
"Jack Painter" frothed out his ass:


Are you still interested in answers to your questions, or would you two just
rather continue your back-slapping stories? Your replies to each other sound
pretty cozy, and I don't want to barge in between your barstools while the
two of you solve the world's problems.

For the rest of the group still following G here is my universe:

1. "Squelch" is NEVER adjusted on any USCG guard receiver, VHF, MF, or HF.
This applies equally to every Boat Station, Group, Sector, Activity,
Communication Station and Communication Area Master Station. Anyone not
drunk will also understand the following:

I don't know where your Universe is, or what Dimension it is in, Jack,
but do you REALLY expect us ALL to believe that EACH VHF Receiver on
ALL USCG RADIO's don't have an "Adjusted Squelch" and that white noise is
eminating from all the speakers????? This is just SO MUCH BULL****, that
even the most imcompitant Mooorooon knows it is CRAP.
I have been in a number of CommSta's around in the REAL UNIVERSE, and I
can STATE Catagorically that this is JUST NOT THE CASE.

2. Volume is NEVER turned down, as was foolishly suggested above. Lets be
serious for a moment. During critical SAR comms, volume will be turned UP on
affected systems, this will have the same effect as turning others "down".
That is not a long term condition, and SSB receivers are in a separate area
from the VHF consoles anyway. This is something some of you could observe if
you asked for a tour of a Group watchstanding system.

Yes Jack, volumes ARE turned down in CommSta's in the REAL Universe. It
happens quite often. Speakers are also MUTED, for specific situations,
so that other speakers can be copied better. Any reports, otherwise are
just not creditable.

3. Boat Stations do NOT have SSB capability, their AOR is always within VHF
range.

4. Some small patrol boats DO have SSB capability, namely all new 47' MLBs's
which systematically replace the aging 41' patrol boats. Some 41's also have
SSB. All aircraft have VHF/MF/HF systems.

5. Most Groups (or "Sectors" as they are transitioning to) and Activities
have multiple towers (called "High Sites" ). Location of these high-sites
normally allows significant overlap of the adjoining Group/Sector's AOR.

and most CommSta's don't have the MF/HF Receivers right there in the room
either. Most of that equipment is remoted out at the Antenna Farms, and
is brought in on Phonelines, or other longhaul communications links.
The reason for that is if the receivers were actually in the Consoles at
the CommSta, they would be STONED Deaf because of all the computer, and
network noise that is zipping around in there. Some of us actually have
designed systems for USCG CommSta's, Jack.......

6. There are still areas of the Coastal-Continental United States that have
small gaps in VHF coverage. Maine and Florida used to be the last ones on
the East coast reporting this problem (there may be others we are not aware
of). USCG AUX in Florida remedied that state's problem with volunteer
funded, erected and maintained towers and repeater systems in the thousand
islands area of SW Florida.

Even if it has slipped you mind, Jack..... Alaska IS in the North
American Continental United States!!!!

7. Rescue-21 when fully implemented, will maintain full VHF coverage in all
areas, and between 20-40 miles seaward. The first Group to have this system
completed is adjacent to me, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Even with
Rescue-21 up and running there, that Group NOW has full MF-DSC-GMDSS
capability on 2187.5 khz and of course monitors 2182 khz (the IMO-regulated
adjoining voice channel to 2mhz-DSC) on a 24/7 basis, just as all USCG
Groups do.

8. Each of a Group's several high-sites now has their own set of VHF
receivers and transmitters. Group watchstanders monitor a guard receiver
speaker from EACH high site, all playing "white noise" all the time.

9. The SSB/MF/HF systems of every GroupSector/Activity serves many other
purposes than just guarding 2182 khz, which is required by International
treaty for declared Sea Area A-2 (the range between VHF and HF shore
coverage of guard frequencies). IMO regulations are beyond the scope of this
discussion, but I will be happy to try to elaborate some that relate to ship
to shore communications later.

9. Automatic Direction Finding equipment with display on computer-screen
charts is selectable from all or individual high-sites.

10. Digital recording devices capture 100% of all incoming traffic to USCG
Group receivers.

11. Auto-alarms received on 2182 khz (that are NOT during the
testing-periods allowed) occur up to several times a week. In no case that I
can remember, has the pleasure boat, fishing vessel or commercial ship that
sounded them ever "cancelled" with apologies. Callouts and urgent marine
information broadcasts across wide areas result.

When was the last time you actually SAW a TG-502 connected to a SSB Radio
on a noncommecial Vessel??? You do know what a TG-502 is, right Jack????


12. Auto-alarms received on VHF-DSC Ch-70 (156.525 mhz) with no
acknowledgement or cancellation occur at least weekly. Testing of VHF-DSC
auto-alarms is illegal, so I guess it's no surprise that most don't
acknowledge. I have heard a commercial fishing captain call us to say "the
darn thing just went off". He was DF'd and hunted-down before he
acknowledged this. It cost him nothing to apologize yet cost the Coast Guard
an hour of SAR-callouts, boat-team launch, preparation for aircraft launch,
etc.

Better go back and get your TERMINOLOGY Staight Jack..... AutoAlarms
went out with Morse Code, and 500Khz.... DSC Distress Signals are not
refered to as AUTOALARMS.....


13. Valid MAYDAY calls for USCG SAR-response are received on 2182 khz as the
first communication used on average of once every two weeks or so along the
Eastern seaboard.

14. HF is the ONLY 24hr skywave-reliable SSB system in use. MF is only for
short range (20-200 miles), and only intended as a bridge between VHF line
of sight and HF skywave. This doesn't stop us from completing hours of
SAR-case communications exclusively on 2182 khz as long as it remains
successful.

Hope this clears some of the fog spreading from various
barstool-scuttlebutt.

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach, Virginia




Me who actually does live in the REAL Universe........

In article ,
"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote:

I've never heard anyone ask for a radio check from the USCG. Usually they
are asking for a response from anyone that can hear them.

Actually, it is REQUIRED during a SOLAS Inspection that a "Radio Check"
be preformed with the nearest USCG Station, and that it be "Logged" in
the Radio Station Log of the Vessel, for each piece of Gear aboard.

Also SOLAS Required vessels are also REQUIRED to Log one complete
Communication every 24 hours, while navigating.


Bruce in alaska who actually does SOLAS Inpsections on occasion.....
--
add a 2 before @

wrote

I'd still say try regular maritime ssb freqs first, especially if you
don't hold a ham license. I've got to agree with Jack here. HOwever
I'd want anything in my favor I could get were I sailing blue water,
and ham radio is another tool in my kit.

Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email

I forget where I found this list.
Ham Maritime Nets: All Times UTC (as of Sept. 2004)

0100 3.935 Gulf Coast Hurricane Net - Daily
0100 21.407 Pacific-Indian Ocean Net - Daily
0200 14.303 Cal-Hawaii net Daily
0200 14.313/300 Pacific Seafarers Net - Daily
0200 7.290 Hawaii PM Net M - F
0220 14.315 Traveler's Net
0330 14.040 Cruising Club M/M CW Net
0400 14.115 Canadian DDD Net
0400 14.075 PAC CW Traffic Net M-W-F
0400 14.314 Pacific Maritime Mobile Net
0500 21.200 VK / NZ African Net
0500 14.280 USA\Australia Traffic Net
0530 14.303 Swedish Maritime Net
0530 14.314 Pacific Maritime Net
0630 14.180 Pitcairn Net
0630 14.320 South African Maritime Net
0700 14.265 Pacific Island Net
0700 14.310 Guam Area Net
0715 3.820 Bay of Islands Net
0800 7.280 Australia Traffic Net
0800 14.315 Pacific Inter Island Net
0900 14.300 Mediterranean M.M. Net
0900 7.080 Canary Island Net ??
1000 14.330 Pacific Gunkholers Net
1000 14.300 German Maritime Mobile Net
1030 3.815 Caribbean Weather Net
1030 14.265 Barbados Cruising Net
1100 3.750 Marine Weather Net
1100 7.230/40 Caribbean M\M Net
1100 14.283 Friendly Connection
1130 14.320 South African M/M Net
1130 21.325 South African Round Table
1200 14.040 Maritime Mobile CW Net
1200 14.332 Young Ladies Emergency Net
1200 14.320 Southeast Asia Net
1245 7.268 East Coast Waterway Net
1400 7.292 Florida Coast Net
1400 3.963 Sonisa Net
1500 7.193 Alaska Net
1545 14.340 Marquises Net
1600 7.238.5 Baja California Maritime Net
1600 14.300 Maritime Mobile Service Network (summer)
1630 7.285 Serape Net Sunday
1630 21.350 Pitcairn Net Friday
1630 14.340 Californian Hawaiian Net M - F
1700 7.240 Bajco M/M Net M - F
1700 14.287 USPS-CPS Net Saturday
1700 14.300 Maritime Mobile Service Network (winter)
1700 14.329 Skippers' Net Daily
1730 14.292 Alaska Net M - F
1730 14.115 Canadian DDD Net M - F
1800 14.285 Kaffee-Kiatch JN_NE M-W-Sat
1800 14.303 U-K Maritime Net Daily
1800 7.076 South Pacific Cruising Net
1800 7.197 South Pacific Sailing Net
1830 14.340 Manana M/M Net Warm Up M-Sat
1900 14.340 Manana M/M Net M-Sat
1900 7.255 West Pacific Net Daily
1900 7.285 Shamru Net
1900 21.390 Halo Net
1900 14.329 Bay of Islands Net
1900 3.855 Friendly Net
1900 3.990 Northwest Maritime Net
2000 7.060 VK Maritime Net
2030 14.303 Swedish Maritime Net
2100 14.315 Tony's Net
2100 21.390 North South America's Net
2130 14.318 Daytime Pacific Net
2130 14.290 East Coast Waterway Net
2200 21.350 Pitcairn Net Tues
2200 21.414 Pacific Maritime Net M - F
2230 3.185 Caribbean Weather Net Daily
2230 21.404 15-Meter Pacific Maritime Net M - F
2310 14.285 Cal-South Pacific Net - Mondays
2330 21.325 South-Atlantic Roundtable - Daily
2400 14.320 SEA marine Mobile Net- Daily

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach, Virginia

"Bruce in Alaska" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote:

I've never heard anyone ask for a radio check from the USCG. Usually
they
are asking for a response from anyone that can hear them.

Actually, it is REQUIRED during a SOLAS Inspection that a "Radio Check"
be preformed with the nearest USCG Station, and that it be "Logged" in
the Radio Station Log of the Vessel, for each piece of Gear aboard.

Also SOLAS Required vessels are also REQUIRED to Log one complete
Communication every 24 hours, while navigating.


Bruce in alaska who actually does SOLAS Inpsections on occasion.....
--
add a 2 before @

I don't recall right now where I read it a couple years ago, either in an
FCC or CG Publication, where they said it was illegal to contact the Coast
Guard on VHF FM for routine radio checks, with the exception being a
licensed commercial radio technician testing a ship's radio and he was to
indicate in the initial call or after the first response from the CG that he
was a radio technician performing a check or adjustment. The local CG
Group in Portland, OR seems to vary their responses depending upon who is on
watch, time of year (boating season or not), time of day, etc. Sometimes I
hear repeated calls for a CG radio check go unanswered, other times they
answer immediately and move to channel 22A, and other times when they
respond directing a move to a recreational boat channel for radio tests as
channel 16 is a calling and distress channel. I have visited the Group
station several times and often there is only one person on watch, covering
4 remote marine VHF FM radio sites along the Columbia River, plus HF SSB,
local marine police and fire boat channels. There is usually a rash of "10-4
good buddy" or "anybody got a copy?" calls after Christmas presents are
hooked up or at the start of the seasonal recreational boating season.
Common sense would indicate a single CG operator may not be relied upon to
answer all calls for "radio checks", as he may be coordinating an actual
distress with helicopters, police, CG and/or fire boats on scene, plus
divers in the water on a frequency other than the local channel 16 coverage.
73 Doug K7ABX

Jack Painter wrote:

snip

This includes
following the regulated use of marine radios, which prohibit making calls to
a non-specific ("Any Station") unit or vessel for routine traffic, radio
checks, etc. In local VHF use, there are few exceptions to this. One example
could be in winter/heavy-wx, etc (imagine a condition when few pleasure or
commercial activities might be active) and there are no other observed
vessels or monitoring coastal stations available for a radio check prior to
departing. We would all agree a vessel's communications equipment should be
tested by any means available before such activity!



Hello again Jack,

It is the Federal Communications Commission, and not the US
Coast Guard, that promulgates and enforces rules regarding
communication by radio. (The FCC has delegated some
inspection functions to the Coast Guard.)

The FCC rules and regulations are available at:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/w...7cfr80_03.html

for anyone who is interested. While lengthy, they are quite
readable.

Regarding your assertion that "making calls to a
non-specific vessel or unit" for radio checks is prohibited,
it would be useful to consider Section 80.89:

Stations must not:
snip
(d) When using telephony, transmit signals or communications
not addressed to a particular station or stations. This
provision does not apply to the transmission of distress,
alarm, urgency, or safety signals or messages, or to test
transmissions.
snip

To some of us, it does matter that your advice and legal
opinions often bear dubious relation to reality.

Regards,

Chuck

"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote in message
...
I suspect that military and USCG nets are formal nets. Ham nets
are typically volunteer and are "open" nets. There is no roster of
participants. If you listen to the Coast Guard net which is on just
prior to MMSN on Saturday (or Sunday?) it is operated pretty
much the same way. The same thing with InterCon. Since amateur
radio is a volunteer organization, the nets have to be run differently
than "closed" membership-based nets.

Doug, k3qt
s/v Callista

"Jack Painter" wrote in message
news:GLOGd.18100$B95.15692@lakeread02...

"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote

You clearly have no concept of how a net is operated or maintained.

Sure Doug, that's right. It's hard to figure out play-time if I confuse
it
with the military and USCG Nets.

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach, Virginia


"Jack Painter" wrote in message
news:pbFGd.17550$B95.16031@lakeread02...

"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote

Jack, you sound like a company guy towing the company line.

It certainly doesn't
beg the advice of Doug, that some sleepy (or worse) night-owl in
Missouri
is
much more likely to answer than the USCG, that's just pure BS.

Doug,

I accept that as a compliment, considering the very honorable
organizations
that I represent. The principles of safe boating and emergency
communications that I speak of were first learned as a very young
boater,
and they have not changed in almost forty years. New and better
equipment,
and millions of more boats on the water is all that has changed.


It would seem that you are not a ham or at least don;t listen to the
ham bands much. When an emergency is declared on the ham bands
the speed at which action is taken is staggering. That sleepy guy in
Missouri (not sure why Missouri is your example) wakes up pretty
quick.


No offense to Missouri~ just a place to name.

I am not a Ham. When I can spare a receiver, it is often on 14.300
MMSN.
I followed various amateur hurricane emergency nets in Florida during
the
hurricanes this summer. 100% of the traffic was a waste of bandwidth
with
stations checking in from their homes with no traffic (This is still
not
quite as ridiculous as someone checking in to the MMSN with no
traffic
from
their BOAT). Then there were the unfounded rumours passed about
damage
(all
the while telephone service remained). Of course the only place they
were
ever needed in Florida was as backups at the EOC's and various
shelters
for
local repeater work. But few hams roll up their sleeves and actually
go
to
work in this intended fashion, instead opting to let everyone in the
HF-hemishpere know that "I'm here at home if you need me". "Oh yea
thanks
for telling us", the real workers think.

I do agree that CG channels should be tried first in an emergency
but
not to rely on them 100%.
Regards
Gary

Even when a CG operator tells you not to bother.

Most likely you raised a Station, and they do not have HF capability.
In
that case, what he told you was correct, and the operator is trained
to
work
the vessel if at all possible, not let a vessel pick some other form
of
communication before vitals are passed. Groups monitor 2182, and if
one
doesn't answer a Mayday at night, your equipment is broke. The whole
story
is just so rife with near impossibilities for Groups on both sides to
miss
you on VHF, and for you never to even try 2182, it just chalks up to
a
bad
night for you. I think you have somehow convinced yourself that your
emergency and lack of good comms and procedures for raising the CG
that
night are all the CG's fault. It's clear in any case you're still mad
about
it. But I don't see that as helpful to educating boaters about the
procedures and capabilities of USCG safety and distress
communications.

I had some bad experiences with USCG assistance on the Great Lakes
some
twenty five years ago. I had friends who did too. But Station Erie
was
100
miles between Groups Cleveland or Buffalo, and all permission had to
come
from Groups before they could make coffee. Friends thought we could
help
each other faster than the CG could get back to us with a decision on
what
they might or might not do for us. But that is not the USCG of today,
on

the
Great Lakes, or any other place that I am aware of. Yet saving lives
and
educating boaters still remain the primary purpose of the service, in
spite
of scores of other duties now additionally imposed on this smallest
of
services.

Best regards,

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach, Virginia








Although it has been a few years since I was on the 14.300 MMSN, the Pacific
maritime nets, the Southeast Asia marine nets, the Pacific Weather Net, as
VQ9DM from Diego Garcia Island, Chagos Islands, British Indian Ocean
Territory, I know that the "no traffic" calls are valuable when a blue water
vessel is overdue and radio logs are searched for last known contact.
Weather, piracy, etc., are a fact of life in the western Pacific and Indian
Oceans.
I found a regular checkin being a "no show" quite often to be the first sign
of a problem, sometimes as simple as they overslept, but quite often much
more serious. Also weather reports from blue water hams were valuable to
many third world weather services and the US Navy as well. By the way, the
ham net controls often have no boating connection at all, such as 9N1MM (now
a silent key) being a regular control station from a mission in Nepal. They
do the job because they are geographically located where most ships can hear
them and out a sense of public service.
I know of hams who are also military members, passing on the word for a "no
show on net" vessel to local maritime patrol aircraft to check out last
known positions and route of travel on a not to interfere basis with the
military flight mission.. The ham fraternity sticks together on these HF
nets and the practice goes beyond message traffic.
73
Doug K7ABX

"chuck" wrote

in message ...
Jack Painter wrote:

snip

This includes
following the regulated use of marine radios, which prohibit making
calls to
a non-specific ("Any Station") unit or vessel for routine traffic, radio
checks, etc. In local VHF use, there are few exceptions to this. One
example
could be in winter/heavy-wx, etc (imagine a condition when few pleasure
or
commercial activities might be active) and there are no other observed
vessels or monitoring coastal stations available for a radio check prior
to
departing. We would all agree a vessel's communications equipment should
be
tested by any means available before such activity!



Hello again Jack,

It is the Federal Communications Commission, and not the US
Coast Guard, that promulgates and enforces rules regarding
communication by radio. (The FCC has delegated some
inspection functions to the Coast Guard.)

Hello again Chuck.
I never implied otherwise.

The FCC rules and regulations are available at:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/w...7cfr80_03.html

for anyone who is interested. While lengthy, they are quite
readable.

Regarding your assertion that "making calls to a
non-specific vessel or unit" for radio checks is prohibited,
it would be useful to consider Section 80.89:

Stations must not:
snip
(d) When using telephony, transmit signals or communications
not addressed to a particular station or stations. This
provision does not apply to the transmission of distress,
alarm, urgency, or safety signals or messages, or to test
transmissions.
snip

To some of us, it does matter that your advice and legal
opinions often bear dubious relation to reality.

Regards,

Chuck


Test transmissions means "Test-1,2,3,3,2,1,Test Out".

That's a legal opinion, and since it did not come from a lawyer, it's worth
what you paid for it, nothing. Then again, you might pay a lot someday for
ignoring it, and that would be unfortunate.

Just so everyone's clear on the meaning of "advice and a legal opinions",
these do not constitute "legal advice". I am simply attempting to clear up
some of the many misconceptions of how the USCG monitors and responds to
pleasure boaters on VHF and SSB radios. I have operated and fraternized with
the boating community for my entire life, and it has only been in the last
several years that I was ever entirely sure how some of the procedures I
explained in this thread really operated. Of course procedures and
equipments can change on a frequent basis, but forty years of anecdotal
stories do not add up to actual qualification on the equipment and
watchstanding positions. It is easier to be empathetic with distressed
parties if you have already heard a lot of the typical difficulties a boater
can get into, and know from experience how stressful an emergency on the
water really is.

Best regards,

Jack