Am I the only one having trouble understanding QHM Portsmouth on VHF?

[GregOddity]

Every time we go out to the Solent, we pass Portsmouth and monitor QHM on VHF 11 and 13. We can understand every vessel making contact with QHM but to us it sounds as if they are talking in a basement using a boom box and sometimes you barely can make out what they say.
Is this only us or has someone also had the same experience?

 

[PaulRainbow]

We have the same problem trying to make sense of what you're saying

 

[GregOddity]

We have the same problem trying to make sense of what you're saying

+1 :encouragement: My man !
Ah, but that's apparently normal in the UK these days. I thought I was a bit crazy then Brexit happened. I can't understand a single thing about it. Makes me look harmless and sane by comparison.

 

[PaulRainbow]

+1 :encouragement: My man !
Ah, but that's apparently normal in the UK these days. I thought I was a bit crazy then Brexit happened. I can't understand a single thing about it. Makes me look harmless and sane by comparison.

I'm pretty sure of two things there Greg, pretty sure you're harmless, pretty sure you're not sane. :encouragement:

 

[Bru]

Who the hell would want to be sane? It's a mad world, might as well join in!

PS ... no, can't say as I've noticed a problem receiving QHM Portsmouth over the last couple of years

 

[VicS]

Every time we go out to the Solent, we pass Portsmouth and monitor QHM on VHF 11 and 13. We can understand every vessel making contact with QHM but to us it sounds as if they are talking in a basement using a boom box and sometimes you barely can make out what they say.
Is this only us or has someone also had the same experience?

The explanation is quite simple

It's because the long analogue audio frequency link between the radio operators, who are based at Faslane Naval Base, and the local transmitter attenuates the higher frequencies. You will find that you can understand female, especially young female, operators better because their voices tend to be naturally in a higher frequency range. When speaking to QMH Portsmouth ask to speak to a young female operator. The navy will be only too pleased to oblige.

The problem will go away when the link becomes digital although the slight delays it will cause may be irritating.

 

[GregOddity]

I'm pretty sure of two things there Greg, pretty sure you're harmless, pretty sure you're not sane. :encouragement:

I'm just "peculiar" and "very Special " as my mum once told me putting her hands on my shoulders looking at me very seriously for a long time then saying "son, you are a VERY special kid"

 

[GregOddity]

Who the hell would want to be sane? It's a mad world, might as well join in!

PS ... no, can't say as I've noticed a problem receiving QHM Portsmouth over the last couple of years

Too right !
Sometimes I can barely make out what they are saying. Sounds as if they are using a Boombox.

 

[GregOddity]

The explanation is quite simple

It's because the long analogue audio frequency link between the radio operators, who are based at Faslane Naval Base, and the local transmitter attenuates the higher frequencies. You will find that you can understand female, especially young female, operators better because their voices tend to be naturally in a higher frequency range. When speaking to QMH Portsmouth ask to speak to a young female operator. The navy will be only too pleased to oblige.

The problem will go away when the link becomes digital although the slight delays it will cause may be irritating.

Never even considered that to be honest. But does make sense. There are times that i can understand them much better but never paid attention to see if it was a woman or a man. I will pay attention next time out of curiosity.

Well it is irritating now.

 

[Roberto]

There was a web site giving live streaming of their radio conversations, quite useful I put it in the background and every 12hour period I could understand 2, then 3 then 4... words. Unfortunately now unavailable.
How do non-native English speakers do when in the Solent?

 

[sarabande]

I think GregO, he from Barcelona.

Or rather, Lisboa.

 

[GregOddity]

There was a web site giving live streaming of their radio conversations, quite useful I put it in the background and every 12hour period I could understand 2, then 3 then 4... words. Unfortunately now unavailable.
How do non-native English speakers do when in the Solent?

in a word? badly. They have to deal with the accents and VHF distortion. There was a MOB this summer close to the Isle of Wight in which communications got so bad that for a couple of hours it was only French on Channel 16 as they could not really understand the English and vice versa.

But then again, it's the same for Native English speakers when they have to deal with VHF communications in other countries.

This is a commercial in Germany for English Courses.

 

[GregOddity]

I think GregO, he from Barcelona.

Or rather, Lisboa.

Close enough. The land of Pasteis de Nata and Vinho Verde.

 

[chubby]

The explanation is quite simple

It's because the long analogue audio frequency link between the radio operators, who are based at Faslane Naval Base, and the local transmitter attenuates the higher frequencies. You will find that you can understand female, especially young female, operators better because their voices tend to be naturally in a higher frequency range. When speaking to QMH Portsmouth ask to speak to a young female operator. The navy will be only too pleased to oblige.

The problem will go away when the link becomes digital although the slight delays it will cause may be irritating.

Are the operators not based in Portsmouth in the semaphore tower? They do quite often have distorted audio compared to other stations, for instance Southampton VTS who clearly transmit from Southampton dock head.

Solent CG can be variable, I suspect depending on which aerial they use.

 

[johnalison]

There is a big echo on one of the French stations too, Gris Nez I think. I always think of her as Mlle-in-the-drainpipe.