Sgeir
Well-Known Member
Ch16: \"Say again. You have been overcalled\"
I noticed NAS's comment about overcalling on the Uncommanded DSC distress alert thread. According to NAS, an overcalling vessel had a curt response from the coastguard (something we've probably all heard before).
That's all very well for the CG, but how does any vessel know that they are overcalling, unless they are in the vicinity of another calling vessel? The reorganisation of the CG service means that they are listening to signals relayed from over a vast area. For example, Clyde CG covers everything from the Mull of Galloway up to the Point of Ardnamurchan, inluding the North Channel, the Firth of Clyde, Kilbrannan Sound, Loch Fyne, and a great swathe of the Inner Hebrides.
In the Clyde, it is common to hear Belfast CG, occasionally Liverpool, and also the Donegal one (Rathmullan and Belmullet?). But unless you have an aerial antenna several hundred feet high, you have no idea who's calling Clyde CG from Loch Fyne, or Campbeltown, let alone Islay, Mull or Oban.
Even for vessels on the same CG transmitter aerial there could be probs because of intervening hills, eg a boat off the NW coast of Mull would be unlikely to be heard in Tobermory harbour, even though they are both calling the CG on the same CG WT aerial.
I doubt if people overcall deliberately and perhaps the CG service needs to relax a bit more and recognise that overcalling may be a consequence of their reorganisation. Or have I got that completely wrong?
I noticed NAS's comment about overcalling on the Uncommanded DSC distress alert thread. According to NAS, an overcalling vessel had a curt response from the coastguard (something we've probably all heard before).
That's all very well for the CG, but how does any vessel know that they are overcalling, unless they are in the vicinity of another calling vessel? The reorganisation of the CG service means that they are listening to signals relayed from over a vast area. For example, Clyde CG covers everything from the Mull of Galloway up to the Point of Ardnamurchan, inluding the North Channel, the Firth of Clyde, Kilbrannan Sound, Loch Fyne, and a great swathe of the Inner Hebrides.
In the Clyde, it is common to hear Belfast CG, occasionally Liverpool, and also the Donegal one (Rathmullan and Belmullet?). But unless you have an aerial antenna several hundred feet high, you have no idea who's calling Clyde CG from Loch Fyne, or Campbeltown, let alone Islay, Mull or Oban.
Even for vessels on the same CG transmitter aerial there could be probs because of intervening hills, eg a boat off the NW coast of Mull would be unlikely to be heard in Tobermory harbour, even though they are both calling the CG on the same CG WT aerial.
I doubt if people overcall deliberately and perhaps the CG service needs to relax a bit more and recognise that overcalling may be a consequence of their reorganisation. Or have I got that completely wrong?
