Coastguard VHF radio areas-

[NickRobinson]

Can anyone point me at a link for CG areas when calling on VHF. Coming South I've had Humber, Yarmouth and Thames seemingly overlapping.

I've searched Reeds, Visit, MCA but they don't seem to provide definitive boundaries. I'm in (new to me) waters on my circumnavigation and want to at least sound as if I know what I'm doing...

N
http://britainbyrivendell.weebly.com/

 

[Bru]

Yarmouth went years ago. Thames has just closed (bizarrely, we were actually abeam Walton on the Naze when Thames made their last transmission)

There is some confusion now but the Coastguard will still respond to calls whether you call up Humber, Thames, Dover or, I suspect, simply Uk Coastguard

 

[nathanlee]

Yarmouth went years ago. Thames has just closed (bizarrely, we were actually abeam Walton on the Naze when Thames made their last transmission)

There is some confusion now but the Coastguard will still respond to calls whether you call up Humber, Thames, Dover or, I suspect, simply Uk Coastguard

Indeed, Liverpool and Holyhead coastguards are frequently getting mixed up, up 'ere.

"This is Liverp... sorry, Holyhead.." happens regular.

Then there's the digital artefacts which suggests some sort of VOIP connectivity between the control centres and the transmitters. It's all modern...and probably vulnerable.

I did actually look for similar a couple of days ago but didn't find anything either.

 

[LadyInBed]

They have an identity crisis at the moment. Call any of the old stations and they will respond.
Even Gov site is out of date http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/maritime-rescue-coordination-centres

From Wiki
Centres are in the process of having operational capability transferred to the National Maritime Operations Centre in Fareham as well as other Coastguard centres nearby:


Clyde (closed. Area transferred to MRCC Stornoway and MRCC Belfast)
Forth (closed. Area transferred to MRCC Aberdeen)
Brixham
Portland (closed September 2014 and replaced by a new Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) in Fareham)
Solent (closed September 2014 and replaced by a new Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) in Fareham)
Yarmouth (closed Area transferred to MRCC Humber)
Liverpool
Swansea
Thames
The new Fareham MOC will manage Coastguard operations across the remaining Centres at:


Dover
Aberdeen
Shetland
Stornoway
Belfast
Holyhead
Milford Haven
Falmouth
Humber
In addition the small London coastguard centre, which is annexed to the Port of London Authority headquarters, will maintain its oversight of activity on the River Thames.


Contrary to initial proposals, all will continue to provide a 24-hour service.

 

[NickRobinson]

Thanks all- I think my hail will be 'Coastguard, Coastguard, this is...' and see what comes back....

As I've already done an annual radio check, hopefully I won't need to use it.

 

[Sandy]

They have an identity crisis at the moment. Call any of the old stations and they will respond.

That has not been my experience. Last weekend somebody called Brixham - silence, then Solent, then Falmouth when the airwaves crackled into life.

 

[GHA]

Some more in the RYA site..

http://www.rya.org.uk/cruising/Pages/Coastguardchanges.aspx

Anyone know if the MMSI numbers still work for a dsc test call?

 

[Burnham Bob]

Thames MMSI still works - I tested my dsc radio last week - so I see no reason to doubt the others

 

[awol]

Not only do MMSI numbers work for dsc tests but you can initiate a voice call to the CG as well thus testing dsc, voice and, most importantly, not annoying Ch16 listeners (i.e. me) with your radio checks!

Try this site for your numbers http://www.coastalradio.org.uk/mmsi.htm

 

[Bru]

Not only do MMSI numbers work for dsc tests but you can initiate a voice call to the CG as well thus testing dsc, voice and, most importantly, not annoying Ch16 listeners (i.e. me) with your radio checks!

Try this site for your numbers http://www.coastalradio.org.uk/mmsi.htm

Unfortunately, somebody needs to instruct the newbie Coastguard call centre operators that they do not need to call up everybody who executes a DSC test call by voice on Ch.16 to ask them if it worked! Rather defeats the object of the excercise

 

[jerrytug]

Nice one Awol

 

[awol]

How do you initiate a dsc test call by voice on 16? I do a routine dsc call to CG MMSI and get working channel for voice - no Ch16 involved.

 

[Bru]

How do you initiate a dsc test call by voice on 16? I do a routine dsc call to CG MMSI and get working channel for voice - no Ch16 involved.

You don't

Perhaps I wasn't clear

On at least half a dozen occasions in recent weeks the Coastguard have called up a vessel by voice on Ch.16 to ask them if their DSC test call had worked or not

A DSC Test call receives a DSC ackknowledgement and that should be that, there is no need, and it defeats the purpose of the feature, for the CG to then get on the mic and make a voice call

 

[Burnham Bob]

When you call a Coastguard MMSI which starts with 00 - as they all do, you can't select a channel like you can on a call to the MMSi of another boat. The Coastguard will send an acknowledgement - as they did with me. So I know the dsc works but they didn't switch channels to 67 as I expected and then talk to me. I just got a dsc reply but the channel remained on 16 so it was exactly the same as a channel 16 radio check. I did a radio check this morning after a halyard jammed in the mast in case the aeriel cable had caught it. Sorry if they annoy you but I was pleased to find my vhf was still working. When friends are afloat and I have an MMSI I can call them to check the vhf and keep 16 free but not otherwise.

 

[Bru]

I think people are, understandably (because the implementation on the equipment is so poor) confusing a standard DSC call to the Coastguard with a DSC test call (or just generally confused about DSC - and ifthe CG can't get it right who can blame them)

A DSC test call requires no working channel and no voice traffic. It simply involves a digital transmission to a selected MMSI number and a digital acknowledgement from the receiving equipment

There is absoultly no need for the CG to follow up a DSC test call with a voice transmission on Ch.16 or a working channel (which is what they have been doing of late). It totally negates the major advantage of a DSC test call which is that it doesn't create traffic on the calling channel!

 

[Burnham Bob]

What is not clear to me Erbas is how I call the Coastguard via dsc to report routine traffic. Shamefacedly I have in the past reported myself aground so that if the Coastguard gets a report of a yottie drinking coffee on the Ray Sand they don't turn out the Search and Rescue team. Logic tells me after reading the instructions for the vhf that I can set channel 67 as a working channel and then call the Coastguard on their dsc number. But I can't as their MMSI starts with 00 which means i can't set a channel. So I will still hail on 16 and request routine traffic. Called a friend on another boat today using dsc and it was just like using a telephone - choose channel, choose number - press call. But what's the point of a Coastguard MMSI if you can't use it to initiate a voice call? Or am I missing something I slept through on the DSC update course?

 

[Bru]

What is not clear to me Erbas is how I call the Coastguard via dsc to report routine traffic. Shamefacedly I have in the past reported myself aground so that if the Coastguard gets a report of a yottie drinking coffee on the Ray Sand they don't turn out the Search and Rescue team. Logic tells me after reading the instructions for the vhf that I can set channel 67 as a working channel and then call the Coastguard on their dsc number. But I can't as their MMSI starts with 00. So I will still hail on 16 and request routine traffic. Called a friend on another boat today using dsc and it was just like using a telephone - choose channel choose number press call. But what's the point of a Coastguard MMSI if you can't use it to initiate a voice call. Or am I missing something I slept through on the DSC update course?

Yes, you've missed something but that's because it's been so badly implemented and the training isn't that good (on my VHF course, the instructor clearly didn't understand it and was reciting what he'd been told parrot fashion)

You've got the drop of making a DSC call to another vessel, which is more than most people have managed, the key difference when making a routine DSC call to the Coastguard is that you do not set a working channel. You simply make the DSC call without setting a working channel* and their digital acknowledgement will tell your radio what working channel to use

Your set will then switch to the specified working channel ready for the voice call

I might add that to the best of my recollection five plus years on this was not mentioned at all on my VHF course

* This varies from manufacturer to manufactuer. Some sets do not allow you to set a working channel at all, others allow you to do so but it will then be ignored. It's a fudge


PS (edit): this assumes that the Coastguard end of the system is properly implemented and operated. It wouldn't surprise me at all if it isn't

 

[aquaplane]

Unfortunately, somebody needs to instruct the newbie Coastguard call centre operators that they do not need to call up everybody who executes a DSC test call by voice on Ch.16 to ask them if it worked! Rather defeats the object of the excercise

Answer them by DSC? That'll learn em.

 

[Bru]

Answer them by DSC? That'll learn em.

Good idea! As it happens, I've got a job in the morning testing an iffy VHF installation...

 

[Burnham Bob]

Thanks erbas but it looks like Thames Coastguard hasn't read the manual either. I was expecting - as you say - the dsc call to generate a reply from Thames switching to a working channel of their choice - not mine - so we could initiate a voice conversaton. At the back of my mind I knew that was what was supposed to happen. But it didn't. All I got was an acknowledgment on 16 so as far as Thames are concerned, a voice hail on 16 still seems to be the only way to get routine traffic.