Coastguard Weather Forecasts
- Thread starter TimfromMersea
- Start date
ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
Surely the original post was asking us all to report to the RYA?
TimfromMersea
Well-Known Member
I believe that a coordinated approach from our National Authority is likely to have more success than individuals writing to the MCA.
People of course are free to do something or nothing as they see fit. It was raised with me as the RYA CNP East Coast rep so I wanted to see if it were a more wide spread problem.
Personally if the problem continues I'm going to report on it at the next CNP meeting and I know that RYA Eastern Region are raising it with Hamble RYA HQ, who in turn will take it up with MCA.
If individuals want to write to the MCA that's up to them.
FulmarJeddo
Well-Known Member
I did hear an announcement yesterday of a delayed weather forecast and MSI from Dover. It was about 5 mins late. However, there was a lady answering calls, mainly from lifeboats launching on excercise that was obviously inexperienced and getting flustered. There was a call from Southend lifeboat and she asked if it was the ALB, ILB1 or ILB2. A rather surprised RNLI radio operator told her it was an Atlantic 85, which she didn't seem to understand. She then asked for the crew list. Eventually the lifeboat suggested they went to CHL 0. Another call from Southend Hovercraft on excercise was handled in much the same way all on chl16. There were several calls dealt with by the same lady, and all were handled very amateurishly. I guess new operators have to learn, but she didn't seem to learn anything from one call to the next. I guess if she was just put in front of the radio with just some basic training she didn't know what she was doing wrong.
Mariner69
Well-Known Member
I heard a call earlier last week which was broadcast at about 17 minutes after the hour starting with "This is the delayed MSI report....." which then gave the full details and all well received for me on the Bradwell aerial. It seemed a marked improvement on the previous experiences of late.
Gargleblaster
Well-Known Member
I listened out from 0700 until 1915 hours on Saturday. My impression was that they didn't miss a single broadcast although I don't always switch over to 23 [my listening channel on the Medway] at 1015 and 1615 for the repeats. One operator was warning of no gails in 'Viking North, Uitsera etc. So obviously he didn't have the commas I put in on his crib sheet. Of course they may have changed the sea areas without my knowledge.
dogleg
Well-Known Member
try and find the sea area Mailing or better still Crow-Mar -Tee
dogleg
Well-Known Member
this problem is caused by Atlantic 75 and 85 ILB's having the call sign XYZ LB where there is no offshore LB on station, confusing Harwich 75 has call sign Harwich ILB because there is a Severn class ALB at Harwich, Walton ALB is often asked for 15 minute ops normal checks even when it has given a 8-10 man crew list, the LB frequently reminds the CG it is an ALB
Oldgeezer
Well-Known Member
No 16:10 weather for Dover and Thames on Tuesday 13th
Waited for the 19:10 and at 19:20 I called the coastguard and asked where it was.
I was told it had been delayed for operational reasons and 'Stand by on channel 16'
So I did.............nothing heard
Next weather I heard was at 07:10 (there might have been night time ones?)
As I was out of range of internet I was a little nervous - but hey ho - no storms happened and no navigation warning to worry about!
Waited for the 19:10 and at 19:20 I called the coastguard and asked where it was.
I was told it had been delayed for operational reasons and 'Stand by on channel 16'
So I did.............nothing heard
Next weather I heard was at 07:10 (there might have been night time ones?)
As I was out of range of internet I was a little nervous - but hey ho - no storms happened and no navigation warning to worry about!
dogleg
Well-Known Member
there were at least 3 separate incidents happening in the channel , however when Thames was open and busy they did at least either make a delay announcement or broadcast the forecast when they could, additional problems now include forecast stating half way through or stopping halfway through
Habebty
Well-Known Member
Why do incidents affect the weather forecast, I was under the impression (probably wrongly! 
)that they just played the pre recorded weather tape on the appropriate local channel? The weather could still be broadcast without the announcement on ch16 if the times were adhered to.
)that they just played the pre recorded weather tape on the appropriate local channel? The weather could still be broadcast without the announcement on ch16 if the times were adhered to.ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
The pre announcement is not recorded and transmission of the recording would have to be invoked manually, after all, they're not a broadcasting channel with all the kit to do so automatically
ShinyShoe
Well-Known Member
Plus someone needs to record it. If that person is tied up operationally they can't record it. But you would think in the modern world of tech and shared station responsibility etc this could all be dealt with centrally
dogleg
Well-Known Member
yesterday 15th there were 2 LB launches within minutes of the 1610 forecast which was broadcast on time, CG even told both lB's to move to Ch 0, today LB launched again within minutes of 1610 forecast, still broadcast, the CG working the casualty was the chap who often says "whose calling the CG?", apart from that he is generally efficient
Dover have been short staffed recently
