Confused on Radios - VHF/DSC

[JohnL]

In PBO. the Master of a fast ferry described DSC. as crap, I talked to the Master of an oil rig supply vessel who says he will continue to monitor ch16, he sails a Colvic 28. It seems to me the emergency aspect of DSC. is the only advantage, having said that as the price is coming down so much it now makes sense to buy when the old set dies. Perhaps we could get some input from Master Mariners?

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[Ships_Cat]

<<<The situation in NZ is a little unclear to me as their CG seems to be a registered charity>>>

Mike

The operation of the maritime radio safety service is the responsibility of the NZ Maritime Safety Administration (equivalent of your MCA). They operate all of their coastal VHF stations - the whole coast is covered by high sites - and the MF/HF station which is located in the centre of North Island, remotely from an operations centre here in Wellington (actually it is contracted by MSA to a private company to do).

Licencing is the responsibility of the Radio Spectrum Management section of the Ministry of Economic Development. They issue operator certificates and licences for non volunatrily equipped vessels and for voluntary vessels making foreign voyages or which have MF/HF installed. For voluntarily equipped vessels not proceeding overseas and which do not carry MF/HF the issuing of callsigns and operator certificates is devolved by the Ministry to the Voluntary Coastguard. The Coastguard have access to and manage a set of callsigns with unique first three letters (maritime service callsigns here are two or three letters using, ZM from the international allocation, followed by 4 digits) and conduct courses and examinations for a simple operator's certificate (is not the same one as for foreign going or MF/HF carrying pleasure vessel operators).

Is a while since I looked into it for the VHF only non foreign going pleasure vessels, so this may have changed a little in recent months, but is along the lines they just phone a charge number at the Voluntary Coastguard and they get a callsign issued which remains valid for 5 years and there is a nominal once off charge. I assume the 5 year rollover is to keep the records straight so to speak. All those vessels operate under a General Users Licence so no individual licences are required. The Coastguard run courses for the operators' certificate they issue.

Until last year no callsign (the boat name could be the callsign as in Australia) or operators' certificate was required for VHF non foreign going pleasure vessels and I am unsure if after a new General User's Licence was issued last year if it is still the same (it does not affect me as we have an individual licence). The General User's licence just says that transmissions must be properly identified and says nothing about operators certificates - but I do know that the obtaining of both those from the Voluntary Coastguard is encouraged by the authorities.

Whatever, providing good practice, from what I hear on the VHF, boats with no callsigns are still serviced by the MSA operators with no comment inferring that they should have a callsign and operator's certificate - whatever the requirement I would be most surprised if, providing proper use, any such operator would suffer any legal consequences or investigation from the authorities.

The emphasis is, as I understand it on education and not registration, licencing, etc. Along those lines there is currently a pre summer national TV advertising campaign promoting Boatmasters to boatowners.

Sorry if I have covered some of which you undoubtedly already know

(and stuff those few over in the UK who get uptight and send testy discouraging messages to me whenever the procedures in other parts of the world are described on the forum by me - /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif).

John


<hr width=100% size=1>I am the cat but I am only 6.

 

[ianwright]

I suspect,,,,,,

,,,,,,, that a lage part of antipathy towards the 'new' system has occured because what we have is the left over bits after the link to shore stations was removed. The original idea was to allow us yotties to use VHF to 'phone home, or anywhere, by dialing the number on our sets instead of going through a coast radio station.
Post mobile 'phone and post the demise of coast radio stations the prime reason for using the new system has gone.
I beg leave to doubt that the push button mayday system will add much to our safety.
I intend to use plain vanilla vhf for as long as I can.

IanW

<hr width=100% size=1>Vertue 203, Patience

 

[bigmart]

Blistering might be good. I could use some heat. Our Warehouse Space Heater is on the blink.

To continue with the discussion. The last time I looked I was a Tax Payer & I contribute quite a hefty amount. So I & the rest of us, must have some say. Bearing in mind that it is the Tax Payer that pays the total cost of the MCA. All contributions made by Commercial Shipping Companies are passed back to the consumer in the end.

The MCA should dig their heads out of the sand. As for cost of the service being directly charged to Boat Owners, what about all those walkers that go around using Coastguards & Helicopters for which I have personally paid. Shurely these services will be for the exclusive use of those that pay!

One major question. Does anyone feel safer after the MCA saw fit to reduce Coasguard Numbers?

The only reason they don't listen to us, is arrogance on their part & a lack of ability for us to act as a cohesive force to make our opinion heard.

You never know one day we may even get a fair tax system.

Fat Chance!

Martin

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by bigmart on 28/10/2004 12:36 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Mike_Martin]

I can see that I'm not doing a good job of explaining about MCA when trying to play either the "perspective" or "pecking order" cards, another tack then.

MCA is a part of the Department for Transport. There is another part of DfT which most of the population are more aware of, namely the DVLA. Over 28,000,000 people (I'm not counting any of the specialist transport licences here just cars and bikes) pay money to it each year for the honour of driving their car or motorcycle (BTW I have 1 car and 2 bikes), this money of course offsets DfT's and therefore MCA's costs in the eyes of the Treasury. Now these non-boating people who pay for land-based Emergency Response (Police, Fire & Ambulance) services in their Council Tax not Income Tax are actually funding the MCA and I'm sure that you'll agree that these people are already paying enough for their occasional use of HMCG's services.

Fair Tax?! You're having a laugh!!

Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>Bloke interested in boats who just also happens to work for Ofcom

 

[bigmart]

Ah! Now you seem to be coming round to my point of view.

No "Sensible Society", I know I'm on dodgy ground here, would do anything but pay for Emergency Services, of any kind, out of the General Taxtion Pot. Therefore all that contribute should have a say as to its application.

As far as the application of Marine VHF Radio Services, to the boating population, shouldn't the majority of users have been consulted as to the application of available resources/technology. I'm making a guess here but I'll bet there are more licenses issued to Small/Liesure boaters than there are to Ferries/Supertankers Etc.

The pecking order you allude too is decided by a bunch if idiots who have no right but their historical position to determine who has the major influence!

Now there's a real Meldrew rant!

Martin

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[Gunfleet]

I knew it

<<(BTW I have 1 car and 2 bikes>>
We're paying you too much!


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[Stork_III]

That's telling em Mike. Keep up the good work, if the B*****ds will let you.

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[JohnL]

Hi Mike I am not against new technolagy even though I cant spell it but, this system you have come up with does not seem to be an improvement to a lot of people. The trouble is a lot of people have spent an large amount of money on DSC sets, for very little return that its now impossible for you to backtrack. I say this because you were not supposed to be going to talk about this subject anymore. Methinks thou dost protest to much. This should keep it going for a while longer

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[Mike_Martin]

Ah you see but I am at home and I can talk about anything

A very small number of pleasure boats installed when the prices were high, mainly Blue Water cruisers and the like. It's only now that a DSC radio costs circa £150 that the numbers are climbing fast. I think that next year will see a decline in Channel16 "check" traffic and hopefully more private ship to ship calling going on.

Mike



<hr width=100% size=1>Bloke interested in boats who just also happens to work for Ofcom