HunterWanderer
Member
Elton
I did mean it as an abbreviation of amateur .
I did mean it as an abbreviation of amateur .
Ham radio operator
- Thread starter zoidberg
- Start date
elton
Well-known member
Ok. I've never once seen that in any context in more than sixty years.
HunterWanderer
Member
Sorry for the confusion.
mjcoon
Well-known member
Not even golf? Understandable! I did fly Pan Am years ago; I don't think they pushed that as meaning amateur, either...
Mike.
newtothis
Well-known member
To be fair, some of their security checks turned out to be a bit amateurish.
skipper681
Member
On post number one Im guessing he meant I'm, not AM unless I'm mistaken and if I am wrong then apologies.
I started off on 27mhz sideband, 11mtrs. my mother wasnt too happy when I was 15yrs old and put a 4 element quad in the back yard on a three five meter box section pole to raise it at the side of the garage wall. My rotatator never worked, that was a pain.
I made that aerial. It wasn't hard, copper wire.
I miss those days.
Now I just have a Metz antenna for the VHF.
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KellysEye
Active member
The FCC forbids ham sets from transmitting on marine SSB frequencies, but this is standard procedure among cruising hams. The exception to this law is when there is danger to human life. Information regarding severe weather conditions, sea state, obstructions and piracy is meant to save human lives
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
The FCC only has authority in the US and their waters though. (Which you of course knew rather than relying on a quick google, didn't you)
weustace
Member
Fred drift:
My grandfather was a BEA/BA pilot for many years, and is fond of recounting one of his colleague's experience. During taxi in very wet weather at (I believe) LHR, they were routed around a PanAm 747 that had run slightly off the edge of the taxiway and got a wheel stuck in the mud. His colleague apparently entered the BA deadpan spirit and announced to his passengers "Ladies and gentlemen, on the right hand side of the aircraft you can see the 'World's Most Experienced Airline' having one of their experiences!"
Sorry...back to radio.
William
maby
Well-known member
Interesting question - the FCC issues US amateur radio licences, as does Ofcom for UK licences. Clearly, they can't issue fines or other legal action in response to you misbehaving outside US (or UK) territory, but they possibly could revoke your licence. If they did so, then you would be operating your radios illegally in any other country where you were relying on a reciprocal licence agreement and could, in theory, be penalised by the licencing authority of that country - couldn't you?
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
I probably should have said "US, US vessels and their waters though"
snowleopard
Active member
The questions I would ask are: Where are you going? and What do you plan to use the radio for?
A few random thoughts-
My experience is a bit out of date now but I found, in the early years of the century, that Marine SSB was of little use in European waters but across the pond it was indispensable. There was an active network operating in the Eastern Caribbean which kept us in touch with what was going on. On the crossings it was the only way to keep in touch with other voyagers. Herb is long gone now but his broadcasts were a godsend.
At that time, weather fax via SSB was the best source of mid-ocean met info.
Ham is OK if you want to limit yourself to other hams.
FWIW hams will only talk to other hams, marine users will talk to anyone.
I'm told that removing the band restrictions on an SSB set is a 5 minute job with wire cutters - if you know which wires to cut. It saves carrying 2 sets.
Satphones are great if you know the number you need but useless for general calling.
A few random thoughts-
My experience is a bit out of date now but I found, in the early years of the century, that Marine SSB was of little use in European waters but across the pond it was indispensable. There was an active network operating in the Eastern Caribbean which kept us in touch with what was going on. On the crossings it was the only way to keep in touch with other voyagers. Herb is long gone now but his broadcasts were a godsend.
At that time, weather fax via SSB was the best source of mid-ocean met info.
Ham is OK if you want to limit yourself to other hams.
FWIW hams will only talk to other hams, marine users will talk to anyone.
I'm told that removing the band restrictions on an SSB set is a 5 minute job with wire cutters - if you know which wires to cut. It saves carrying 2 sets.
Satphones are great if you know the number you need but useless for general calling.
maby
Well-known member
It is generally a soldering iron, removing two or three very small surface mount components - you need good eyesight and a very steady hand - but not difficult provided you have that. Finding out which to remove is easy - you do a web search for the "MARS mod" for the model of radio in question.
KellysEye
Active member
The reason for a marine licence is they are the lifeblood of cruising. There ocean nets, marina nets and anchorage nets. Plus you can set a time and frequency to chat with other cryuisers.