Radio Check, Radio Check, Radio Check.............

[Giblets]

...you don't hear a cruise liner doing a radio check. But they do call harbour control...

Very true but they do have a fair number of radios on the bridge!

 

[[70521]]

I think most of us have a plan B in the form of a handheld. But my comment was logical and relevant: the fact that a VHF radio works one moment doesn't mean it'll work a moment later. So in reality the radio check is pointless.

We sailed out of Falmouth last week, not that the location has much to do with it, the big VHF sprung into life and we could hear everything while sat in the cockpit from the set in the saloon. The wee handheld that we had on the rail muttered something that was unintelligible; while it worked it was not fit for purpose.

I suspect I am an old fuddy duddy, that still has pyrotechnics onboard, but as people come to rely on modern electronics for when the bovine excretia hits the fan we do need to check that the work now and then.

 

[Pye_End]

I made a little hop today from the Crouch to the Blackwater on the East coast and I couldn't believe the number of radio checks I heard. It was amazing visibility, very light winds, flat sea state.....why the need for a radio check? Is it because most boats have just been launched and they feel the need to check with the Coastguard? Or force of habit?

I was up that way today and it was the same - I have never heard this so busy on the East Coast for radio checks. There have been several instances over the last few days where Dover Coastguard have had potentially life threatening situations to deal with (several at the same time), and the airways were cogged up with yet another radio check. Somewhat surprising they don't sound irritated! Turned the set off in the end as it as so distracting.