Radio Licence

[Mike_Martin]

You'll see as you go through it that there is a theme.

Mostly information that we are required by the international Radio Regs to acquire about radio carrying vessels for inclusion on the Maritime Mobile Acces and Retreival System (MARS) database in Geneva. It's an international Search & Rescue Database available to SAR authorities world-wide, the info helps to target resources during a SAR operation.

Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>Team Executive,
Maritime & Aeronautical Team, Ofcom

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Re: Radio GaGa

We heard much the same as you, especially B---- B-- calling his mate. Eventually we just turned the volume right down so we could hardly hear anything.

I thought the most 'entertaining' call was from Portland CG about midday. They were asking anybody in the area of Round Island in Poole if they could assist a jet-ski which had run aground !! I wouldn't want to wish ill on anybody, even a jet-skier, so I hope the guy was alright. However, even the CG lady sounded like she was struggling to keep a straight face. 3 questions came to mind:

1. How could he run aground in the first place?
2. Why couldn't he just push it off?
3. How did he contact anybody - mobile phone in his wetsuit?



<hr width=100% size=1>I'm average size, Its just that everybody else is short.

 

[Fill]

Re: Radio GaGa

Yes! Heard that one too and heard the repeated attempts to get someone-anyone to get the jet ski off a mud bank, but later on in the afternoon, following no response from anyone, the message changed to a small craft stuck on mud bank in Poole harbour.

Can jet-ski be a dirty word?



<hr width=100% size=1>Fill

 

[Twister_Ken]

Stranded jet ski

Given that yer average jetski draws about 10 cm, exactly which vessel did they expect to be able to tow it off. A passing hovercraft? A pedalo? A stilt walker?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[duncan]

Re: Radio GaGa

We too had a huge laugh about that one!

Unfortunately (?) we were at anchor in Studland and the designated skipper/navigator had had a few rum and cokes and considered it would be inappropriate to break the law by upping anchor and offering to help he, she or it out.

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[duncan]

Why print it out?

I filled it in online, got an acknowledgement by email, and the licence appeared through the post about a week later. Excellent service.

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[VicS]

I printed it out to fill in and send off snail mail because thats what the instructions said I had to do. I think there is an online form elsewhere (Offcom site perhaps) but a few weeks ago folks were reporting difficulties with it.


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[dk]

Ah! So it's a tax on a piece of essential safety equipment then. Should I be paying for using my lifejacket as well? How come I have to pay you guys when the services of the RNLI come free? I'd much rather reimburse them for coming out to save me at all hours in all weathers - at least they are doing something for their money.

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[duncan]

ah but don't the coastguard co-ordinate the RNLI and utilise the database populated and maintained by.................?

please do not confuse this as an overall justification for the fees as they stand - I would like to see correctly completed, online submissions done 5 weeks or more prior to renewal date charged at, say, £5 and anyone who fulfills after 2 chasers, a wrongly completed form and a bounced cheque pays £30............../forums/images/icons/smile.gif
Also why only 1 year validity - how about 2 years at £7, 3 at £8 and 5 for a tenner?

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[Mike_Martin]

Both the forms are here:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/licensing_numbering/radiocomms/maritime_licensing/?a=87101

Some users with NT supported browsers will have problems but most users have none at all.

Mike


<hr width=100% size=1>Team Executive,
Maritime & Aeronautical Team, Ofcom

 

[Mike_Martin]

That is, of course, one way that you could look at it !!

However and in reality, you merely pay a bit of the costs that the UK has to meet in order to run the service that you are using.

Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>Team Executive,
Maritime & Aeronautical Team, Ofcom