Radio procedure when no reponse (From avoiding big ships thread)

[Bilgediver]

Now you lot have got me racking my memory. I use "nothing heard - out" after calling a couple of times and getting no response and have done for years. Where did I get it from? I can't find the RYA VHF SRC handbook that I got with the course all those years ago. It seems much too common (and sensible) to be an ad hoc creation.

Seems the RYA may have left it out of their handbook however it appears as a proword in other hand books used by radio operators in other disciplines so probably migrated from there. Definitely a good practice and used my many marine operators.

 

[onesea]

Well clearly you don't listen!

<SNIP>
Correct. The procedure would be to call, wait 3 minutes, call again, wait 3 minutes call again then wait for a longer period. Depending on urgency and other traffic it MAY be acceptable to reduce the 3 minutes to 1 minute. But it seems sensible to declare that you have heard nothing so the other party knows why the call not then proceeded to a discussion.

Your right when its busy and I am sailing I really am bad at not listening to much to the radio (that's what DSC is for), particularly in summer. As you say your rarely get on 16 want to come for a beer. You do get endless procession of radio checks, or people who would call another boat on VHF to switch to working channel because they do not want to pay a mobile phone bill.

Given the coastguard calling another vessel as you suggested, it would seem a time that use could be sensible. If I was in the area and thought I could help I would probably phone in or call if out of range. Although I would probably allow the CG to call the ships etc in the area. I am sure they would rather deal with the professionals who should be qualified to a known standard, before an unknown yacht of unknown abilities.

I must admit I thought you could call 3 times before you had to wait. Most ships I hear will call a couple of times in short succession before waiting. I think its the ITU that covers that as guide or regs...

Again common sense crops in depends on how urgent.

"not heard" is not a phrase I have been taught to use by anyone 2 or 3 VHF/ Radio courses. I have had chance to ask a couple of professionals and they had never been taught to use it and not noticed it in use certainly not routinely.

I have heard professionals answer to act as relay station when they can hear both stations. Certainly its something I would do if I could hear a boat responding and the Caller could not. If nothing else to shut them up.

Seems the RYA may have left it out of their handbook however it appears as a proword in other hand books used by radio operators in other disciplines so probably migrated from there. Definitely a good practice and used my many marine operators.

I think you will find because of other discipline's, is the key here. I am not certain that the marine world needs it...

 

[A1Sailor]

The phrase under discussion is "Nothing heard" as opposed to "Not heard". I have heard the former used on a number of occasions and have used it myself, but have never heard/used the latter.

 

[LadyInBed]

Not uncommonly heard in the Solent often in less words and sometimes commercial to commercial vessels.
"Big Ship this is Small Ship, do you wish us to pass to your starboard, over"
"Small Ship this is Big Ship, NEGATIVE. Col Regs, red to red, OUT"

Have heard that at least twice. Couldn't actually say if it was Big and Small ship! But they were commercial traffic.

Both making initiating calls? !

 

[onesea]

The phrase under discussion is "Nothing heard" as opposed to "Not heard". I have heard the former used on a number of occasions and have used it myself, but have never heard/used the latter.

Well shows how much I have heard it typho on my behalf, apologies.