Shipping Forecast query

A

absit_omen

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Jan 2004
Messages
2,284
Visit site
Listening today I just wondered at the voice procedure (after all, it is a sort of international radio message).

The broadcaster was saying:

'issued at double one three oh today' (11.30 am) and phrases such as 'by one three double oh today' (1.00pm).

'oh' is a letter not a number.

Surely worldwide convention should be:

'issued at one one three zero hours today' and

'by one three zero zero hours today'.

We all understand what 'oh' means but I wonder if a Greek or Chinese merchant seaman on radio stag would.

I wont even mention the lyrical but 'interesting' accent of the Ulster girl broadcasting the other day. God knows what a Latvian would have made of that!

Just a thought.
 
Don't mess with the shipping forecast. It's flawed in lots of ways, including being read too fast to take down at dictation speed but it is heritage, like the Archers and the ravens at the Tower. It is all part of the rich tapestry...

Just use NAVTEX if you actually want to know what the weather forecast is.
 
These are BBC announcers, not Coastguards /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Some of them have never heard of Utsire before.
 
Good point. I wonder if the Meteo France or the German equivalent trust their forecasts to amateurs.

Without prejudicing the establishment of the shipping forecast it is surely within the bounds of possibility to 'patch' in to the Met office twice a day for a proper meteorologist to do the job.

Or is it yet another victory of style over substance.
 
The shipping forecast is prepared by professionals - from the Met Office. It is, however, read by the 'amateurs' of the BBC because they are the ones with the speach skills.
 
[ QUOTE ]
the ones with the speach skills.

[/ QUOTE ]

are the people who rite it the ones with the spelling skills ? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
The shipping forecast is prepared by professionals - from the Met Office. It is, however, read by the 'amateurs' of the BBC because they are the ones with the speach skills.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have no issue with the content, just the delivery.

Rather like a surgeon, on reviewing a patient's MRI scan giving the information to the lady in the WI shop to pass on to the patient.
 
What hope is there for 'integrated public services' if Met staff cannot be taught to speak well enough and BBC staff are unable to learn the basic forecast terminology?
Or is it simply that empire-building administators are fearful of external influences?
Surely someone in a government which would have us believe that they are dedicated to improving public services could spend a few moments banging heads together? (and a relatively tiny budget to forestall the inevitable excuses!)
 
Does any one actually listen to the forecast on the BBC to get the weather? I mean draw all the dots for rain and commas for showers and the spiky Ts for thunder, and all the "rising more slowly" stuff and then draw a synoptic chart? Really, do they?

I suspect that almost no one does, and that the shipping forecast is a quaint harmless tradition like the pips, so we should leave it alone.
 
You raise an interesting point, but please let it rest there.
There are elements within the BBC who want the shipping forecast off the air altogether and they would jump at any criticism.
I rely on the BBC forecast when on the way to the boat and the Coastguard forecast on board. The BBC forecast is stored on my DAB Revo and transcribed into my passage plan which is updated with the CG forecast. I am only interested in Malin so its not a big excercise.
 
Well I wasn't intending marching on Bush House and petitioning the Queen.

I merely raised an issue over voice procedure.

I am flattered that you think I could make any difference.
 
When I was doing my Comp Crew the instructor told me that, by convention, when giving a course to the helm, a zero is always given as oh and not zero. So oh four oh degrees, not zero four zero degrees. Presumably the same applies with the shipping forecast?
 
[ QUOTE ]
or a G3 mobile phone with web access to the BBC weather site like I do.

[/ QUOTE ]

3G - Third generation. Just to point it out, I'm not trying to be pedantic. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I love the shipping forecast, although it does worry me when they get young people reading it. The shipping forecast is no place for a young man.
 
PLEASE don't diss it. I have actually missed it forthe last two years pretty much... no sailing due to sprogs and not worked north sea for three years. We still listened in on seismic survey boats... with access to w-buoy, broadband(ish) sat link (our boss liked it so much he bought the company). Sailing By and round britain....gotta love it.

DON'T YOU TAKE IT OFF THE AIR BBC OR I WILL EMIGRATE!!! (erm that's by way of a threat, not a promise)
 
[ QUOTE ]
Rather like a surgeon, on reviewing a patient's MRI scan giving the information to the lady in the WI shop to pass on to the patient.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, in some cases that might be quite a good idea. There are surgeons whose communication skills leave a lot to be desired ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top