SSB/VHF licensing

Sorry to hear that Mike.

I hope you are getting a decent payout?

Good luck with the jobsearch, or are you going to move aboard, sail abroad and place a decent (but not CE proofed) SSB on board?

I do think that we (users here) certainly will be worse off for not having your input as to what is what.

Again. Sorry
Charles
 
Mike - Apologies

Hi,

I apologised once to all, now I know you are reading this thread I will openly apologise to you directly.

I spoke out of turn, and the comment I made was unfair and inappropriate, I am sorry I wrote it, I shouldn't have taken my frustration with the system out on you, there was no basis to do so.

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

All the best for the future.

Anthony
 
[ QUOTE ]
Legally your VHF licence should be operative where ever you are in the world - some countries ask for your call sign on their pratique papers.

Before offcom took over issuing of licences I asked their predecessors if I need one when I was in the USA? Answer No! For the next 3 years I did not have one and nobody was in the least interested - I just used the old call sign when necessasary.

[/ QUOTE ]

Michael,

You would not have been told (bearing in mind that we are exactly the same people you would have spoken to, we just work for Ofcom now) that a vessel carrying radio does not need a licence. It is an international requirement and the fact of your location is irrelevant.

I remember a post that you made a while ago regarding the authorities in the windys not caring if you had a licence or not, then last week I found thishttp://lists.samurai.com/pipermail/great-loop/2004-December/005057.html and thought how lucky you must be!

Mike
 
Umm
'The law say's you can only listen to those channels/ frequencies that you are authourised [not my sp, needs a spell check on this dmnde sight]to do. To be listen to marine VHF or SSB you would need the correct operators cert so you may as well have the full working set. '

Which law ? I have an ancient UK signals set with the 807s removed so it can't transmit but I can turn the dial round and receive any SSB I want to.
What about all the anoraks who stand round Heathrow listening to ATC?
Anyone can listen to amateur radio traffic.

The US, by the way, issue an individual license quite happily for SSB + EPIRB + DSC on VHF if you have a canoe registered with them.
Do I really need to spell it out more ?

Glad this post produced some fire. Let radio amateurs have their fun but VHF/SSB/EPIRB is a tool like a liferaft and no-one should bugger us about if we feel that we need the kit for safety.
Anyone want to come on my 3 week liferaft inflation course? Only £250/day.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Umm


Which law ? I have an ancient UK signals set with the 807s removed so it can't transmit but I can turn the dial round and receive any SSB I want to.
What about all the anoraks who stand round Heathrow listening to ATC?
Anyone can listen to amateur radio traffic.

The US, by the way, issue an individual license quite happily for SSB + EPIRB + DSC on VHF if you have a canoe registered with them.
Do I really need to spell it out more ?

Glad this post produced some fire. Let radio amateurs have their fun but VHF/SSB/EPIRB is a tool like a liferaft and no-one should bugger us about if we feel that we need the kit for safety.


[/ QUOTE ]

That would be the WT act then, am sure Mike can point you in the direction of the actual reg's.

We produce and sell radio's that are wide band RX, does not then make it legal for the user to listen to Police and whom ever he or she chooses.

Your Ship's Radio Licence covers you for all here too.
Covers you to fit them to the vessel but not to use them.
For that you need the right training.

Could not agree more.
Ham radio is a hobby.
Marine radio is a "safety of life" service and sould be treated as such.
Not there for all and his dog to use and abuse.

Regards
 
Hi drowning,

I see you haven't had a chance to read my replies yet!

The SP on Receive only radios and the Law is here [url="http://www.ofcom.org.uk/codes_guidelines/radio_comms/enforcement/ofw156?a=87101"]http://www.ofcom.org.uk/codes_guidelines/radio_comms/enforcement/ofw156?a=87101[/url][/url]

The situation that you describe regarding the US is true of US "Domestic" vessels carrying VHF, RADAR and EPIRBS, however, as SOON as you fit long-range radio such as SSB you must meet the international requirements this is covered in the FCC link I supplied and here it is again http://wireless.fcc.gov/marine/fctsht14.html refer to the Section entitled "WHAT RADIO EQUIPMENT MAY I USE?"

Mike
 
Hi Mike,

I had read your replies.
Your link to Ofcom says
A licence is not required to use a radio receiver or scanner as long as it is not capable of transmission. It is not illegal to sell, buy or own a scanner or any other receiver but it must only be used to listen to transmissions meant for general reception. The services that can be listened to under the definition of general reception are:

a) licensed broadcasting stations
b) amateur and citizens' band radio transmissions
c) weather and navigation transmissions

so what am I using my SSB/VHF receiver for ?
listening to

a) licensed broadcasting stations
b) amateur and citizens' band radio transmissions
c) weather and navigation transmissions


Have a look on the FCC website following your link.
The US individual license covers use of SSB, including broadcasting to foreign stations.
I can see no reason why a holder of an individual FCC license should not operate licensed equipment on another vessel.
Maybe OfCom doesn't like the idea but I am unlikely to loose too much sleep.
 
I am very sorry to hear about your redundancy. Your appearance on here has frequently provided a bit of sanity between rants.

Personnally I agree with the thrust of many of the moans, in that SSB training needs to be made even more relevant and also reduced in cost - i.e. some software driven correspondence course. If a VHF - DSC simulator can be made, then so can an SSB one, and thus the cost considerably reduced. Lower cost = more people doing it and less moaning! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Good luck in the future.
 
It actually says a lot more than that, so just to clarify then

NO transmissions on the maritime radio service are intended for "general reception" otherwise it would be listed on the information sheet along with the Broadcast, Amateur and CB services. These services of course don't transmit within the Maritime service, they are there because they are only hobby services.

This means that you must have a Ship Radio Licence, which is an authorisation to access the Maritime service to listen in. I'm sure you noticed the bit where the sheet mentions your transmitting licence.

This could be a misunderstanding on my part so I shall say what I see then we can go back if necessary.

In the US if you have a vessel carrying Marine MF/HF (SSB) you must hold a Ship Radio Licence and an Operators Certificate (if it's Amateur kit an Amateur licence is required) just the same as you do in the EU.

RE-reading the application for the Operators certificate it has made it very clear why no other Administratiuon in the World will allow its use on their vessels. International law requires certificate holders to have undergone a test of competency whereas the US just asks you to fill in a ridiculous form. Not exactly what i would call managing a "Safety of Life" radio service.

Mike
 
I'm really sorry to hear that, Mike. Good luck /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

David
 
Hi Mike!

I am extremely sorry to hear your news. Personally, I applaud and appreciate the restraint you showed in dealing so courteously with all our (often) antagonistic posts on licensing and its pros and cons. Many thanks for that. I've learned a lot, and I'm sure others have too. I hope you will still contribute to these forum. The very best of luck for the future.

Kind regards

Jerry
 
ps
I'm sorry to hear you're losing your OfCom job, Mike, although one good sort less is, hopefully, a small nail in their coffin.
I was once a Servile Civant and learnt how to shoot holes in legislation.
Hopefully as soon as you are freed from the bonds of OfCOmrectectness you can treat us to the definitive article on buggering it up.

As an unbiased observation, no offence meant, grovel grovel, I would like to see wireless dealers firmly on the user's side and working to remove the absurd current restrictions.
Who mentioned mobile phones?
Why don't we need a license and several day's training to operate those ?
 
Mike
Come on now, you are into unchartered territoriy here and, excuse me, talking c**p.
'NO transmissions on the maritime radio service are intended for "general reception" otherwise it would be listed on the information sheet along with the Broadcast, Amateur and CB services. These services of course don't transmit within the Maritime service, they are there because they are only hobby services.'
How does this square with
'c) weather and navigation transmissions'
from your own ex empoler's website.
Please leave the hobby horse on the jetty.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Who mentioned mobile phones?
Why don't we need a license and several day's training to operate those ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well you don't need licences as "end users" but the network operators do and they have! As to training, well they're operating in a band specifically for their use and sometimes I wonder if people should receive training on accessing the emergency services. a friend of mine is a paramedic for LAS and you should hear some of the "shouts" he's been on.

Mike
 
If you think about it you'll actually see that I am in fact correct.

All transmissions in the Maritime service are in fact ONLY intended for other vessels and/or shore-based Maritime services, hence those stations having specifically manufactured equipment. "General reception" means broadcast (ie that which you can pick up on a household receiver) and the weather referred to is actually that which you will find within the broadcast band from the BBC etc.

Trust me i know what I'm doing /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Mike
 
[ QUOTE ]

If a VHF - DSC simulator can be made, then so can an SSB one, and thus the cost considerably reduced. Lower cost = more people doing it and less moaning! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif



[/ QUOTE ]

We make "live" VHF simulators.
We could easily make an SSB one if we had a type approved radio.

On the VHF/SCR course the MCA are driving schools towards live radio simulators and away from PC based ones.

The thoughts being that the PC stuff has it's place but it should not be the main training aid as it is now.

Regards
 
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