The dark side of duplex

nigelmercier said:
Got links? My son had problems getting a USB to work with his Baofeng.
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Sorry, I can't remember where I read it, but I find it works if I:


  1. Plug the cable into the PC.
  2. Plug the other end into the radio.
  3. Wait for the PC to acknowledge a new USB device (it will recognise the plug).
  4. Turn on the radio.
  5. Start Chirp.
  6. Download channel data from the radio, into Chirp.
  7. Either load a new file into Chirp, or modify the data it loaded from the radio.
  8. Upload to the radio.
  9. Turn off the radio.
  10. Unplug the radio from the cable.
  11. Unplug the other end from the pc.

Step 6 is essential, and often overlooked. It tells Chirp that the radio is compatible,
 
Finally, I needed a suitable Chirp file. There may be a file available from somewhere, containing the European marine channels, but I couldn't find it. So I downloaded a file from here https://radiofreeq.wordpress.com/201...l-frequencies/
and modified it to suit my purposes. In particular, by removing all the stuff I don't need, and adjusting the marine channels from US to European.
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Elton, there is a download file on the site you were looking at for international marine VHF frequencies. https://radiofreeq.wordpress.com/2016/02/20/marine-channel-frequencies-vhf-uhf-radio-programming/ bout half way down the page.
 
elton said:
It's my intention to sit at least the first two ham exams, which look fairly simple.
.
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Yes, the first two exams are quite straightforward. The intermediate licence requires a practical test also, but that's not tricky either.

BUT, to transmit from a vessel "on the seaward side of the UK low water line or in international waters" requires a FULL licence, which is a bit more demanding and time consuming.
I did it by distance learning which took about 4 hours a week over nearly six months, plus the exam.

best of luck M0HWV
 
oldvarnish said:
Yes, the first two exams are quite straightforward. The intermediate licence requires a practical test also, but that's not tricky either.

BUT, to transmit from a vessel "on the seaward side of the UK low water line or in international waters" requires a FULL licence, which is a bit more demanding and time consuming.
I did it by distance learning which took about 4 hours a week over nearly six months, plus the exam.

best of luck M0HWV
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This changed early this year, I quote....

2.13 The UK’s territorial seas extend either for 12 nautical miles from the baseline or until
a point is reached halfway to another country, such as France. Generally speaking,
the ‘baseline’ is the mean low water mark but can be a line across the mouth of a
river estuary. Where the Interpretation7 mentions the ‘low water line along the
coastline’, it therefore means ‘baseline’, as described above.
2.14 The UK Hydrographic Office has published maps8 showing the baseline and the
extent of UK territorial seas, which may be of assistance to licensees but these maps
are for guidance only.
2.15 Holders of a Foundation or Intermediate Licence may use their Radio Equipment
beyond the baseline but are limited to the extent of UK territorial seas. Holders of the
Full or Full (Reciprocal) Licence are not restricted to the extent of UK territorial seas.
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However it should be noted that this is "Mobile" and not "Maritime Mobile" operation and that there is still some debate on the true meaning of the change,

G1SEO
 
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Once apon a time everything electronic was checked by a authorised laboratory that the specs did meet the required standards.
Then it became fashionable to save a few coppers by dismantling systems which had been in place for years to protect the consumer,be it electrical, hygiene, food or whatever.
Basically it then relied on peoples honesty.
Self certification.
The importer has to promise faithfully that the equipment meets the required standards and has to enclose in the wonderfully printed box a signed certificate stating this fact.
It will usually be in the form of a badly photocopied bit of A5.
Somebody I might know imports stuff from China.
He did mention that some importers,not him of course,did sell stuff that fell below the minimum requirements,simply because the chances of being found out were less than zero.
Happy daze.:)
 
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mlines said:
This changed early this year, I quote....




However it should be noted that this is "Mobile" and not "Maritime Mobile" operation and that there is still some debate on the true meaning of the change,

G1SEO
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thanks, hadn't spotted that. Must read the licence terms more often!

I wonder why they made that change.
 
mlines said:
... I teach the Foundation course and have raised a question through to Ofcom for clarification.
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The Ofcom site is a real mess, I couldn't make sense of it. I passed an exam about 30 years ago, but let my licence lapse, G1NDM. At the time I could use 2m and 70cm and not much else, so no idea where this fits with current regulations.
 
mlines said:
Not sure why the change was made and it is still debated as to what the words really mean as subsequent paragraphs could be considered to contradict it.

I teach the Foundation course and have raised a question through to Ofcom for clarification.
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It does seem a bit odd...

http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio...eur-radio/licensing-updates/guidance-oct2015/

So to operate from a "vessel at sea" you are maritime mobile and need the advance, but foundation and intermediate can operate within territorial waters.... But not on a vessel at sea??


And thank you for the update, I should surrender my foundation and intermediate now as nice ofcom asked.
 
There is much comment on illigal usage and kit, but how many get prosecuted in the marine world?

You drive around London or other big city's you get full blown illigal radio stations pumping out what ever rubbish they care to, often bleeding right over the legal local radio stations if your close, likely at very dangerous levels of radiation and sever annoyance of locals, yet nothing seems to happen to them.

I compare that back to my mid 20's and CB radio popularity, far more activity by authorities to find unlicensed, side band and or souped up homebase kit, boots etc in cars.

I guess that CBstill goes on today but to a lesser degree, due to the mobile phone arrival on cheap contracts.

Alan.
 
Happy Dayz said:
There is much comment on illigal usage and kit, but how many get prosecuted in the marine world?

You drive around London or other big city's you get full blown illigal radio stations pumping out what ever rubbish they care to, often bleeding right over the legal local radio stations if your close, likely at very dangerous levels of radiation and sever annoyance of locals, yet nothing seems to happen to them.

I compare that back to my mid 20's and CB radio popularity, far more activity by authorities to find unlicensed, side band and or souped up homebase kit, boots etc in cars.

I guess that CBstill goes on today but to a lesser degree, due to the mobile phone arrival on cheap contracts.

Alan.
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CB was often detected and reported by model aircraft operators; the 27 MHz band CB used was allocated for radio control in the UK, and of course anything blasting out on that band could cause loss of control of a valuable and fragile model aircraft. Given that aircraft modelling is a fairly popular hobby, and was perhaps more so in the past, there were plenty of people in a position to report misuse of the 27 MHz band.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
CB was often detected and reported by model aircraft operators; the 27 MHz band CB used was allocated for radio control in the UK, and of course anything blasting out on that band could cause loss of control of a valuable and fragile model aircraft. Given that aircraft modelling is a fairly popular hobby, and was perhaps more so in the past, there were plenty of people in a position to report misuse of the 27 MHz band.
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I'd not thought of that angle tbh

My dad waa a door to door insurance agent for Royal London, had to do a claim where a model plane flew seems out of radio range. Carried on unil fuel ran out. It landed crashing through an open 1st floor flats window, skidded across table parting people were eating, and ended up in a glass display cabinet.

Fortunately nobody hurt, but fairly shocked. Model had the owners details on it.

Can't say if it was down to pilot error, radio failure or interference from private wireless operations, the current popularity of drones will likely increase such events - perhaps they will take selfies?

Alan
 
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