Sybarite
Well-known member
Why not dedicate one VHF channel to non-stop weather forecasts as they do (did ?) in the Med?
John
John
Weather forecasts.
- Thread starter Sybarite
- Start date
rickp
Active member
I think the "current weather report" sent out on Navtex (as a trial under B2 character I, iirc) is very useful, though only sent every 4 hours.
Rick
Rick
jamesjermain
Active member
The RYA and the Coastguards have been arguing about this for years. The RYA and many othhers says it's a basic safety need, the Coastguard says it doesn't have room on its VHF channels for a dedicated weather service. I think there are also issues with the Met Office and payaments.
There the matter rests.
There the matter rests.
Sybarite
Well-known member
Many people don't have Navtex but do have a VHF.
John
John
Sybarite
Well-known member
I would have thought that common sense would say that such a channel would reduce traffic on Ch.16 and that the Met Office ( a public service ?) should not put revenues above public safety.
John
John
rickp
Active member
Fair point /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Just trying to raise awareness that there is now an "actual weather" report on Navtex now as a trial. Would probably be useful if people could see if they can get it and send feedback to the RYA, otherwise we may lose it...
Cheers,
Rick
Cheers,
Rick
Rustyknight
Well-known member
Out of interest, who funded the very detailed inshore forecasts given out during Cowes week last year by Solent CG?
If I remember rightly, they broke the 24 hour forecast down into something like 2/4 hourly periods......... I remember thinking at the time that it would be nice if it was done like that all the time!
If I remember rightly, they broke the 24 hour forecast down into something like 2/4 hourly periods......... I remember thinking at the time that it would be nice if it was done like that all the time!
SQUIRRELS
New member
How about giving out the 3 day outlook for a start.
Thankfully still given on navtex, but why did it stop being given out over the radio? Pretty fundamental in passage planning.
Thankfully still given on navtex, but why did it stop being given out over the radio? Pretty fundamental in passage planning.
Cornishman
New member
[ QUOTE ]
the Met Office ( a public service ?) should not put revenues above public safety.
[/ QUOTE ]
Are you joking? Have you tried Metfax lately? Access is charged via a premium rate number (0336 - currently charged at 39p per minute cheap rate and 50p per minute at all other times).
the Met Office ( a public service ?) should not put revenues above public safety.
[/ QUOTE ]
Are you joking? Have you tried Metfax lately? Access is charged via a premium rate number (0336 - currently charged at 39p per minute cheap rate and 50p per minute at all other times).
bilbobaggins
N/A
[ QUOTE ]
The RYA and the Coastguards have been arguing about this for years
[/ QUOTE ]
Interesting. The idea that some of the VHF bandwidth, freed by the demise of UK Link Call facilities, could be used for continuous weather actual and forecast broadcasts - as in the US and aviation worldwide - run and funded by local radio advertising, was suggested formally within the RYA's Sail Cruising Committee by myself and others more than a decade ago.
The Chairman of t'Committee was then one of those 'If I want your opinion I'll give it to you' types, and the motion was not even recorded in the minutes. Much the same treatment was meted out to the original 'Surfers Against Sewage' campaign, when RYA support was sought. In those days, the Meetings' conclusions were printed up at the same time as the Agendas. Prescient, huh? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Has anything much changed?
BTW, my spies in OfCom tell me that some of that bandwidth is still unallocated, and could be designated for that use, if a strong enough 'public safety' case could be made. This is something that YM, PBO, MMM, etc could usefully campaign for, without treading on many toes - except that MarineCall and the Met Office would 'have a word in the ear' in Whitehall because it might affect their revenues. Nevertheless, a solution *could* be found that would benefit us all....
How about it, JJ?
/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
The RYA and the Coastguards have been arguing about this for years
[/ QUOTE ]
Interesting. The idea that some of the VHF bandwidth, freed by the demise of UK Link Call facilities, could be used for continuous weather actual and forecast broadcasts - as in the US and aviation worldwide - run and funded by local radio advertising, was suggested formally within the RYA's Sail Cruising Committee by myself and others more than a decade ago.
The Chairman of t'Committee was then one of those 'If I want your opinion I'll give it to you' types, and the motion was not even recorded in the minutes. Much the same treatment was meted out to the original 'Surfers Against Sewage' campaign, when RYA support was sought. In those days, the Meetings' conclusions were printed up at the same time as the Agendas. Prescient, huh? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Has anything much changed?
BTW, my spies in OfCom tell me that some of that bandwidth is still unallocated, and could be designated for that use, if a strong enough 'public safety' case could be made. This is something that YM, PBO, MMM, etc could usefully campaign for, without treading on many toes - except that MarineCall and the Met Office would 'have a word in the ear' in Whitehall because it might affect their revenues. Nevertheless, a solution *could* be found that would benefit us all....
How about it, JJ?
/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
