Marine Radio Use (and abuse)

[Scalem]

Up until recently I only ever had a 27meg radio in the boat, restricted to mainly estuary fishing not needing the distance that you get with VHF.

Now I have both, have been trying to arrange licensing and associated training for VHF via local VMR resources, but honestly, after listening to the crap that goes on the airwaves I am beginning to wonder about who can legally be in control of a VHF marine radio and if half of these cowboys I hear on there are licensed??

On channel 21 last weekend this general dimwitt banter went on for ages. "You gettin any fish? Reply Yeah. What did you catch it on? Reply, a plastic!! You caught it on a what? Reply - A PLLLAAASSSTTIC!! A what? A plastic!! And on and on and on it went.

Today Marine rescue Bribie asked me to go to channel 21 from 73 which was busy. On 21 VMR and I could not have an uninterrupted conversation without some little princess and her co hort answering in a chinese accent, then others coming over the top. Is this type of thing normal? Being new to VHF usage, I find I have to turn the radio down and ignor it.... Pitty when someone actually needs help hey, and everyone else has turned it down also for the same reasons, it's crazy!!Please help me understand what is normal, I will still be committed to doing my radio licensing course regardless....but Crikey there are some twitts on the airwaves.

Scalem

[finding_time]

Scalem

Pretty normal imho!! Sometimes if 2 boats are a fair way apart 21 is the only option but nothing gets on my goat more than 2 boats fishing the same area not moving to another station once they have made contact on 21. If your within range always move to another station if you can and leave the repeater clear!

[joe 09]

all i do is leave it 16 and if someone need you will here it

Joe

[SgBFish]

Mate i rarely turn mine on anymore unless i am travelling at night.
How bad is that.
Its just become a wally band.

[MickInTheMud]

That's all too common on 21.

That makes manning the radios at Coast Guard that much harder when you are

trying to hear log ins or calls for assistance over the chit chat.

It's well worth getting your MROCP as you will learn about efficient use of marine

radio and safety.

I'm sure Peter ( QF3MROCP ) will be along shortly. ( We went to do the radio

course and ended up becoming regular members )

Cheers Mick.

[Fishbait]

I agree Scalem - turned my VHF down today also because of the rubbish. Lot quieter on 27Mhz but at least all the folk I hear on that use their radio procedures a lot better! Darren.

[Lucky_Phill]

Brian,

You should be able to turn your VHF to Dual watch.

I always log on and off and listen out to 16, 73 or 21.

Ian is right, if you contact a mate or other vessel, change channels.

I did something I swore I'd never do the other day.

Boat / skipper / drongo was trying to log onto MBTBC comp and kept repeating his call sign but NOT with the phonetic code / alfabet. In the end, I yelled out on the mic " Tango Alfa November Kilo " .... when you say letters like T, or P or C or B or D, they can sound the same. Trouble being, the fella from the MBTBC comp didn't instruct the skipper to use phonetics or use them himself to get accuracy.

I have also heard VMR's not using the " exact " protocol, but hey, at least they get the message through and it is clearly understood.

One of the best was a few years ago listening into Seaway Tower.

" Seaway Seaway "

" Seaway Tower, Seaway Tower to boat calling Seaway Tower "

" yes seaway Tower, going offshore, offshore "

" Seaway Tower to boat calling Seaway Tower, please provide your details "

" yes seaway Tower, going offshore , going offshore ".

This went on another 2 or 3 times, then they both called it quits in disgust. I will say the boat calling seaway tower had a very heavy and distinctive asian accent,, made me laugh for ages.

Technically, you are supposed to have a licence to operate a VHF, but very few do. Even though you get a licence, doesn't mean you can operate a VHF successfully or properly.

Papa Hotel India Lima Lima............ standing by......
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[Scalem]

Hmmm well I did say "Mary" instead of "Mike" for the letter "M" in my rego today, Tut Tut Sleep deprivation will do that to you.. But that was nothing compared to the nonsense going on today, all on channel 21 where Bribie was trying to radio me, and vica versa, to arrange an extended time on the log. If I was sinking and needed urgent help, getting through to VMR proves almost impossible sometimes.

Scalem

[black runner]

Should be listening on 16 for distress (or via dual/triple watch). Initial contact even for general comms is made briefly on ch16 then agree on another channel to move to. Return to listening watch on 16 after. VHF should be used sparingly with even general comms kept to a minimum.

Cheers

[finga]

Yep, the air waves are full of crap as evident in a bloke trying to say he was catching fish on plastics....

But seriously Brian, the problem is getting worst and the really bad thing is people who know what the go is are turning their radios down or off to get rid of the crap.
I do not turn the radio on when kids are in the boat. I log on and off as a radio check but give my phone number to the VMR before I go.
Absolutely disgusting what happens on airwaves that are supposed to be controlled and monitored.
I would guarantee at least 80% of the people using the VHF would not have a license, would not know what correct procedures are or in fact give a flying rats what they say on it and one day a tragedy is going to occur because of these people....
to me these people are just as bad as the dopes who refuse to use lights...knobs...all of them

[ShaneC]

There was some dipsh!t one day last week who was just talking absolute crap in some stupid voice on 21, it was driving everyone mental. So much so VMR Bribie asked him to desist, which lasted a whole 2 mins. I sometimes have a quick chat to someone on 21, but if its more than a couple transmissions each I will change channel. Problem is, I quite often meet people offshore, if I turn my radio off cos of the shite, we have no means of contact as mobys dont work. Its a catch 22.

[Scalem]

Looks like I am not the only one with the same opinion - it's rediculous abuse of the marine radio, and it HAS TO stop - it's preventing our VMR guys from doing their jobs.

Turns out that my mobile was out of range ( vodafone) and I had to give one of my passengers' mobile numbers to Bribie. Makes you think doesn't it?? Becoming licensed is not going to help much, only that I will have full knowledge of how Marine radio use is "supposed" to work unlike the walleys out there.

Good pointer about staying off channel 21 if boats are short distances away from each other. I will use that in the future.

Scalem

[Far side]

There was some dipsh!t one day last week who was just talking absolute crap in some stupid voice on 21, it was driving everyone mental. So much so VMR Bribie asked him to desist, which lasted a whole 2 mins. I sometimes have a quick chat to someone on 21, but if its more than a couple transmissions each I will change channel. Problem is, I quite often meet people offshore, if I turn my radio off cos of the shite, we have no means of contact as mobys dont work. Its a catch 22.

We were fishing on the 33's when a long liner went past with the diesel chugging the "DS" came on the radio and we could here the diesel in the background matched up exactly as he was going past.

[ShaneC]

What was the name of the boat mate, I have no dramas with reporting him. If he was the skipper of a longliner, makes t all the worse.

[peterbo3]

If you are only a short distance away from the boat you are calling, there is a LOW power setting.