In addition to satellites, ships use SSB on the HF bands for long distance communications - both voice and data - on frequencies right in between the bands were us Hams "play" on HF. That's what replaced CW on the 600 meter band under the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) rules.
For short range communications, VHF is used. The Safety of Life at Sea protocols never depend solely on satellite communications. Many ships avoid satellites for routine communications to hold costs down although passenger carrying ships are well equipped with International Marine Satellite (INMARSAT) telephone links that allow land-line quality phone connections. That's the function of the big "golf ball" radomes commonly seen on ships these days. Some larger ships have several. The "radio room" these days is usually just a small console on the navigating bridge. On American flagged ships the electronics officer carries a "GMDSS Maintainer" license issued by the FCC. He/she is charged with keeping the key electronics operational. Not all ships carry them. Instead they can carry sufficient redundant equipment to ensure communications in critical situations in spite of equipment failures. All large ships carry someone with a "GMDSS Operator" license issued by the FCC, sometimes several who have other bridge duties as well. The operators know how to operate all the equipment and, like a sharp HF Ham operator, he/she can analyze band conditions to decide which HF frequencies are best for the needed range and propagation conditions. When a GMDSS Maintainer is carried he/she is often a licensed GMDSS Operator as well. The seriousness of the responsibility for these communications is reflected in the fact that the equipment is used ONLY for official ship communications. Not even in the days of CW and Sparks holed up in his private radio room was it used for anything else. Radio operators with Ham licenses were forbidden to operate the shipboard gear on the Ham bands at any time - even to use a backup antenna on a Ham rig. Any personal radio transmitting equipment must be approved by the Captain, even Spark's personal gear, and had to be 100% independent of the shipboard communications equipment and antennas. That's why it's often so difficult to get permission to operate a Ham rig on a ship - they are depending upon clear QRM-free communications on frequencies very close to several Ham bands across the HF and VHF spectrums. Ron AC7AC (Licensed GMDSS Maintainer and Operator). -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Fred Townsend Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 10:22 PM To: 'KW4H'; [email protected] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again I had heard that it was possible to get access to the radio room on certain cruise lines. I asked one (unnamed) line what the procedure was for getting access. They said it was verboten and seemed irritated I would even ask. Then I checked with the Maritime Union. It seems the US flags don't have radio officers anymore. They are electronics officers. There is VHF ship to shore on the bridge and they use stat phones for long haul. Everything is computerized hence the electronics officer. It may be that ships having radio rooms are now under the purview of the recreation director. If you know of any, please publish the names of any radio friendly cruise lines so I can book them next time. de Fred AE6QL -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of KW4H Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 6:59 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again That's great, Monty! My wife and I are Holland America fans, we just took a cruise this spring on the Nieuw Amsterdam and loved it. What did you do to get permission to operate onboard? I may have to try that sometime. 73, Steve, KW4H On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 6:52 PM, Monty Shultes <[email protected]>wrote: > Another year, another cruise, aboard the MS Veendam, to celebrate my > wife Paula's and my 50th wedding anniversary. > > I used my KX1 to contact EU3AR in Belarus, while off the coast of > Brazil, and AA3B in Pennsylvania while off the coast of Venezuela. > > Rainy days shortened my operating on the many sea days and river days > of this trip, > > Fantastic rig. Highly recommend lithium AA batteries - I had three > sets, but only needed one. > > Monty K2DLJ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
