Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
On 4/21/2011 3:33 PM, Mike Morrow wrote: > Chip wrote: > >> While a ship's master may choose to prohibit your use of a QRP rig >> on board, > > He *definitely* has that authority. In fact, what is very questionable > is his authority to *allow* ham operation. It doesn't matter that QRP > is to be used. I did this once on Princess Lines. My experience is logged at www.foothill.net/~andreaj/Ham.43.htm Mike is right on just about all counts. Since I "had the 'Master's Approval', with conditions," I signed K6DGW/MM. So far as I know, my KX1 did not interfere with the ship's navigation ... they found the mouth of the canal and all the ports ... there was no fire ... and I followed the rules I was given. Not sure now about what would have happened if something had gone wrong. Given my experience, which was great but maybe only a little fun in the ham sense, unless you can be sure of hanging a clear antenna with the boat on the side of the antenna you don't care about [despite all the wood moulding and decks, the boat is made of steel], I'd concentrate on enjoying the ports, ship, food, and whatever else you paid for. That I made any Q's at all is a testament to the KX1, rest assured it wasn't my skill or perseverance. 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011 - www.cqp.org __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT) [Thread closed]
Folks, this thread was closed yesterday at 1604 PDT. 73, Eric WA6HHQ List Moderator === On 4/22/2011 12:55 AM, James Maynard wrote: > U.S. hams on their own US-flagged boats are governed by FCC rule 97.11, > which effectively forbids using the boat's marine HF radio also as the > boat's only amateur radio. ... __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
On 2011-04-21 01:53 PM, Chip Stratton wrote:
> Actual use of marine SSB frequencies by large commercial vessels seems to be
> exceedingly rare in this day of global satellite phone coverage, though
> there is still a requirement to carry MF/HF equipment depending on the
> operational distance from shore. While a ship's master may choose to
> prohibit your use of a QRP rig on board, the likelihood of it actually
> interfering with any ongoing communication at any given moment is
> exceedingly low to nonexistent, IMHO.
>
> If you are operating amateur maritime mobile (i.e. in international waters)
> I don't think there is a requirement to identify yourself with anything
> other than your amateur call sign.
>
But Chip, your amateur call sign is different when on a ship of foreign
registry. There *is* a requirement to be properly licensed as am amateur
radio operator by the ship's country of registry ("the country whose
flag the ship is entitled to fly"). While on the high seas on a Holland
America Line ship, I would be sure to have permission (such as a
reciprocal license) to show the ship's master, and would sign something
like "PA0/K7KK"; in Canadian waters, something like "K7KK/VE7" and in
American waters, just "K7KK" or perhaps something like "K7KK/KL7".
On my own vessel, in international waters (outside the territorial
waters of any country), I would sign something like "K7KK/R2" or on
phone, "K7KK maritime mobile in ITU region 2".
Jim K7KK
K3 #5263
Baba 30 sailboat #4
> Chip
> AE5KA
> GROL (but not GMDSS)
> __
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Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
U.S. hams on their own US-flagged boats are governed by FCC rule 97.11, which effectively forbids using the boat's marine HF radio also as the boat's only amateur radio. If the vessel is "voluntarily equipped" with a marine radio (as private yachts of any reasonable size would be), you are permitted to share the antenna, between the marine radio and the amateur radio. Unfortunately, many yachties get ham licenses and ham radios as adjuncts to their boats, and then ignore this rule. I ordered my K3 to use as my boat's ham radio. When the time comes to head offshore, I will get a proper marine SSB radio, too. Jim K7KK K3 #5263 Baba 30 sailboat #4 On 2011-04-21 01:22 PM, Mike Morrow wrote: > Many hams, even the the days of the commercial Maritime Morse radio > officer (which ended July 12, 1999), exhibit a cavalier attitude > towards SOLAS issues. In the Morse days, for example, it is NOT likely > that most hams would have recognized an SOS (which is sent as one > character ...---..., not three characters ... --- ..., quite radically > different in sound). > > Disregarding issues of ham operation upon SOLAS communications, there > are regulatory issues. At sea, the country of the ship's registry > would have jurisdiction over any ham operations. Are ANY cruise ships > of US registry? A few, especially those that cruise in American waters only. I think Matson line may still have some passenger cruise ships. And of course, you can book passage as a passenger on many cargo ships. >When in port, the host country has jurisdiction. IIRC, > back in the Morse radio officer era, operation of the ship's Morse > station was prohibited in port. > > I don't know how MF/HF USB use is controlled today in the GMDSS era. > Obviously use of a ship's VHF-FM is required in foreign ports for > SOLAS, piloting, and docking operations. (The only foreign country > radio operation that I've ever done has been on VHF-FM as a USN > officer of the deck coming in and out of port.) > > Do hams who operate from foreign registry ships use a call sign > indicating the country of ship's registry when at sea, and a call > sign of the host country when in port? I'd be surprised. I would expect the ship's master, when granting permission for a ham to operate his station on the master's ship, to insist on it. Of course, when in American waters (e.g., Alaska inside passage), an American ham would use his American call sign. I'll ask my brother-in-law about this, He is an American ham who works on Holland America Line ships as the piano player in the piano bar. Jim K7KK > Many will see such issues as mere technicalities from olden days that > don't apply any more. > >> 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. > Plus, many QRP rigs have marginal spurious radiation specs, a situation > aggravated by use of a DDS frequency generation scheme without PLL. > > Were I ship's master, I'd be reluctant to grant permission, based on the > jurisdictional issues alone. > >> Ron AC7AC (Licensed GMDSS Maintainer and Operator). > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
OK, one more story... My dad was a sea captain for Weyerhaeuser Steamship Company which the Weyerhaeuser Company used to ship all their lumber products. During the 1950s he used to regularly contact home via ham radio. Our neighbor behind our house in San Jose California was a ham and the radio operator on my dad's ship was also a ham radio operator. So, he would use the ship's radio gear to contact this neighbor ham who would then send his son or wife through the backyard to our house to get my mom who would rush over for a bit of a QSO with my dad. Often my dad's ship was out in the Pacific or maybe the Caribbean and other places but usually only 3 to 5 miles off of the coast (except on international runs to Asia about every other year). That neighbor's call sign was W6VIQ. He has been a silent key for a number of years now. phil, K7PEH On Apr 21, 2011, at 6:31 PM, Lu Romero wrote: > I cant speak for Cruise Ships, but I can speak for my > company's policies. We recently chartered a 310ft British > Flagged research vessel. I asked permission to operate from > her while she was being refit in Singapore (and I was > installing a HD video system for our Remotely Operated > Vehicle) and therefore created our Ham Radio On Board > policy! > > After working with my company principals, who encouraged my > operation, and the charter company, who referred me to the > ship's Master, we made the following decisions: > > I was to operate from the ship's bridge when the ship was > not underway (quayside, at anchor or under Dynamic Station > Keeping). I could only operate if I had a Singaporean > license and only while in Singapore national waters (we > ventured offshore into international waters then into > Indonesian waters during sea trials, where I had to go QRT). > Our reasoning was that since the ship was British > territory, I could not operate on the high seas with my US > license unless I used CEPT or had a British license. This > is also true on our owned Bahamas flagged and Panama flagged > ships. According to our Marine Operations folks, the ship's > masters would insist I had C5A and HP licenses on the high > seas and a local license when inside a given country's > territorial waters. That's just the way we do it, I dont > know if its "law" or not, but it makes sense. > > For the Singapore operation, I was told that I could use > only a maximum of 100 watts into my portable vertical > antenna, which I had to install myself on the comms bridge > of the ship on the same plane as the exiting ship HF > antennas. If I created any interference with any shipboard > equipment, I had to either rectify it or go off the air. > > Upon my arrival in Singapore, I received my Singapore > license and operated from dry dock, floating quayside and 2 > km off of downtown Singapore from mid June to mid July of > last year, with no issues. I even operated IARU from Zone > 54 and came in 2nd in the contest SOLPABM! :) > > I also became the crew's friend when I used my 3G wireless > internet dongle to allow the ship's network (slow) internet > access while the InMarSat terminal was down and used my > antenna building skill to make a small UHF yagi so that the > crew could watch the World Cup off the air from a TV station > in Indonesia while at anchor. > > Your marine milage will vary, but this is worked for me. If > it was legal or not is anyone's guess, all I know is that on > board any of the ships my company owns or charters, the > Ships' Master word is God. > > -lu-W4LT (9V1/W4LT last year)- > > === > > Message: 36 > Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:33:31 -0400 (EDT) > From: Mike Morrow > Subject: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg > Operations >(OT) > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Message-ID: > > <23877255.1303425212002.javamail.r...@elwamui-karabash.atl.sa.earthlink.net> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > Chip wrote: > >> While a ship's master may choose to prohibit your use of a > QRP rig >> on board, > > He *definitely* has that authority. In fact, what is very > questionable > is his authority to *allow* ham operation. It doesn't > matter that QRP > is to be used. > >> the likelihood of it actually interfering with any ongoing > communication >> at any given moment is exceedingly low to nonexistent, > IMHO. > > And you have the engineering studies to substantiate that in > court? > The same argument can be applied to in-flight cell phone > use. > >> If you are operating amateur maritime mobile (i.e. in > international waters)
[Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
I cant speak for Cruise Ships, but I can speak for my company's policies. We recently chartered a 310ft British Flagged research vessel. I asked permission to operate from her while she was being refit in Singapore (and I was installing a HD video system for our Remotely Operated Vehicle) and therefore created our Ham Radio On Board policy! After working with my company principals, who encouraged my operation, and the charter company, who referred me to the ship's Master, we made the following decisions: I was to operate from the ship's bridge when the ship was not underway (quayside, at anchor or under Dynamic Station Keeping). I could only operate if I had a Singaporean license and only while in Singapore national waters (we ventured offshore into international waters then into Indonesian waters during sea trials, where I had to go QRT). Our reasoning was that since the ship was British territory, I could not operate on the high seas with my US license unless I used CEPT or had a British license. This is also true on our owned Bahamas flagged and Panama flagged ships. According to our Marine Operations folks, the ship's masters would insist I had C5A and HP licenses on the high seas and a local license when inside a given country's territorial waters. That's just the way we do it, I dont know if its "law" or not, but it makes sense. For the Singapore operation, I was told that I could use only a maximum of 100 watts into my portable vertical antenna, which I had to install myself on the comms bridge of the ship on the same plane as the exiting ship HF antennas. If I created any interference with any shipboard equipment, I had to either rectify it or go off the air. Upon my arrival in Singapore, I received my Singapore license and operated from dry dock, floating quayside and 2 km off of downtown Singapore from mid June to mid July of last year, with no issues. I even operated IARU from Zone 54 and came in 2nd in the contest SOLPABM! :) I also became the crew's friend when I used my 3G wireless internet dongle to allow the ship's network (slow) internet access while the InMarSat terminal was down and used my antenna building skill to make a small UHF yagi so that the crew could watch the World Cup off the air from a TV station in Indonesia while at anchor. Your marine milage will vary, but this is worked for me. If it was legal or not is anyone's guess, all I know is that on board any of the ships my company owns or charters, the Ships' Master word is God. -lu-W4LT (9V1/W4LT last year)- === Message: 36 Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:33:31 -0400 (EDT) From: Mike Morrow Subject: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT) To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Message-ID: <23877255.1303425212002.javamail.r...@elwamui-karabash.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Chip wrote: > While a ship's master may choose to prohibit your use of a QRP rig > on board, He *definitely* has that authority. In fact, what is very questionable is his authority to *allow* ham operation. It doesn't matter that QRP is to be used. > the likelihood of it actually interfering with any ongoing communication > at any given moment is exceedingly low to nonexistent, IMHO. And you have the engineering studies to substantiate that in court? The same argument can be applied to in-flight cell phone use. > If you are operating amateur maritime mobile (i.e. in international waters) > I don't think there is a requirement to identify yourself with anything > other than your amateur call sign. That is incorrect, as nice as it seems it would be were it true. The FCC has absolutely NO authority or influence on a foreign flag vessel at sea. Your US call has no standing. The country of ship's registry has jurisdiction on the high seas. If you are operating on a foreign flag vessel with a US call, you quite simply are bootlegging, even if you have the master's permission, unless you can take advantage of some of the relaxed CEPT reciprocal licensing requirements, and identify if you were in the country of ship's registry as required under CEPT. Even those QCWA cruises should (but I guessing do not) follow this. The ship's master has no *authority* to allow any deviation in this area. And, as I mentioned above, should any adverse consequence result from the ham station operation, a master would have no defense for allowing an activity for which he really has no authority to permit, but all authority and responsibility to prohibit. It is also not legal to operate as maritime mobile while *in* a foreign port. In port, the host country's rules for radio operation apply even while on board a ship of another country's registry. In any event, this is taking the list off topic. However, it appears that there is som
Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
Folks - This is drifting pretty far OT. Let's move it off list for now. 73, Eric List Moderator. On 4/21/2011 3:33 PM, Mike Morrow wrote: > Chip wrote: > >> While a ship's master may choose to prohibit your use of a QRP rig >> on board, > He *definitely* has that authority. In fact, what is very questionable > is his authority to *allow* ham operation. It doesn't matter that QRP > is to be used. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
Chip wrote: > While a ship's master may choose to prohibit your use of a QRP rig > on board, He *definitely* has that authority. In fact, what is very questionable is his authority to *allow* ham operation. It doesn't matter that QRP is to be used. > the likelihood of it actually interfering with any ongoing communication > at any given moment is exceedingly low to nonexistent, IMHO. And you have the engineering studies to substantiate that in court? The same argument can be applied to in-flight cell phone use. > If you are operating amateur maritime mobile (i.e. in international waters) > I don't think there is a requirement to identify yourself with anything > other than your amateur call sign. That is incorrect, as nice as it seems it would be were it true. The FCC has absolutely NO authority or influence on a foreign flag vessel at sea. Your US call has no standing. The country of ship's registry has jurisdiction on the high seas. If you are operating on a foreign flag vessel with a US call, you quite simply are bootlegging, even if you have the master's permission, unless you can take advantage of some of the relaxed CEPT reciprocal licensing requirements, and identify if you were in the country of ship's registry as required under CEPT. Even those QCWA cruises should (but I guessing do not) follow this. The ship's master has no *authority* to allow any deviation in this area. And, as I mentioned above, should any adverse consequence result from the ham station operation, a master would have no defense for allowing an activity for which he really has no authority to permit, but all authority and responsibility to prohibit. It is also not legal to operate as maritime mobile while *in* a foreign port. In port, the host country's rules for radio operation apply even while on board a ship of another country's registry. In any event, this is taking the list off topic. However, it appears that there is some interest in using Elecraft rigs in operations that are technically bootleg, and worst case harmful to SOLAS considerations. I only suggest that those considering use of their Elecraft rigs at sea investigate how to do that legally. It is, after all, only a hobby and there's nothing *bad* about not being able to ham during a cruise. Were it me, I'd forget at-sea operation, but arrange for bona fide operating authority in the ports of call for the cruise and have some sort of portable kit like a K1 or KX1 to exploit that authority. 73, Mike / KK5F __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
GMDSS divides the world's oceans up into specific area. What must be carried to meet SOLAS requirements depends upon where the ship sails. Along coastlines, for example, the biggest ship need not carry more than VHF for normal communications, since they are within VHF range at all times. Further away, combinations of VHF and HF are required. Of course there are many other requirements and equipment such as a Search and Rescue Transponder (SART) that reacts to radar signals and Emergency Positioning Indicating Beacons (EIRB's) that activate when coming in contact with salt water and alert shore facilities via satellite (1.6 GHz) with the ship's position and provides a 406 MHz locating beacon. (Sure beats trying to fly a kite at night and cranking the old "Gibson Girl" transmitter on 500 kHz sitting in a lifeboat - and EPIRB's are practical even on small vessels signaling for help with their position automatically when they hit salt water.) Yes, I keep my Radiotelegraph license current just for "old time's sake". I am proud of it. But getting a GMDSS maintainer's license is also a challenge. It's more like the OLD Ham Extra licenses that required applicants to find and correct mistakes in schematic diagrams or to describe the spectrum used by various modulation methods, etc. Add to that the modern digital age where the exams require applicants to describe various logic circuits and digital interface protocols, handle arithmetic with various number bases (hex, binary, decimal, etc.) - just about anything a fellow on the high seas far from help might encounter when troubleshooting a ship's local area network, an INMARSAT satellite communications system, an HF SSB rig a ship's computer driven radar (ARPA), or Navtext automatic weather printing receivers just to name a few. It's one of those jobs where every day you are either a bum or a hero. A bum if the Captain thinks it has been too long and you're still troubleshooting and a hero of you fix it quickly. And the GMDSS Operator's license isn't exactly simple, thanks to the regulations. Let's see, my copy of the FCC rules (CFR 80 - Stations in the Maritime Services) runs about 200 pages. It's the best sleeping aid I ever owned. I'll keep renewing that commercial radiotelegraph license as long as the FCC recognizes what it is. 73, Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Fred Townsend Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 1:51 PM To: 'Mike Morrow'; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT) Please see comments below: -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mike Morrow Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 1:22 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT) Ron wrote: > ...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. > The Safety of Life at Sea protocols never depend solely on satellite > communications. Many hams, even the the days of the commercial Maritime Morse radio officer (which ended July 12, 1999), exhibit a cavalier attitude towards SOLAS issues. In the Morse days, for example, it is NOT likely that most hams would have recognized an SOS (which is sent as one character ...---..., not three characters ... --- ..., quite radically different in sound). Disregarding issues of ham operation upon SOLAS communications, there are regulatory issues. At sea, the country of the ship's registry would have jurisdiction over any ham operations. Are ANY cruise ships of US registry? When in port, the host country has jurisdiction. IIRC, back in the Morse radio officer era, operation of the ship's Morse station was prohibited in port. I don't know how MF/HF USB use is controlled today in the GMDSS era. Obviously use of a ship's VHF-FM is required in foreign ports for SOLAS, piloting, and docking operations. (The only foreign country radio operation that I've ever done has been on VHF-FM as a USN officer of the deck coming in and out of port.) Do hams who operate from foreign registry ships use a call sign indicating the country of ship's registry when at sea, and a call sign of the host country when in port? I'd be surprised. I can't answer your question but I have seen US hams operate /MM when tied to the dock. de Fred Many will see such issues as mere technicalities from olden days that don't apply any more. > 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 comm
Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
Actual use of marine SSB frequencies by large commercial vessels seems to be exceedingly rare in this day of global satellite phone coverage, though there is still a requirement to carry MF/HF equipment depending on the operational distance from shore. While a ship's master may choose to prohibit your use of a QRP rig on board, the likelihood of it actually interfering with any ongoing communication at any given moment is exceedingly low to nonexistent, IMHO. If you are operating amateur maritime mobile (i.e. in international waters) I don't think there is a requirement to identify yourself with anything other than your amateur call sign. Chip AE5KA GROL (but not GMDSS) __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
Please see comments below: -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mike Morrow Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 1:22 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT) Ron wrote: > ...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. > The Safety of Life at Sea protocols never depend solely on satellite > communications. Many hams, even the the days of the commercial Maritime Morse radio officer (which ended July 12, 1999), exhibit a cavalier attitude towards SOLAS issues. In the Morse days, for example, it is NOT likely that most hams would have recognized an SOS (which is sent as one character ...---..., not three characters ... --- ..., quite radically different in sound). Disregarding issues of ham operation upon SOLAS communications, there are regulatory issues. At sea, the country of the ship's registry would have jurisdiction over any ham operations. Are ANY cruise ships of US registry? When in port, the host country has jurisdiction. IIRC, back in the Morse radio officer era, operation of the ship's Morse station was prohibited in port. I don't know how MF/HF USB use is controlled today in the GMDSS era. Obviously use of a ship's VHF-FM is required in foreign ports for SOLAS, piloting, and docking operations. (The only foreign country radio operation that I've ever done has been on VHF-FM as a USN officer of the deck coming in and out of port.) Do hams who operate from foreign registry ships use a call sign indicating the country of ship's registry when at sea, and a call sign of the host country when in port? I'd be surprised. I can't answer your question but I have seen US hams operate /MM when tied to the dock. de Fred Many will see such issues as mere technicalities from olden days that don't apply any more. > 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. Plus, many QRP rigs have marginal spurious radiation specs, a situation aggravated by use of a DDS frequency generation scheme without PLL. Were I ship's master, I'd be reluctant to grant permission, based on the jurisdictional issues alone. > Ron AC7AC (Licensed GMDSS Maintainer and Operator). Be honest, Ron. :-) I suspect your commercial radiotelegraph license is a source of greater pride for you. I still regret letting my second class telegraph license expire more than 15 years ago. Are you maintaining yours? 73, Mike / KK5F __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)
Ron wrote: > ...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. > The Safety of Life at Sea protocols never depend solely on satellite > communications. Many hams, even the the days of the commercial Maritime Morse radio officer (which ended July 12, 1999), exhibit a cavalier attitude towards SOLAS issues. In the Morse days, for example, it is NOT likely that most hams would have recognized an SOS (which is sent as one character ...---..., not three characters ... --- ..., quite radically different in sound). Disregarding issues of ham operation upon SOLAS communications, there are regulatory issues. At sea, the country of the ship's registry would have jurisdiction over any ham operations. Are ANY cruise ships of US registry? When in port, the host country has jurisdiction. IIRC, back in the Morse radio officer era, operation of the ship's Morse station was prohibited in port. I don't know how MF/HF USB use is controlled today in the GMDSS era. Obviously use of a ship's VHF-FM is required in foreign ports for SOLAS, piloting, and docking operations. (The only foreign country radio operation that I've ever done has been on VHF-FM as a USN officer of the deck coming in and out of port.) Do hams who operate from foreign registry ships use a call sign indicating the country of ship's registry when at sea, and a call sign of the host country when in port? I'd be surprised. Many will see such issues as mere technicalities from olden days that don't apply any more. > 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. Plus, many QRP rigs have marginal spurious radiation specs, a situation aggravated by use of a DDS frequency generation scheme without PLL. Were I ship's master, I'd be reluctant to grant permission, based on the jurisdictional issues alone. > Ron AC7AC (Licensed GMDSS Maintainer and Operator). Be honest, Ron. :-) I suspect your commercial radiotelegraph license is a source of greater pride for you. I still regret letting my second class telegraph license expire more than 15 years ago. Are you maintaining yours? 73, Mike / KK5F __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
