Cruise Talk: VHF Communications Ship to port

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»	Cruise Talk » Technically Speaking » VHF Communications Ship to port

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Topic: VHF Communications Ship to port

FutureQM2Capt
First Class Passenger
Member # 4946

posted 11-24-2004 08:56 PM

When ships enter a large port (or any port for that matter), what exactly goes on in there VHF communications and such? What do they have to get clearance for, when do they start talking to port control, and stuff like that. Any information would be helpful!

-FutureQM2Capt

Posts: 11 | From: Lansing, MI | Registered: Aug 2004 | IP: Logged

JohnM
First Class Passenger
Member # 1246

posted 12-02-2004 09:09 AM

You can buy scanners that receive marine radio channels and listen in - though I don't think you would hear much in Lansing. On vacation or a cruise it might be interesting to take a scanner along to listen in. I wonder if anyone here has done this. I worked for a communications company that serviced and tuned marine radios on Lake Michigan but our location (New Buffalo) wasn't near a major port. We would often leave the station monitor on and listen to the radio traffic. As I recall, most communications were about the weather or the fishing or to the Coast Guard for assistance or inforation. By the way, a scanner is needed because communication usually starts on a calling or emergency channel that everone monitors and then switches to a working channel.

So how is Lansing these days. I remember Oldmobile and governor Romney - sigh. I graduated from MSU in 1969 and haven't been back for ages, though my sister lives in Mason.

Good luck on you future career.

John

Posts: 40 | From: Georgia, USA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

Christian
First Class Passenger
Member # 3828

posted 12-03-2004 05:08 AM

Hello,
What communication is exchanged between the ship and the ports depends a great deal on what it is. The one that is more or less the same in any port is the request for pilot. Normally this is done one hour before arrival at the pilot station. They pilot is informed about estimated arrival time, deepest draft, and the ship will ask for weather and current conditions in the port and what side the pilot will bord on.

Some ports require the ship to inform them about how many people they carry, last port of call, departure time, country of registry and the ships nex port of call. Nassau requires some of this information. In the US all cruise ships send a "Notice of arrival" which contains all this information to the Coast Guard. Grand Cayman and Belize require ships to report to the Port Security to inform them that the ship is anchored and the the ship has left the anchorage upon departure.

Besides this information, it's small things like informing the port about bunkering, diving operations and if the lifeboats will be put on the water. That's about all the things I can think of.

Hope this was helpfull,
Christian

Posts: 11 | From: Drammen, Norway | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

Steve Read (sread)
First Class Passenger
Member # 788

posted 12-03-2004 07:03 PM

Don't try this in the UK though. It's illegal to monitor anything other than public broadcast stations.

Authorities used to turn a blind eye to plane/ship spotters but things are somewhat different now.

Posts: 926 | From: Locksbottom, Kent, England | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

JohnM
First Class Passenger
Member # 1246

posted 12-07-2004 01:43 PM

Ahh, the Bermuda triangle explained. They call for help but no one is monitoring the distress frequency?

Posts: 40 | From: Georgia, USA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 12-07-2004 06:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by JohnM:
They call for help but no one is monitoring the distress frequency?

Unless you can only listen to Radio 4. Just dug this out I read the other week [16 Nov]:-

"Sailor in emergency signal gaffe

A radio-loving sailor sparked an alarm by inadvertently blocking the VHF channel used by coastguards to listen in for emergency calls.

When coastguards in Aberdeen tuned into the emergency wavelength, instead of hearing from ships off northern Scotland, they got BBC Radio 4.

Coverage of the House of Lords debating fox-hunting was being aired by the Today programme. Coastguards contacted the BBC to broadcast an appeal to the sailor.

Today presenter Jim Naughtie read out: "Someone on a vessel near Inverness is listening to this programme. The coastguard can hear you listening to the programme, but your VHF transmitter is blocking a channel used for emergency calls.

"So if you are on a ship somewhere around Inverness and listening to the Today programme, will you check you are not the one that's blocking the emergency channel?"

He added: "After you've done that, do keep listening in, one way or another."

A few minutes later, Mr Naughtie was able to reassure listeners that the Aberdeen Coastguard had been back in touch to say their airwaves were all clear."

From the BBC.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

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