Sydney Marine traffic

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Bigfella237
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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by Bigfella237 » Fri Sep 22, 2017 9:29 pm

As I remember, ch16 is the main call / distress channel that everybody monitors, including big ships, in fact I think you have to monitor it by law. Most radios have some kind of dual-watch feature so you can monitor ch16 even while talking back and forth on another channel.

The general practice would be to establish contact with the other station on ch16 then both parties move to a different channel as soon as possible, even when calling Sydney Radio with non-urgent business they would direct you to change to ch67. All distress traffic including SAR stays on ch16 though and I'm pretty sure you're legally obligated to respond to a distress call if you don't hear anybody else answer, then relay the distress call yourself.

Unless things have changed in the last couple of decades, you have to have an individual licence to use a VHF radio (I think 27MHz marine comes under a class licence)? I recall I had to drive to Canberra and take the test in the ACMA waiting room! I sometimes wonder if that certificate is still valid, I don't remember ever having renewed it? I couldn't remember my callsign to save my life anyway!

I was just having a quick google and a lot of channels are allocated to other things like seaphone, port operations etc., so you would need to make sure any channel you use isn't slated for something else, most people will tell you in short order when you screw up as I remember.

Also VHF Marine is 25 watts output too, so the range at sea is quite a way, don't assume the boat you can see is the boat you're talking to, I've been caught-out by that before myself!

Andrew

crafty
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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by crafty » Sat Sep 23, 2017 3:57 pm

Hi everyone
Up here at Coffs Harbour, when a vessel calls VMR (Marine Rescue) on VHF Channel 16, they are told to switch to Channel VHF 72. If a vessel calls VMR on 27mhz CH88, they are told to switch to 27mhz CH90.

At South West Rocks (VMR Trial Bay), when a vessel calls up on VHF CH16, they are told to switch to VHF CH73. If a vessel calls VMR on 27mhz CH88, they are told to switch to 27mhz CH91.

Marine 27mhz is still widely used by smaller vessels.

A network of VHF repeaters exist along the NSW coast monitored by Marine Rescue NSW, below is a map of the repeaters.
http://www.marinerescuensw.com.au/boati ... eater-maps

cheers
Allison

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freqwaves
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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by freqwaves » Mon Sep 25, 2017 10:50 am

Thanks for the info guys.
So Ch67 would be the best channel to call up on if you wanted to warn vessels to stay out of a restricted area?

John.

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Bigfella237
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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by Bigfella237 » Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:03 pm

freqwaves wrote:So Ch67 would be the best channel to call up on
No, as above, ch16 is the call channel.

I doubt many people actually monitor ch67, it's typically used as a "back channel" (as the cops used to say).

Generally speaking, VHF is mainly used by bigger vessels like shipping, I'm not exactly sure what you need to do but it sounds like you would be better off on 27MHz marine?

Andrew

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freqwaves
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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by freqwaves » Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:42 pm

Generally speaking, VHF is mainly used by bigger vessels like shipping, I'm not exactly sure what you need to do but it sounds like you would be better off on 27MHz marine?

Andrew
It's to do with the Malabar shooting range on the coast. When the range is open they have a area which extends out into the water were boats should not enter.
They want to be able to call up the boat which is in the area to move on.
Can they use a VHF handheld marine radio to do this?

John.

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Bigfella237
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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by Bigfella237 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:58 pm

Yeah I still reckon you would have much more success on ch88 of the 27MHz marine band.

You don't normally see tinnies, runabouts or private vessels in general with VHF radios, I suspect mainly to do with it requiring a licenced operator, you'd likely only contact yachts and ships with VHF and they tend to stay off the shelf anyway.

The other thing is whether the area is officially sanctioned as restricted, if not you have no authority to tell vessels to move anyway? You *may* be able to get NSW Maritime to make something official, meaning it would show as such on charts, but I don't think you really want to get the EPA involved in an activity which drops a heap of lead into the ocean on a regular basis?

If you're going to have somebody keeping a lookout to warn vessels anyway, wouldn't it just be easier to suspend shooting while vessels pass by?

Andrew

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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by Bigfella237 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:04 pm

Just reading up on the licence situation on the ACMA website here:

https://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Spectr ... on-licence

And it says:
A class licence governs equipment standards and the frequencies that may be used, and can specify other technical and operational parameters.
So the class licence covers the equipment, however:
Operators of marine VHF radiocommunications equipment must be qualified in accordance with the requirements of the Maritime Ship Station class licence.
So looks like nothing much has changed since I got my licence (I must try and find that one day).

Andrew

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freqwaves
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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by freqwaves » Thu Sep 28, 2017 2:09 pm

If you're going to have somebody keeping a lookout to warn vessels anyway, wouldn't it just be easier to suspend shooting while vessels pass by?
Unfortunately vessels stop in the area & fish.

Could not find on the web 27mhz Marine handhelds, do they still make them?

Thanks, John.

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Bigfella237
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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by Bigfella237 » Thu Sep 28, 2017 2:56 pm

freqwaves wrote:Could not find on the web 27mhz Marine handhelds, do they still make them?
Hmm... seems not? I myself just checked eBay, plus the GME and Uniden websites and there's plenty of VHF handhelds but no 27MHz.

I would've thought there'd be a market for them with tinnies etc. but I guess not?

Andrew

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Re: Sydney Marine traffic

Post by Chrisco » Wed Nov 15, 2017 9:04 pm

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