Topband: Maritime gear programmable on ham bands?

ZR zr at jeremy.mv.com
Mon Oct 1 14:08:46 EDT 2012


There are 2 seperate issues here which may lead to confusion.

1. the fishnet beacons are not ham gear and are water bouys.

2. The fishing boat SSB communications often use ham gear which is cheaper 
than the same basic unit that is marine certified. Different box, often the 
same electronics inside that can suit its as built purpose with a couple of 
diodes or menu selection.

3. Operating in international waters by non USA registered boats is not 
controlled by anybody except on paper. Many countries allow commercial use 
on 160M.

Carl
KM1H


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Merv Schweigert" <k9fd at flex.com>
To: <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 1:25 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Maritime gear programmable on ham bands?


>I do not know what rigs are used on the fishing boats, but I can sure give 
>you
> daily logs showing both american and asian fishing boats carrying on SSB
> qso's on the ham bands.   Mostly on 80 and 160 meters.
> It is normal operation when the fishing season is open they come on the 80
> meter CW end of the band and go over charts, water temps, locations and
> where to set the next lines and nets.   Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, and
> a few Americans.
> This morning was a good S9 pair of signals on 1819.5 SSB going over the
> days fishing plans.
> Of course the fish net beacons cover the 160 band.
> Maybe the coast guard does not monitor these freqs so has no idea what is
> there?
> Its been a problem here in Hawaii for sure for years now.
>>
>>> This is because the equipment they purchase, like Icom rigs, operates in 
>>> Ham
>>> bands. The radio buoys also are programmable to Ham bands.
>>> 73 Tom
>>>
>> Tom, this is news to me. Maritime equipment is manufactured to
>> extremely strict type acceptance. Can you give me an example of an
>> Icom MF/HF maritime rig that can be used or reprogrammed onto the ham
>> bands? It seems to me that some incredible redesigning of such a radio
>> would have to be done. Also, I don't see how the maritime
>> channelization design could be defeated to give the frequency agility
>> we enjoy in the amateur radio service (the only service to be given
>> such a privilege).
>>
>> There are maritime channels set aside specifically for "chit-chat"
>> among vessels at sea, so I see no reason for a vessel owner to go
>> through the incredible effort of  getting a maritime-only rig
>> operating on the ham bands. I suspect, instead, that the vessel owner
>> has purchased a ham band transceiver (which is about half the price of
>> a maritime transceiver).
>>
>> Note that maritime frequencies are channelized. See for example, our
>> website: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov
>>
>> 73, Jeff KH6O
>> Senior Chief, US Coast Guard
>> _______________________________________________
>> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
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