24. March 2010 by admin.

http://14300.net/

You don’t even have to be a license amateur radio operator to “listen” to this one…

There is streaming audio available to anyone with an Internet connection on that web page. I would like to encourage more larger vessels (sail and motor yachts) on 14.300 Mhz SSB … you have to get an Amateur Radio License, General Class, to transmit on there. But it is easier than ever to do so. Morse Code is no longer a requirment for the basic level of Amateur Radio License, these days that is Technician Class. And upgrading past that to General is certainly not rocket science either.

* The Intercon Net

* The Maritime Mobile Service Network

* The Pacific Seafarers Net

* USCG Amateur Radio Net

Get more information at http://14300.net

*Break*

In the movie Top Gun it was mentioned that Fighter Pilots go to Miramar, because Pilots recently have lost their Dogfighting Skils …

On marine vessels some may have lost their *Radio Skills*. And Amateur Radio and the Waterway Net, and the 14300.net nets are a good place to stop in for some practice. A lot of boats these days have Satellite Phone, Internet, and all that. But it is possible that one day that will be “down” and you will in the *thick* of problems. It would be nice to remember 14300.net is there to help. It would be even nicer if you had obtained your amateur radio license and checked in and were familiar with the net… Before it became a necessity that you got on the air and called for help.

*Break*

14.300 MHz has become a very well known frequency in the Amatuer Radio world. There are three major nets in the Western Hemisphere that operate on 14.300 MHz. From early morning until late evening the frequency is busy with traffiic of one form or another. Begining at 0700 ET daily, The Intercon Net, formally know as The Intercontinental Amatuer Traffic Net, starts out the day. Intercon runs until 1200 ET before handing the frequency over to The Maritime Mobile Service Network. The MMSN, which also runs daily, operates from 1200 ET until 9 PM EST / 10 PM EDT or 0200 UTC. After The MMSN raps up The Pacific Seafarers Net begins operation at 10 PM EST / 11PM EDT or 0300 UTC and runs various lengths of time, depending on traffic load, but usually about 2 hours or less.

Let’s take a brief look at each net.

The Intercon Net According to Intercon’s website, the nets mission is threefold:

The Maritime Mobile Service Network The primary purpose of the net is for handling traffic from maritime mobiles and overseas deployed service personnel. MMSN also assists missionaries and persons working abroad. The MMSN has a more formal or structured format than Intercon. Since vessels at sea generally have barefoot or less rigs, running on battery power with wire or vertical antennas, their signals may be hard to copy at times. The Net Control Stations frequently ask all stations to standby while calling for maritimes only that may wish to check in. Also, offshore weather information is usually read at about 30 minutes past the hour. Ragchewing is considered a no-no during MMSN. Any station can check into the MMSN when the NCS is asking for general check-in’s. If you would like a signal report, audio report or just to say you are “riding along”, this is the time to check-in.

The Pacific Seafarer’s Net Pacsea handles traffic with vessles mainly in the Pacific Ocean. Utilizing stations from North America to New Zeland / Austrailia and across the Pacific, Pacsea takes position reports and weather observations from vessels. Pacsea NCS’s use special software to post positions on the internet and send observed weather conditions to the weather forecasters for the Pacific. Friends and family may then track their vessel of interest online. The first 25 minutes of the net is open to general check-in’s. After that, the roll call portion of the net begins and it is very structured from that point. Any station is welcome to assist as a relay for Pacsea. If your area of interest is The Pacific, check out The Pacific Seafarer’s Net.

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24. March 2010 by admin.

Anyone Marine Mobile make sure you check out:

http://www.waterwayradio.net/ 7245 Khz (7.245 Mhz) at 0745 hours Eastern Time Daily - Valid Amateur Radio Operators License Needed.

Special thanks to the operators of the waterway net for helping so many vessels (some in trouble(s)) such as KF5CLM trying to get to Fort Myers, Florida on 3-23 / 3-24-2010. I am offerring free (best effort, my time *as available*) computer advice for Navigation or Communications use Computers to Waterway Net qualified Amateur Radio Operators. I’ll extend that to Internet onboard such vessels including onboard wired or wireless networking. You need to check into the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club Net on 7268 Khz LSB with a valid Amateur Radio Operators License to qualify. Contact can be via SSB radio, Telephone, or Email. Also if you are coming into Fort Lauderdale and need small items picked up and dropped to you (reasonable amounts transportable by a small car) - I also offer best-effort assistance with that as well. Both Sail and Motor Marine Vessels qualify if you meet the above requirements as well. I may waive the SSB check in if you show me a radio and it’s broken on any given day in question.

See also: http://www.eqsl.cc/Member.cfm?KA4UDX

See also: http://www.qrz.com/db/KA4UDX

The Waterway Radio and Cruising Club is an association of amateur radio operators who also share an interest in recreational boating.

The Waterway Net, which is sponsored by the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club, meets on the air every morning of the year for about an hour starting at 0745 ET on a frequency of 7.268 MHz LSB. The main purpose of the Waterway Net is to encourage amateur radio communications to and from boats with an emphasis on safety and weather information. Position Reports help keep live-aboards and cruising boats in touch with families and friends and Float Plans provide a strong measure of safety for off-shore passage makers.

Begun in the early sixties, the Waterway Net is one of the oldest, continuously operating nets in amateur radio. Today the WRCC has around eight hundred dues paying members and anyone holding an Amateur Radio License of any class is eligible to join. Membership in the WRCC is not a prerequisite for participation in the Waterway Net, but a general class or higher license is required.

The Waterway Net is a controlled net. It is recommended that one listen for a while to learn the Net Procedures, but anyone with a general class license or above is invited to check in at the appropriate time or to join in on the special interest nets that often follow.

In an emergency, FCC rules permit anyone, licensed or not, to use any frequency to summon help. All boaters with high frequency SSB radios aboard should know that the 20 meter amateur frequency of 14.300 MHz is active for about eighteen hours a day and is always available for emergency assistance.

—

73 de KA4UDX (Alan Spicer - General Class Radio Amateur)

Alan Spicer Marine Telecom

http://www.marinetelecom.net

+1 954 683 3426

communications (at) marinetelecom.net

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