# Silence Periods



## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Just been listening to the quietness on 2182, 1931 gmt. Heard 'CQ de Aberdeen & Forth CG Maritime Safety information broadcast QSX etc...' So have SP's come to an end then ? And what happened to Navigation Warnings ?

At 1933 Finisterre & Corunna announced the same, so perhaps some still remember.

David
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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

There are no longer silence periods on 2182, as ships will use DSC on 2187.5 to send a distress alert. In theory, coast stations are no longer required to keep a watch on 2182, as they will be alerted by the DSC call and come up on 2182 then.

Nav warnings are sent via NAVTEX on 518 kHz.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I meant that Nav Wngs, Wx etc... had evolved to the inspeak Maritime Safety Information Broadcast. Too long for a CW CQ announcement !!

David
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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Monsanto Radio in Portugal (CTV?), aka known as "Gentle Jesus" as a result of the forecasts of "gentle breezes" during Atlantic storms, reported me for transmitting about 5 seconds inside a Silence Period on 500 kcs. I apologised and said that it must have been due to the acute angle of the clock from the operating position. I also made a retaliatory complaint about Monsanto rarely answering calls on 500 kcs.

John T.


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

"reported me for transmitting about 5 seconds inside a Silence Period on 500 kcs. "

Quite right too!!!

Far too much of that sort of thing went on........gave the rest of us a bad name..............

Specially as they were 500kHz.


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

There was a distress in the channel one night and a BP tanker kept calling through all the silence. PCH eventually said "You will be reported". I think the ship was the British Comet. My chief with RML was reported for calling inside silence period. Not sure which station but think it was CUL.
I was reported for working on 512 off South America....
rgds
Graham Powell


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

sparkie2182 said:


> "reported me for transmitting about 5 seconds inside a Silence Period on 500 kcs. "
> 
> Quite right too!!!
> 
> ...


That Hertz, Sparkie!

John T.

PS I got done for transmitting in port too - I was only following orders!


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

Me too.......

VIS....... under the bridge!!


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## goan2 (Apr 25, 2008)

I'm sure many R/Os remember XSG/Shanghai Coast Radio transmitting nuggets from Mao's little Red Book on 500 khz during SP. The end line was always "Long live Chairman Mao". Some humorous sparkie, one day,added his own contribution to it. He transmitted: "Yes, in hell!". This was in the 60's.


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## Ron Dean (Aug 11, 2010)

*Solemn Period.*

Wasn't there also a "Solemn Period", not quite as sacrosanct as the silent period? I was told about it when working offshore in the early 80's. I seem to remember that it was the green sectors on the clock.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

The green markings (00 to 03 and 30 to 33 minutes) on the radio room clock indicated the 3 minutes silence period on 2182 KHz, the radiotelephony distress and calling frequency. It had the same importance as the silence period on 500 KHz.

John T.


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

Quite so, Trotterdot, quite so.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

trotterdotpom said:


> The green markings (00 to 03 and 30 to 33 minutes) on the radio room clock indicated the 3 minutes silence period on 2182 KHz, the radiotelephony distress and calling frequency. It had the same importance as the silence period on 500 KHz.
> 
> John T.


And was breached just as frequently.


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

Quite so, Ron , quite so.


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

In re. Post 8 (Sparkie2182)

Whilst obviously not familiar with the exact cir***stances of your alleged transgression, you may have been misjudged.
I quote:
_Ships anchored or moored in port or harbours of Australia and it's territories where access to public land telecommunication facilities is not possible, may, subject to the following conditions, transmit radiotelegrams to the nearest coast station open for service.
a) WT and RT transmissions must be confined to medium frequencies
b) Minimum power must be used and interference to other traffic avoided._


So it might be, that 1) if there was no shore telephone placed aboard, and 2) you used VIS for the traffic; then you could petition the Governor-general for a pardon!


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