# Salvor II - 448Khz working frequency?



## IMRCSparks (Oct 1, 2007)

Whilst researching the radio room kit that I sailed with I have noticed that the Salvor II had xtal selections for 8 mf frequencies including what I think is a position for 448Khz. All of the other transmitters that I came across (both main and emergency from a variety of manufacturers) only had seven mf frequencies these being 410 , 425, 454, 468, 480, 500 and 512 Khz. 

Can anyone confirm that the Salvor II did have a 448Khz selection and shed any light on why was this frequency dropped from later transmitters.

Thanks,
Kevin.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

All MIMCo MF transmitters _could_ operate on 448kHz and any other frequency in the 405-525khz band but it was a frequency allotted by the ITU Radio Regs for use only in ITU Region 2 (mainly the Americas) and not elsewhere. As MIMCo's customers were almost exclusively outside Region 2 (Canadian Marconi Company aside) and because the UK GPO would not license the frequency for use on British ships (other than by special arrangement), it was normally not given a fixed 'spot' selector on any products.

However I can't recall the date on which the ITU placed restrictions on the use of 448kHz - and the _Salvor II_ might well have preceded that decision - nor am I aware of the reasons for its restriction outside Region 2. To be honest, I don't remember (and there are an increasing number of things that I no longer remember) whether or not the _Salvor II_ itself had 448kHz marked as one of the positions on the selector switch. 

I do, however, remember the frustration of being on the USA or Canadian coasts and being directed by coast stations to respond on - or switch to - 448kHz, which was not available to me (not without a crystal change) on the later models of the _Oceanspan_ or the _Globespan_. I've been told that many ships trading regularly on the North Atlantic runs used to carry a 'spare' crystal for 448kHz, which was fitted and used when 'on the other side' and then removed on the way home to the UK, to avoid being caught out by a surprise visit from a GPO radio surveyor.

The restriction of the number of working frequencies to two was an invention of the GPO, in their view it reduced congestion by spreading the distribution curve of allocations. They claimed that giving all the ships all the frequencies would result in congestion on the frequencies deemed most popular for use when working their coast stations. So as they processed new licence applications, each new application got a different pair of the 5 assignable working frequencies (between 411 and 499kHz) than the previous one. 

It wasn't a problem on the old 'Span I' where you were able to select any MF frequency - but it involved you in a hell of a lot of winding of that little handle to do so.


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## R719220 (Oct 5, 2011)

What I remember most about Japanese coast stations is their use of the Q-code "QSU" rather than the more common QSY. Never heard it anywhere else in the world, only Japan. For the more pedantic among you, QSU means "Send or reply on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz)) (with emissions of class ...)". Seemed to make sense to me!

I remember this so well because I spent a year running betwen Oz and Japan. (This would have been 1963/64....or as I prefer to think of it....yesterday).

For example, a Japanese coast station would typically respond to a call with, say," QSW 461 QSU 468" rather than the far more commonly used QSY.

Am I the only saddo who remembers this?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

I don't remember that R71 but I'm sure you're right. The Japanese stations were always pretty good once you got used to their way of operating.

I bet I'm not the only saddo who has just looked up "Stercus Accidit".

John T


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## IMRCSparks (Oct 1, 2007)

Thanks for all the comments guys and thank you Ron for a most comprehensive reply. Yet another small conundrum solved. I didn't realise that ships were allocated two mf working frequencies. Certainly during my time at sea throughout the 80's I always had the full range of mf frequencies available and I used all of these as required by the coast station I was working. Ignorance is bliss! (or maybe the restriction had been dropped by then).

Still had the two working frequency restriction on the hf bands but that always seemed pointless with a fully synthesized 1.5kW transmitter. It seemed to me that by the early 80's GKA assumed that everyone had a synthesized transmitter. Which was a real pain in the orifice when GKA would send QSA1 QRM5 UP 2 [KHz] followed by NIL HRD VA after I had been waiting on a QRY45 from the South China Sea using an Oceanspan VII/R50M combination . Oh well, back to calling GKB for another long QRY - Happy Days!

Kevin.


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

I always asked - synth imi - if not then a struggle but would persist and move bands if necessary, all part of the job. Always some who would not do this.

Hawkey01


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Maybe it was you, Hawkey01, but I well remember when GKA twigged that those of us with synthesizers didn't necessarily feel constrained by what was actually printed on the licence.
I used to answer: "Yea find spot"
and invariably whoever was at the other end would do just that!


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