# Where Do I Hang The Aerial Mr Mate ?



## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Saw this in a cruise supplement. 

How times have changed !!

David
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## China hand (Sep 11, 2008)

Not a pretty sight!


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## tunatownshipwreck (Nov 9, 2005)

Cattle carrier?


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

And people actually pay to ride on those things!


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## sparks69 (Dec 18, 2005)

Of the 4000 plus on board I wonder how many actually know they are at sea on a ship ?


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

sparks69 said:


> Of the 4000 plus on board I wonder how many actually know they are at sea on a ship ?


That would be quite easy to fix. Just give Schettino back his ticket.


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## China hand (Sep 11, 2008)

Varley, I saw a tv clip here in ClogLand about a frustrated ham. He had a Marconi Lodestone, a Conquerer, a Mariner and that orange round thingy. Being into my 2nd pipe of extremely fragrant German tobacco, and my somethingy Westmalle dubbel, I lost the title. 
Question: are there still loads of you nutters around, DiDiDa men I mean. Any that you know of in Nederland?


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

China hand said:


> Varley, I saw a tv clip here in ClogLand about a frustrated ham. He had a Marconi Lodestone, a Conquerer, a Mariner and that orange round thingy. Being into my 2nd pipe of extremely fragrant German tobacco, and my somethingy Westmalle dubbel, I lost the title.
> Question: are there still loads of you nutters around, DiDiDa men I mean. Any that you know of in Nederland?


Unless life expectancy of Cloggies worse than Brits (thank heavens I am still one of these exotics) there must be. The Dutch have a fine merchant seafaring tradition and PCH was a popular station.

I am having difficulty with local hams - none big enough to cook without a slow cooker. Have to rely on the Danes for one of entertainment size.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Noah's son, Ham, was the first in a long seafaring tradition. Many atheists might not be aware of that.

John T


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

We know the cultural fairy tale as well as you. In some respects, we pride ourselves, better!


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## Tmac1720 (Jun 24, 2005)

Sponsored by Hemple or Jotun perhaps?...(Jester)


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## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

What happened to the comments about the vessel? I think there are some far worse looking and painted ones than her out there and very popular they are to! They must be, they keep building new ones and refurbishing the older. I see MSC are now busy lengthening the one class to increase capacity.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

You are quite right to steer us back on topic. However there are not that many ways to say ghastly. However it must be rather like Art Deco - it's not about what the outside looks like but the inside as enjoyed by the cargo.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I know it conforms to all the rules, but it is an awful long way from the top to the lifeboat deck, and no apparent outside route to get there. They are 'hollow' in the middle though, perhaps that counts ?

Do you get vertigo if you look over the side from the water slides ??

David
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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

david.hopcroft said:


> I know it conforms to all the rules, but it is an awful long way from the top to the lifeboat deck, and no apparent outside route to get there. They are 'hollow' in the middle though, perhaps that counts ?
> 
> Do you get vertigo if you look over the side from the water slides ??
> 
> ...


On the 2 P&O cruise ships I sailed on, the "hollow bit in the middle" was full of windowless passenger cabins. No wonder some passengers choose to stay in the bars all night.

John T


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Force 10. At night. Mid Atlantic.

Fire breaks out, becomes uncontrollable.

Carnage.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Ah, Port of Registry Hollywood, Hammer-Hitchcock Lines, I'd guess.


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Don't forget the monster freak wave coming out of an otherwise calm sea....

We all know it could happen, after all the scriptwriters do proper research, don't they?


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## Basil (Feb 4, 2006)

At least, you probably wouldn't notice an overboard oil spill hull stain


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

In answer to the original, thread title, question:
What do you think the present day Technical Officer would say if Radio Officer started screwing insulators to those protuberances which look like huge teed-up golf balls? - There are a lot of them and they seem to be high enough!


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Their shape has always suggested them to be a sort of lightning dissuader. Hanging copper off them might ruin their low charge density form and attract the stuff - undesirable I guess. I suppose they might be 8 Okta Xenon-o-heliographs - no good to me, never learned to read a signal lantern.


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## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

I have thought this out quite carefully, I don't think I would like to be on a cruise with anyone who wanted to talk to other people. This might change after about 6 weeks mumbling at each other at meal-times and when passing in the night. By then it might be a bit late.

Not my thing.


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## johnvvc (Feb 8, 2008)

China hand said:


> Varley, I saw a tv clip here in ClogLand about a frustrated ham. He had a Marconi Lodestone, a Conquerer, a Mariner and that orange round thingy. Being into my 2nd pipe of extremely fragrant German tobacco, and my somethingy Westmalle dubbel, I lost the title.
> Question: are there still loads of you nutters around, DiDiDa men I mean. Any that you know of in Nederland?


There's a quite well known ham up here in North Wales who has a complete ship's Radio Room in his house. I spoke to him on the landline a couple of years ago and he said - 'listen for me on 500' (the old cw distress frequency of course). I listened and there he was calling CQ - needless to say no one answered him !!!

Bit of nostalgia.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

I feel sorry for that Welsh bloke's wife - she has to dust him and his wireless room! On top of that, his one sided transmissions will interrupt "Home and Away"! She must be a treasure. How about a few 73s for the little ladies.

John T


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## johnvvc (Feb 8, 2008)

trotterdotpom said:


> I feel sorry for that Welsh bloke's wife - she has to dust him and his wireless room! On top of that, his one sided transmissions will interrupt "Home and Away"! She must be a treasure. How about a few 73s for the little ladies.
> 
> John T


Yes she must be one in a million John.

For anyone reading this who is a ham, the gentleman in question is Bruce Morris GW4XXF. Here's Bruce in his shack - no it's not on a ship it really is a room in his house - complete with porthole - busy pumping the old 365, clearing traffic to - well you make up the rest... 

His ham radio verification card (QSL card) has a picture of the City of Port Elizabeth.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Somewhere in the house I have the correct set of headphones for this type of kit. Ex Weather Reporter ( Oakham Castle)


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## Chillytoes (Dec 9, 2006)

Getting back to the start of this thread - in reply to #3. Yes, no matter how you look at it, this thing is a cattle carrier!


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Re #25

Well, it is certainly no worse than the 'flight deck' in the spare room that seem to be popular nowadays.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

I had a jacket like that once. I hope he's got a tie on.

Chadburn: SG Browns? Pretty sure they're the only ones I ever had.

Chillytoes: hard to believe that a quarter of a century later, "Australian Exporter" would look relatively handsome, isn't it?

John T


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

johnvvc said:


> Yes she must be one in a million John.
> 
> For anyone reading this who is a ham, the gentleman in question is Bruce Morris GW4XXF. Here's Bruce in his shack - no it's not on a ship it really is a room in his house - complete with porthole - busy pumping the old 365, clearing traffic to - well you make up the rest...
> 
> His ham radio verification card (QSL card) has a picture of the City of Port Elizabeth.


Bloody hell!

(EEK)

Bet he keeps watches as well....


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Did anyone actually sail with TWO Atalantas? I don't see an Alert anywhere so there's a distinct lack of authenticity there.

No offence to the chap, everyone is entitled to their hobby; I just wonder if that's his original uniform or he buys a new one from time to time when the knees and elbows wear out.

I also wonder if he has re-crystalled and retuned the 'Span onto the amateur bands.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Are you sure that you are not looking at the _Mercury/Electra_ pairing?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Is that a Sentinel behind his left arm? There seems to be a jumble of different gear.

John T

PS Is that the GPO Secret Men's Business sign on top of the console or a Qualified Anorak certificate? It doesn't look as though it's very secure - could fall off if the house rolls.


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## Paul Braxton (Jul 21, 2005)

Can't see a "Sentinel" anywhere but there's a "Lifeguard" auto alarm mounted atop an unidentified piece of kit to the left, as well as an "Autokey" automatic keying device stuck (unconventionally) between the "Mercury"/"Elettra" receivers.

He doesn't appear to be wearing a white shirt, so maybe no tie either!

Love the old radio room clock. Looks to be a good one that.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

The clock is the only thing there that I can remember how to operate. Good to see he keeps it polished.

Could the box under the Lifeguard be Salvor transmitter? 

John T


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

That looks like an old Yaesu amateur transceiver near his left elbow....rather spoils the authenticity, what?


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Yes, I reckon it is a 102 - I had one as well.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I had to scan this one out of the paper, so not so good picture.

At least the lifeboats are outside on this one, though there don't look to be many for 4,000 passengers. Perhaps they can be transferred over the side in the North Star viewing platform - or should that read 'cherry picker' ??

David

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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Sorry David, but I think your thread's been hijacked, at least until all the possibilities of the replica radio room have been explored......

I bow to the wisdom of Ron and others who know the difference between Mercury, Electra and Atalanta, and agree with John about the Salvor.
How do you tell an FT102 from a 101 from the limited amount of the front panel visible? 
Isn't there some kind of telephone terminal behind the braid on his left arm? And, last but should have been first: the R408 right behind the key. Why is he listening on the electric boat anchor with an R408 at his disposal?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

If It is a Salvor, could he get the copper aerial tube to the top with that Lifeguard sitting on top of it? Hope he's got some good de-sensitising if he plans to fire the Salvor up on 500 kcs! Maybe a lot of this stuff is just sitting there for decoration.

I just noticed white cuffs poking from the jacket sleeves so he is correctly dressed - unless he's got his slippers on. Mind you, when I was on "Iron Crown"(Common Bros) a lot of folk wore slippers - northeast of England is the slipper capital of the world.

John T


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

So this topic doesn't die just yet....:

johnvvc: could you not get Bruce to join SN and come and give us the background to his shack? We would, I'm sure, all like to know what works and what doesn't.

John T: I blew up the picture and, apart from the logo of a four-bladed ship's propellor at the top, can't make out anything else on the framed certificate.
The Lifeguard is sitting on some metal saddles which raise it _just_ above the lead-in insulator for the Salvor's aerial. If he were to actually fire it up there would certainly be a hole in the bottom of the Lifeguard's case.

R651400: I have an FT101ZD, the top right corner of which looks just like the small part of the transceiver you identify as an FT102. I don't quarrel with that, just would like to know how you tell the difference?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Thanks Naytikos. I thought it might havebeen that GPO Secrecy thingo that was on the wall of all wireless rooms - forget the name now, but it was the one that the Mates couldn't read when they were ransacking the place looking for telegrams.

John T


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## jimg0nxx (Sep 1, 2005)

trotterdotpom said:


> Thanks Naytikos. I thought it might havebeen that GPO Secrecy thingo that was on the wall of all wireless rooms - forget the name now, but it was the one that the Mates couldn't read when they were ransacking the place looking for telegrams.
> 
> John T


John, I think what you refer to was the Post Office Protection Act 1884. That is what I remember it as, but may have been updated after my time.
Jim


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

That's it, Jim. Thanks. Probably they thought it was out of date. At least it was good sport planting fake messages.

John T


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Fancy a relaxing time with 6000 other good souls ??

It is still a long way from the top to the boat deck - or is that term redundant in this instance ??

David
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If you want a run ashore, it would take so long to find the gangway that it would be time to get back aboard before sailing time !!

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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

From this view they do look like Sheep Pens.


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## King Ratt (Aug 23, 2005)

For Trotterdotpom.

Is this what you were looking for? 

KR


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

That's it - thanks KR.

John T


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I saw a letter in the Daily Mail a day or so ago from a lady who had done the maiden voyage on the Oasis of the Seas. She was not a happy bunny. Seems the 'smart' electronics crashed and it was to say the least 'chaotic' queuing instead of the seamless stuff that was promised. Refunds etc in order. Sadly though, she did not comment of 'the ride'. Probably a quiet smooth passage so perhaps didn't see the sea at any time !!

David
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After posting this, I wondered if any thought was given to wifi control within an aluminium die cast box with loads of other electronic wifi wizardry going on ?

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## sparks69 (Dec 18, 2005)

Cruise Ships are just Butlins on boats !


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Or butling on boats?


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## marconiman (Jun 21, 2007)

I'm worried my sons are going to give me a surprise treat - a cruise.


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## Bill Greig (Jul 4, 2006)

marconiman said:


> I'm worried my sons are going to give me a surprise treat - a cruise.


Marconiman,
just go with the flow OM. Lean on the rail and watch the world go by and pretend you are off watch! Which I suppose technically you are.
Enjoy
Bill


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## marconiman (Jun 21, 2007)

Bill Greig said:


> Marconiman,
> just go with the flow OM. Lean on the rail and watch the world go by and pretend you are off watch! Which I suppose technically you are.
> Enjoy
> Bill


Nice one Bill, worse things could happen at sea.


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