# Transmission in rivers.



## Harry Nicholson (Oct 11, 2005)

I think we could transmit in the Hooghli river all the way to Calcutta and at least as far as Baton Rouge in Mississippi. Does any one recall when/where we were allowed to open the station after departing the Royal Docks in the Thames; was it once the pilot left us at Sheerness - or much sooner?


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## pippin (May 13, 2008)

I remember having to keep watch on 500 all the way up the Rio Paraná to San Lorenzo which is up-river from Rosario >300km from Bs As.
In them thar days (60's) one took a Rio de la Plata pilot aboard from a couple of hulks/platforms way out in the approaches. They had 500kHz stns: Pontón Intersección/LOI & Pontón Recalada/LOJ.
Memory is hazy (after >50 years!) but I suspect we had to keep 500 watch all the time the various pilots were aboard.

In 1971 the Regulations re use of Radio Installations on Merchant Ships in Harbours state - and I paraphrase:
"Permitted in harbours and* estuaries *for the exchange of comms through the nearest UK CRS."

Despite a thorough search I have not been able to find a definition of "at sea", regarding opening and closing down!


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## Harry Nicholson (Oct 11, 2005)

Thanks for looking things up, Pippin. You had some exotic runs! Oh, to do it all again . . .


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## P.Arnold (Apr 11, 2013)

I was on the Amazon from Belem to Iquitos.

No H8 watchkeeping though did watch TFC lists.

We had ship skeds. There could be two ships on the river at a time, one going up and one down.
There were occasions were one coming down could go aground on the sandbanks, so mutual assistance was required.

Then the agent at Iquitos had a sked, where the local Aero Beacon was used.
We would QSO and then be told the height of the river at the Iquitos pontoons plus 200 cigarettes and a bottle of whisky.


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## P.Arnold (Apr 11, 2013)

There were several ports where the radio room was sealed
and in the Gulf there were ports were the Satcom on/off switch was sealed. (after my time)

My general rule was to open or close with the arrival or departure of pilot after the TR had been sent.

Goodness me, memories.

Peter


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I suppose the Creeks in Nigeria up to Sapele comes into the category. It used to be permanent watch when entering, and calling CQ on 500 to see who was coming the other way. Not everyone seemed to follow this guideline, so some surprises. If you were the latest arrival and on the sawmill berth at Sapele, it was customary to keep the first 30 mins of single op periods to act as guardship. A runner was usually provided to deliver any QTC's to the agent. 

David

+


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## Nigel Fisher (Sep 22, 2010)

The Brisbane River in Queensland also required the R/O on watch from passing the Pile Light at the river mouth to the berth. CQ sent on 500kc/s (sorry 500 KHz) passing the Pile light and another when QTP the berth. The reverse was required when outbound. Think this was a throwback to the days before VHF


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Nigel Fisher said:


> The Brisbane River in Queensland also required the R/O on watch from passing the Pile Light at the river mouth to the berth. CQ sent on 500kc/s (sorry 500 KHz) passing the Pile light and another when QTP the berth. The reverse was required when outbound. Think this was a throwback to the days before VHF


Wasn't required in the 80s. CL (or open) at the Pile Light.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Was only there a couple of times in 1962 and '63 but don't remember that. Maybe I just forgot about it.


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## Nigel Fisher (Sep 22, 2010)

Troppo said:


> Wasn't required in the 80s. CL (or open) at the Pile Light.





Troppo said:


> Wasn't required in the 80s. CL (or open) at the Pile Light.





Troppo said:


> Wasn't required in the 80s. CL (or open) at the Pile Light.


Sadly it was in my era at sea 1967-1974. It even had a mention in the old AWA R/O's handbook handed out to new employees. Was a real pain in the early hours of the morning


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## sparky1 (Sep 13, 2009)

P.Arnold said:


> I was on the Amazon from Belem to Iquitos.
> 
> No H8 watchkeeping though did watch TFC lists.
> 
> ...



I did a few of those trips (72,73) with Booth line, last mf comms were salinopolis pilot (PPL i think) going into Belem, after that for the next 6 weeks or more it was just catching the GKA tfc lists a couple of times a day.


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## P.Arnold (Apr 11, 2013)

During my time on the Valiente we changed Name to Veloz, Flag to Panamanian and C/S. 
For several weeks agents in the various WI ports were not informed of our change of details, so had to listen out for my two c/signs past and present GDHL and HPCU


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Had about a week alongside on a trawler in Isafjordur, Iceland. Without a thought, I joined in the company radio sked to tell them what we were doing. Next thing you know this irate cop, about 6 foot 10o inches, a descendent of Erik the Red, turned up and told me to desist. I heard later that in those days all the communications ashore were by radio. Dunno if that's true but it would explain why they didn't want me blasting out. Sorry about that Scroblings.

John T


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