# Modern Radios?



## Lifeboat1721 (Mar 15, 2007)

Now that almost everything is going Digital I wonder if the Marine Band will Ever go Digital(H) 

Personally I don't think it will because it is used world wide and Chanel 16 (156.800) is used all over the world.

The Air bands are starting to get more crammed with All sorts of Modern equipment that equipment now has to be more finer tuned than before.

Ian


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

the marine v.h.f. band now incorprates digital selective calling (d.s.c.) which is digital..................

channel 70 is the "calling channel"........indicating the "working channel" to be used thereafter,on telephony, as part of the call.

similarly, on the m.f. anf h.f. marine bands....... d.s.c. channels have been allocated for calling for distress, urgency and safety ....... and working.

channels 2187.5khz (m.f.)........and others on the h.f. bands (8414.5mhz being perhaps the principle one) are used for medium and long range working.


best regards...............


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## Dave437 (Aug 29, 2006)

one of my colleagues (ok, retired seaman!) suggests that this modern idea about everything going "digital" is merely a ploy to gain work for the electronics industry. Why do our TVs and domestic radios have to go digital? What is wrong with the old Analogue system? It works ok and I seem to remember from my own seafaring days that if something works...DON'T FIX IT!
Dave


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

if you take your t.v. for example.........it once had a handfull of analogue channels bbc1 bbc2 a couple of independant channels and all using mono sound or expensive nicam....... poor quality and sometimes prone to atmospherics

with the use of a set top box (digital) you can receive dozens of channels......t.v and radio.....all of a high technical quality.....and stereo reception.
this also, of course, applies to sky or any other satellite system.

the advance in digital electronics has brought the internet (s.n.) to your home....with all its advantages............ this also applies to mobile phones.

the jobs question.......

if anything, the digital advance has reduced the job sector in some ways.
how many t.v. or radio repair shops do you know of?
the business is not geared to repair. it is geared to a simple replacement.
the cost of repairing a modern h.d. ready t.v.....including the transportation..packing...administration....costs of repair workshops and upkeep....cost of holding spare parts on site....wages of skilled repair engineers etc is huge. much easier to make a simple replacement......usually cheaper too.
the unit costs of a modern h.d.t.v......built in china.....packed....shipped to the u.k......delivered to your supermarket must be a lot less than £100..........as that is what one is selling for in my local shop........they are built for about £20, i believe.

mobile phones, for example, are not repaired, for the simple reason the "surface mounted" components are virtually microscopic. the same applies to the components of a modern t.v. or radio.

the "throw away technology" applies to the digiboom more than anything else.

try taking your car to a garage with a problem and coming away with a bill for less than £100......... not easy.


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## tunatownshipwreck (Nov 9, 2005)

Any R/Os here use packet radio?


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

too much like work tuna...........


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## nigeloliver (Feb 15, 2008)

Hi can anyone advise me as to what sort of hand held radio should I get to pick up the coast guards in the dover/folkestone areas. Any help would be appreciated Nigel


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

any marine v.h.f. handheld transciever as sold in any yachting mart will do, nigel.

try the well known online sites for starters


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## spongebob (Dec 11, 2007)

I can remember my Dad buying an old ZC1 trans/receiver ex Army after the war,
they were the ultimate then.


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## Lifeboat1721 (Mar 15, 2007)

nigeloliver said:


> Hi can anyone advise me as to what sort of hand held radio should I get to pick up the coast guards in the dover/folkestone areas. Any help would be appreciated Nigel


And don't forget in theory you now need a License to work/or listen to Marine band.

Ian


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

very true............


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## Lifeboat1721 (Mar 15, 2007)

R651400 said:


> That was always the case Ian. When I worked at Stonehaven/GND we had occasional Sunday visits from trawler skippers and their families.
> Wives openly admitted receiving catch and arrival messages from their husbands using a Pam transistorised domestic receiver which had the marine band.
> A blind eye was turned by all knowing their was a box of fresh fish in the car for the lads.


I have Always been mad on Radio equipment ever since I was a kid, I got my Amateur radio licence back in the 70's and took my Marine radio course at Fleetwood Nautical college in the 80's.

I now have Scanners that monitor Marine and now the Old licence is now out of date since they brought out the new ones.

Ian


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## Jim Moon (Mar 22, 2008)

The IMO are sounding out about to discuss GMDSS Mk2, so probably another round of radio changes on the way - well in about 10 years or so.


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