As many of you know, the Coast Guard published a notice last
April(http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/..._WX_Notice.pdf)
noting that their high power high frequency (HF) transmitters were at the
end of their useful life, and asking whether a need existed for them to
continue broadcasting high seas weather forecasts and warnings by single
sideband voice, facsimile charts and text. VHF broadcasts (channel 22 and
NOAA Weather Radio) and NAVTEX are not affected. High frequency distress
watchkeeping is not affected either, though in the future it may be if
transmitters cannot be replaced.

So far about 900 comments have been posted at http://dms.dot.gov/. A half
dozen or so commenters say HF broadcasts are no longer necessary, but the
majority want them retained. Comments can be read online.

The comment period closes on August 24th, about ten days from now. Once
closed, ABS Consulting, under contract to the Coast Guard, will use those
comments in preparing a business case study to the Coast Guard regarding the
continuation of these broadcasts. The Coast Guard plans to publicly release
that study after it is completed, about six months from now. Continuation
of these broadcasts may depend however on whether Congress decides to
appropriate funding for their replacement; so far they have not done so.
Agencies are prohibited from spending money Congress has not appropriated.
Excepting Guam, 20 such Coast Guard high power transmitters are used to
broadcast weather, each of which cost about $200,000 US to purchase and
install ($4 million total).

Today the Coast Guard posted a webpage describing the situation. See
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/...-WX_notice.htm

(note the $20M total on the webpage refers to the cost to replace all Coast
Guard high power HF transmitters, not just those used for weather
broadcasts. That error will be corrected.)

If you sail in areas outside those covered by VHF broadcasts and have not
already posted comments to dms.dot.gov, please do so by the 24th of August.
If you do send in comments, please provide as complete information as
possible: who you are, where you sail, and why the information can't be
obtained by other means.

JoeHersey

Dave wrote in
:

On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 21:35:40 GMT, "JOSEPH D HERSEY"
said:

A half
dozen or so commenters say HF broadcasts are no longer necessary, but
the majority want them retained.

Hmm. Obviously the free lunch bunch is out in force.


Why is it every time a citizen wants his government to do something for
him, in his own interest, he's automatically branded as some kind of
freeloader? Who brainwashes us into this thinking, TV? Schools? Mom?

How much tax has Cap'n Joe Dokes, owner of a nice Something 41 and Joe
Dokes & Associates, LLC, a successful business making $2.2M in 2006 paid
INTO his government in all his taxes, corporate taxes, employee taxes,
fees, and other government ripoffs since he was 16 and started working at
McDonald's after school?

I hope you're not REALLY so stupid to think ol Joe is getting this minor
inconvenience to the Illuminati's World Conquest for free.....He's
PREPAID!

If we'd bring ALL our troops home from overseas and mind our own damned
business for a change, instead of trying to keep the war machine running
and fed by Joe, we could have a new CG HF transmitter every 3.8 minutes
and STILL have enough money left over to pay a crew of techs to run every
one of them, 24/7/365. We can start in the morning?

Elect me president and ALL government services will be WITHOUT FEES to
anyone who needs them. Every citizen of the USA has already paid out
their asses for every tiny bit of recovered services they get.....

"Dave" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:41:40 +0000, Larry said:

Why is it every time a citizen wants his government to do something for
him, in his own interest, he's automatically branded as some kind of
freeloader?

Maybe because he's been suckered into the classic slight of hand of the
politician--"I'm gonna give you something and the other guy's gonna pay
for
it"?

If the Gummit wants to stop all services, I'm fine with that; 'slong as they
also stop all taxes.

"Dave" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:50:56 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
said:

Why is it every time a citizen wants his government to do something for
him, in his own interest, he's automatically branded as some kind of
freeloader?

Maybe because he's been suckered into the classic slight of hand of the
politician--"I'm gonna give you something and the other guy's gonna pay
for
it"?

If the Gummit wants to stop all services, I'm fine with that; 'slong as
they
also stop all taxes.

Not to worry. They'll only raise taxes on the other fellah.

T'ain't my philosophy. Nor my politics. I do not want ANYONE taxed for my
gain.

KLC Lewis wrote:

T'ain't my philosophy. Nor my politics. I do not want ANYONE taxed for my
gain.

ahh...self-interest...what greater, more noble motivation for human enterprise could there be?