2 points of information for boaters and pilots

1. The use of *CG as an emergency access to the Coast Guard is being
discontinued. Cell phone users needing CG assistance should dial 911.

2. After January 1, 2007, the use of 121.5 MHz ELT's will be ILLEGAL.
ELT's should be replaced with the 406 MHz EPIRB's

Source: "On Scene", the Journal of USCG Search and Rescue, Fall, 2006

wf3h wrote:
2 points of information for boaters and pilots

1. The use of *CG as an emergency access to the Coast Guard is being
discontinued. Cell phone users needing CG assistance should dial 911.


While it's always best to have a number of ways to communicate with an
emergency service, discontinuing *CG from cell phones may actually make
a lot of people safer on the water. We'll never know how many people
who really should have purchased a VHF for their boat didn't do so
because *CG seems to imply that the Coast Guard recommends cell phones
as a primary means for emergency communication.

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 22 Nov 2006 13:34:15 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:


wf3h wrote:
2 points of information for boaters and pilots

1. The use of *CG as an emergency access to the Coast Guard is being
discontinued. Cell phone users needing CG assistance should dial 911.

While it's always best to have a number of ways to communicate with an
emergency service, discontinuing *CG from cell phones may actually make
a lot of people safer on the water. We'll never know how many people
who really should have purchased a VHF for their boat didn't do so
because *CG seems to imply that the Coast Guard recommends cell phones
as a primary means for emergency communication.

That's an interesting point.

yes, the same issue of the magazine has a sidebar in the article
discussing the merits of VHF radio vs cellphones...

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 22 Nov 2006 12:14:46 -0800, "wf3h" wrote:

2 points of information for boaters and pilots

1. The use of *CG as an emergency access to the Coast Guard is being
discontinued. Cell phone users needing CG assistance should dial 911.

Hmmmm - I never knew you could access *CG via cell phone. I'll be
danged.


yeah we used to get calls at station sandy hook (NYC) all the
time...turns out *CG is close to the cingular quick number for
accessing billing info...folks couldn't understand why i couldn't help
'em with their bill...

Thanks for posting this. I was talking with several, especially Tom,
about a VHF in the boat I recently aquired. the old radio is junk, and
with cell phones, I was wondering if I should replace it or not. I've
just decided.


Thanks!






wf3h wrote:
Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 22 Nov 2006 13:34:15 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:


wf3h wrote:
2 points of information for boaters and pilots

1. The use of *CG as an emergency access to the Coast Guard is being
discontinued. Cell phone users needing CG assistance should dial 911.

While it's always best to have a number of ways to communicate with an
emergency service, discontinuing *CG from cell phones may actually make
a lot of people safer on the water. We'll never know how many people
who really should have purchased a VHF for their boat didn't do so
because *CG seems to imply that the Coast Guard recommends cell phones
as a primary means for emergency communication.

That's an interesting point.

yes, the same issue of the magazine has a sidebar in the article
discussing the merits of VHF radio vs cellphones...

wf3h wrote:
2. After January 1, 2007, the use of 121.5 MHz ELT's will be ILLEGAL.
ELT's should be replaced with the 406 MHz EPIRB's


Illegal, as in how? if you used the 121.5 MHz ELT would there somehow
be a fine imposed?

how does that work?

Tim wrote:
wf3h wrote:
2. After January 1, 2007, the use of 121.5 MHz ELT's will be ILLEGAL.
ELT's should be replaced with the 406 MHz EPIRB's


Illegal, as in how? if you used the 121.5 MHz ELT would there somehow
be a fine imposed?

how does that work?

actually no one's gonna complain if an actual emergency is indicated by
an ELT...BUT only 1/8 of all ELT signals turn out to be
emergencies....after 1/1/07 if one of those is triggered and the source
is identified, there could be a fine.

Tim wrote:
Thanks for posting this. I was talking with several, especially Tom,
about a VHF in the boat I recently aquired. the old radio is junk, and
with cell phones, I was wondering if I should replace it or not. I've
just decided.


Thanks!

glad to help. at the coast guard we always take the cell phone numbers
of boaters who call on VHF radio, but the radio is much more reliable
and effective than cell phones. all mariners listen to radio but a cell
phone call doesn't enable other boaters to assist.

Thank you so much.
Your info is greatly appreciated!

Tim


wf3h wrote:
Tim wrote:
Thanks for posting this. I was talking with several, especially Tom,
about a VHF in the boat I recently aquired. the old radio is junk, and
with cell phones, I was wondering if I should replace it or not. I've
just decided.


Thanks!

glad to help. at the coast guard we always take the cell phone numbers
of boaters who call on VHF radio, but the radio is much more reliable
and effective than cell phones. all mariners listen to radio but a cell
phone call doesn't enable other boaters to assist.

I am curious :

- how an ELT could be used on a boat ? (ELT for planes and EPIRB for boats)

- The use of 121.5 Mhz is still legal for general aviation, however it
won't be monitored after february 2007.

406 digital signal are hundred's time more efficient than 121.5Mhz, in
terms of identification, and localization.

A good alternative to ELT & EPIRB could be Personal Locator Beacons linked
to the person, not the ship/boat.

Cheers,

Rémy

F5LRR


Le Thu, 23 Nov 2006 05:48:07 +0100, wf3h a écrit:


Tim wrote:
wf3h wrote:
2. After January 1, 2007, the use of 121.5 MHz ELT's will be ILLEGAL.
ELT's should be replaced with the 406 MHz EPIRB's


Illegal, as in how? if you used the 121.5 MHz ELT would there somehow
be a fine imposed?

how does that work?

actually no one's gonna complain if an actual emergency is indicated by
an ELT...BUT only 1/8 of all ELT signals turn out to be
emergencies....after 1/1/07 if one of those is triggered and the source
is identified, there could be a fine.