'Roger' does not mean 'Yes'

[rwidman]

Getting a bit racist aren't we?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

.............2. Ron, what is it so hard for some to understand that things are different in different parts of the globe? It's a courtesy to state what channel you're using TO SOME OF US. What the hell is wrong with that? Once we've established comms, then we don't say it all the time.

Dude! Don't get your panties into a bunch.

All of this is for entertainment only. Nobody ever changes their mind because of what someone said on a web forum.

[JPA Cate]

All of this is for entertainment only. Nobody ever changes their mind because of what someone said on a web forum.

So, Ron, shall we view all your posts as idle thoughts or perhaps little jokes for our entertainment?

Jim

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Dude! Don't get your panties into a bunch.

All of this is for entertainment only. Nobody ever changes their mind because of what someone said on a web forum.

Except that you're normally so good and rational.

Heck, even Monte eventually "Got It!"

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

So, Ron, shall we view all your posts as idle thoughts or perhaps little jokes for our entertainment?

Jim

View them how you please. If you think what I suggest is a good idea, try it. If not, ignore it.

Go through any thread and you'll find half the people saying "white" and half saying "black". They can't all be right.

I've seen some pretty ignorant posts on forums, especially when it comes to electricity. I try to post reality but in the end, it's up to the reader to decide who is right or who is wrong.

So back to topic:

Calling a bridge tender, around here, it's either channel 9 or channel 13 depending on the state. From SC south it's channel 9. The bridge tender monitors the dedicated channel so it seem foolish to hail "XYZ bridge on channel 9" when that's the only channel he or she monitors. Likewise, since channel 16 is the designated hailing channel around here, I have never had difficulty hailing a marina on channel 16 without specifying what channel I am on. Or another boater.

Some folks like to make life more difficult so if that pleases them, fine.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by rwidman

View them how you please. If you think what I suggest is a good idea, try it. If not, ignore it.

Some folks like to make life more difficult so if that pleases them, fine.

You're missing the point.

Is that black or white?

[FamilyVan]

Originally Posted by rwidman

View them how you please. If you think what I suggest is a good idea, try it. If not, ignore it.

Go through any thread and you'll find half the people saying "white" and half saying "black". They can't all be right.

I've seen some pretty ignorant posts on forums, especially when it comes to electricity. I try to post reality but in the end, it's up to the reader to decide who is right or who is wrong.

So back to topic:

Calling a bridge tender, around here, it's either channel 9 or channel 13 depending on the state. From SC south it's channel 9. The bridge tender monitors the dedicated channel so it seem foolish to hail "XYZ bridge on channel 9" when that's the only channel he or she monitors. Likewise, since channel 16 is the designated hailing channel around here, I have never had difficulty hailing a marina on channel 16 without specifying what channel I am on. Or another boater.

Some folks like to make life more difficult so if that pleases them, fine.

It's not about making life more difficult. It makes it easier. If I'm scanning a half dozen channels on a couple of different radios, it makes it easier, not harder if people state their channel. Youre fortunate you operate in an area with only three important channels, but not every where is a 3 channel area, some places are too busy for 3 channels.

If you have any more than one continuously monitored channel, it's nice to know what channel to respond on. I was at work today, doing radio checks on our rescue craft. I called cg on 16, I was directed to 26, cg couldn't hear me, they then directed me to 24, I had my secondary VHF on 18/16 to monitor local traffic and had my encrypted radio scanning security, marine ops, guest services and management channels. I wasn't even doing anything complicated and had 8 radio channels on the go and 3 radios on the go at once. I find it helpful if the caller lets me know where they're calling from, since I don't spend my day staring at my radios.

As far as Roger is concerned, I don't have an issue with it as long as its used correctly, same with 10 codes, as long as the guy on the other end knows what you're talking about, you can speak in martian for all I care.

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[markpierce]

Never done a radio check. (Radio transmission has always worked! and monitoring/scanning regular channels like 16, 14, 13, 9, and 22 confirms reception.) Since there is a nearby-to-my-berth bridge tender (without using 16) and felt the need, I'd call the bridge guy, and when he responds, wish him a pleasant day or ask his operating hours. In the same way, most marinas monitor VHF radio.

[dohenyboy]

The correct response is "roger dodger, you old codger"


Why can't things remain where i carelessly left them?

[FamilyVan]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Never done a radio check. (Radio transmission has always worked! and monitoring/scanning regular channels like 16, 14, 13, 9, and 22 confirms reception.) Since there is a nearby-to-my-berth bridge tender (without using 16) and felt the need, I'd call the bridge guy, and when he responds, wish him a pleasant day or ask his operating hours. In the same way, most marinas monitor VHF radio.

Radio checks have value. In the above example I wasn't testing the radio on the familyvan, I was checking the radios on one of the companies dedicated rescue/tow vessels. A 70' 1400 hp jet boat. Our Safety Management System requires that we verify our radios functioning at the start of every shift. The best way to do that is with a radio check.

I do radio checks on my own sailboat before heading more than 10 miles or so off shore. Cheap insurance knowing the Coast Guard is listening and can hear you. I'm fairly recently ex CG myself, know most of the VTS operators and know they really don't mind, most of them take their jobs quite seriously and are more than happy to contribute to somebody's safety on the water.

What they don't like are those annoying loud folks who can't follow some kind of decorum and just scream "radio check radio check" onto 16. No no. Follow proper radio etiquette. Establish communication. Once communication is established, CG or whoever will direct you to a working channel. Once on a working channel politely say that you are doing a radio check and they will happily report the strength and quality of your transmission.

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by rwidman

So back to topic:

Calling a bridge tender, around here, it's either channel 9 or channel 13 depending on the state. From SC south it's channel 9. The bridge tender monitors the dedicated channel so it seem foolish to hail "XYZ bridge on channel 9" when that's the only channel he or she monitors. Likewise, since channel 16 is the designated hailing channel around here, I have never had difficulty hailing a marina on channel 16 without specifying what channel I am on. Or another boater.

Some folks like to make life more difficult so if that pleases them, fine.

You're missing the point. If there's no chance of ambiguity, then there's no reason to state the channel - for established procedures like hailing bridges on 9, or calling VTS on the traffic channel it's obvious what channel you're on. But the marina example is not. Many marinas have a working channel, and if you've been in marina offices you often see two identical radio sets on top of a filing cabinet behind the desk(s) of the staff - one on 16 and the other set on the working channel. It takes very little effort to state what channel you're calling on, and is generally appreciated. Ditto if you hail on bridge-to-bridge or call a boat on the VTS channel.

[sailorboy1]

146 post and 8 pages, Roger that!

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

You're missing the point. If there's no chance of ambiguity, then there's no reason to state the channel - for established procedures like hailing bridges on 9, or calling VTS on the traffic channel it's obvious what channel you're on. But the marina example is not. Many marinas have a working channel, and if you've been in marina offices you often see two identical radio sets on top of a filing cabinet behind the desk(s) of the staff - one on 16 and the other set on the working channel. It takes very little effort to state what channel you're calling on, and is generally appreciated. Ditto if you hail on bridge-to-bridge or call a boat on the VTS channel.

Not missing anything. I don't agree with your "point".

The marina is expecting arriving boats to hail them on channel 16. That's why it's called the "hailing channel".

Once communication has been established, they ask the boater to go to their working channel.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by rwidman

The marina is expecting arriving boats to hail them on channel 16. That's why it's called the "hailing channel".

Actually it's called the "International calling and distress" channel. If you know a marina's working channel, you should be hailing on that, to reduce congestion on 16. If you don't know the working channel, or there's no answer on it, then you hail on 16.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Actually it's called the "International calling and distress" channel. If you know a marina's working channel, you should be hailing on that, to reduce congestion on 16. If you don't know the working channel, or there's no answer on it, then you hail on 16.

Amen!!

These days with cruising guides, Active Captain etc., etc. finding out a marina, club or fuel docks working channel takes but a few seconds. Still this level of work becomes too difficult for some boaters and less and less monitor VHF 16 because of all the needless traffic. VHF 16 fails to be an effective distress channel if fellow boaters are not monitoring it because some boaters insist on needlessly using it like its Facebook or for hailing marinas etc. that already have a working channel.....