Coast Guard using US mode on radio

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by requiem

My Uniden handheld lacks an 83A, but its idea of channel 83 aligns with what your radio calls 83A.

Good thing for Canadians with Unidens to know. In fact, I have one, too! Thanks. It's my f-i-l's and lives at the house, I should go look to see if he still has the manual.



Since where you are means you don't "get to use" 83A (or your 83!!!) unless you're not sailing on SF Bay!



Thanks again for noting that. Good idea to RTFM...

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

Here in BC what the CCG say is "switch to channel 8 3 alpha, that's channel 8 3 in the US mode"

So you can stay in Canada mode on channel 83A, or if you've got your radio set in USA mode I presume the same frequency is called channel 83 ... No need to change mode ( unless maybe you've just crossed an ocean and have your radio in International mode) ... Just go to 83A or 83 accordingly.

Our radio, set to US mode, has 22A and 83A, each so-marked. (No 22, no 83) And when USCG around here directs a change, as from Ch 16, they say 22A (usually used) or 83A (occasionally used).

-Chris

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

Here in BC what the CCG say is "switch to channel 8 3 alpha, that's channel 8 3 in the US mode"

So you can stay in Canada mode on channel 83A, or if you've got your radio set in USA mode I presume the same frequency is called channel 83 ... No need to change mode ( unless maybe you've just crossed an ocean and have your radio in International mode) ... Just go to 83A or 83 accordingly.

Another way to say this, also based on requiem's post, is that folks planning to cruise from the US to Canada ought to check their VHF's manuals to make sure that their 83 could actually well be 83A BASED ON THE FREQUENCIES.


Did I say RTFM yet agian?!?:big grin:

[Montanan]

[QUOTE=stormalong;2915858]Nope, not right. Most of the VHF marine channels are simplex - One frequency for transmit and receive. Only the old public correspondence channels are duplex - different channels for transmit and receive.

If the normal channels were duplex you could not hear both sides of the conversation on a simple receiver. The old public correspondence channels were duplex specifically so that most eavesdroppers could not hear both sides of the conversation.[/QUOTE]

Which is why I so miss the partyline telephone service, one just doesn't have the ability to keep up with what's happening with the neighbors anymore.

Haven't read through all the discussion but if one is in ear shot of the Canadian US border why not just deploy two radios to cover the spectrum and have one on each mode.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Our radio, set to US mode, has 22A and 83A, each so-marked. (No 22, no 83) And when USCG around here directs a change, as from Ch 16, they say 22A (usually used) or 83A (occasionally used).

-Chris

Perhaps we got our radiowaves crossed, but I think that frequency got nothing to do with it.

Canadian English speakers often end their statements with Eh. It is a standard confirmational, so when they direct a change to say Channel 22 it comes out 22Eh, and similarly with 83, a Canadian English speaker will say 83Eh.

In Quebec they will likely state ouin, for yeah.

To learn more about Canadian English and Eh watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El41sHXck-E

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Montanan

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Haven't read through all the discussion but if one is in ear shot of the Canadian US border why not just deploy two radios to cover the spectrum and have one on each mode.

Ah, party lines, brings back memories.


However, VHF is just like one. Think about it. Of course, with the new MMSI and DSC stuff one can get off the party line if one chooses to do so.


Having read the discussion, you'll find out the issue is really NOT the mode for the OP as long as he doesn't incorrectly use I when he's physically within U or C.


And we Canadians believe the only people who say eh? are from Minnesota and the movie FARGO.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by wedivebc

I'm sorry but you are wrong. When CCG has you switch channels they insist you also switch to US mode, if you stay in int mode or whatever the default for our radios are you can't hear them until you switch.

Why would you ever have your VHF set to International?
Set it to US mode & leave it there as long as you stay in North America.
There is no reason to change to I mode.
All the A channels 22A,83A,etc are only A (Simplex) when you are in USA mode.




Len

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Ah, party lines, brings back memories.

. . .

And we Canadians believe the only people who say eh? are from Minnesota and the movie FARGO.

Minnesotan and North Dakotans, ya sure, ya betcha, they are so fair game for joking about here in Montana, Eh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkbOAKfM-bk

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Perhaps we got our radiowaves crossed, but I think that frequency got nothing to do with it.

Canadian English speakers often end their statements with Eh. It is a standard confirmational, so when they direct a change to say Channel 22 it comes out 22Eh, and similarly with 83, a Canadian English speaker will say 83Eh.

Yah, could be that, eh?

But actually, in our broadcasts we'd really say "22 Alpha" and "83 Alpha". And you knew that already, eh?



-Chris

[txg]

Regardless of the history of this problem it is quite rude that the US Coastguard is using non-international channels for their safety traffic.



We use a Lowrance Link-8, which is a recent VHF and Lowrance actually is an American company. But as we bought ours in Germany, it is a EU model and as far as i know there is no way to switch it to US-mode. So there is no 22A on it.



For us, this meant always hearing the "switch to 22A"-calls on 16, but without being able to actually listen to them.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by txg

Regardless of the history of this problem it is quite rude that the US Coastguard is using non-international channels for their safety traffic.


We use a Lowrance Link-8, which is a recent VHF and Lowrance actually is an American company. But as we bought ours in Germany, it is a EU model and as far as i know there is no way to switch it to US-mode. So there is no 22A on it.


For us, this meant always hearing the "switch to 22A"-calls on 16, but without being able to actually listen to them.

Welcome to the Land of Oz.

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

"When in Rome, do as Romans do."

In the USA, one dials 911 for emergency service dispatch and notification. In the UK 999 is the official number but since the UK is a part of the EU they will also answer if you dial the pan-European #112, well at least until perhaps Brexiting, yet to be determined. In the USA it is easy to recall 911 since that is the month / day date for when the Twin Towers were destroyed, albeit the number predates that terroristic event. Yet in Europe and most of the rest of the world dates are listed as Day / Month / Year. But then one needs to be on the same page as to which calendar they are using, else confusion runs deep.

There is nothing "rude" about not using the 161.700 frequency for maritime purposes in the USA or Canada. But feel free to use such for having discussion with the railroads. The spectrum of 161.000 to 161.450 MHz [the bandwidth of VHF Channels 18 through 27] are part of the spectrum allocation to the Association of American Railroads channels used by railways in the US and Canada. Both Canada and the US are part of the Americas, [a.k.a. The New World to Europeans].

Whereas 157.050 and 157.150 [a.k.a. Channel 21 and 23] are for US Coast Guard communication only, and 157.100 [a.k.a. Channel 22, Channel 22 A or Channel 22 Alpha, Eh.] is the U.S. Coast Guard public working channel.

Of special note: Regionally, along the coast of British Columbia, the Canadian Coast Guard public operations moved from 22A to 04A to avoid interference from USCG stations in northern Washington state. [Haven't yet understood why Canada calls one of their provinces British Columbia; I suppose so as to differentiate between Spanish Columbia and Russian Columbia.


Channel 3, 61 and 64 are illegal to use in the USA. Yet some radios [e.g., certain EU models] enable channels 3A, 61A, and 64A when configured for "USA mode" even though those channels are allocated exclusively for Public Safety use by the US Federal Communication Commission [FCC]. The frequencies 156.075, 156.150, and 156.225 MHz are used for interoperability communication by police and fire departments in many areas.

Channel 22A [157.100] is reserved for communication between the U.S. Coast Guard vessels and private vessels. The US Coast Guard does not monitor 22A: Contact must first be established on 16.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by txg

Regardless of the history of this problem it is quite rude that the US Coastguard is using non-international channels for their safety traffic.



We use a Lowrance Link-8, which is a recent VHF and Lowrance actually is an American company. But as we bought ours in Germany, it is a EU model and as far as i know there is no way to switch it to US-mode. So there is no 22A on it.



For us, this meant always hearing the "switch to 22A"-calls on 16, but without being able to actually listen to them.

If I buy a VHF radio in the US virtually all of them have 3 options for channel selections: US, Canadian or International. Do radios sold in your country not have these options?

[Brian.D]

Channel 22A has been redesignated as 1022. All the "A" channels have redesignations of 10xx. The "B" channels will be 20xx. Not sure when this will happen, but just be aware that there will be a change. So in the future, all new radios may have a Channel 22 and Channel 1022.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Brian.D

Channel 22A has been redesignated as 1022. All the "A" channels have redesignations of 10xx. The "B" channels will be 20xx. Not sure when this will happen, but just be aware that there will be a change. So in the future, all new radios may have a Channel 22 and Channel 1022.

Ten - Four that, Good Buddy.

I suppose while at dockside on could just use Channel 25, a.k.a. the telephone.

Strongly recommend referencing to the U.S. Department Homeland Security - U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center web page regarding INTERNATIONAL VHF MARINE RADIO CHANNELS AND FREQUENCIES which table provides explicit guidance of this furtherance of a confusing mess.

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=apps18

New VHF Marine Channels Approved for 2017

Due to the increased need of more marine VHF channels for VTS, commercial requirements, and port operations, a recent ITU World Radio Conference has authorized and developed a new channel plan for the VHF marine radio frequencies. This new channel plan will take effect January 1, 2017.


How will this affect the international frequency plan?

Besides having to either upgrade your existing radio or buy a new one (I imagine the major VHF marine radio manufacturers are loving this,) the plan is to take the current channels 19, 20, 78, and 79, currently duplex, and split them into 8 new simplex channels.

Here is an example:

For most places, everywhere but the America’s, channel 19 is a duplex channel (using different frequencies to transmit and receive on) with a ship transmit frequency of 156.950 MHz and coast transmit (ship receive) frequency of 161.550 MHz. Beginning January 2017 the ship transmit frequency of 156.950 MHz will become the new channel 1019 and the coast transmit frequency of 161.550 MHz becomes channel 2019.

The 8 newly created channels will be as follows - 1019, 2019, 1020, 2020, 1078, 2078, 1079, and 2079. All of these new channels have been dedicated to Port Operations and Ship Movement by the ITU. It remains to be seen if member state governments will provide relief to the recreational boater by reassigning any of these new channels to Non-Commercial usage.


What changes will we see in North America?

Well to start, beginning January 1, 2017.

In the United States

All "Alpha Channels" will drop the "Alpha" and will change their designations to (4) digit channel numbers beginning with "10" and then the old channel number. But the change in numerical designation affects only the "Alpha Channels", Eh.

Here are the changes:

Channel 01A becomes 1001, 05A becomes 1005, 07A becomes 1007, 18A becomes 1018, 19A becomes 1019, 20A becomes 1020, 21A becomes 1021, 22A becomes 1022, 23A becomes 1023, 63A becomes 1063, 65A becomes 1065, 66A becomes 1066, 78A becomes 1078, 79A becomes 1079, 80A becomes 1080, 81A becomes 1081, 82A becomes 1082, and 83A becomes 1083.

This looks more onerous than it actually is. The frequency of the "Alpha" channel and the new "10nn"(4) digit channel does not change. The problem is for persons with older radios having to take the time to determine what channel to switch to when asked to switch to channel 1018.

The following channels will be available for "VDSMS" (VHF Digital Small Message Services): 1007, 10, 11, 1018, 1019, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 68, 69, 71, 72, 1078, 1079, 1080, 84, 85, 86, 87, and 88.

Channels 27, 87, 28 and 88 may be used for testing of new AIS applications.

The frequency 160.9 MHz (a spare Coast Station transmit frequency between channels 65 and 66) may be used for testing of new applications. This will be known as channel 2006.

In Canada

For the great majority of boaters in Region 2, these changes should have little or no impact to their normal VHF communications requirements.

[zeehag]

ps usa channels are also used in mexico. if you wish to be heard, that is...