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Old 29-08-2020, 18:24   #31
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

One of my favorite sailing stories- I was sailing from Tampa to the Keys, and around 2 am there were huge explosions off our 1 o’clock. Of course at night it’s almost impossible to tell distances, but looking at the charts it was a naval gunnery range And I’d say they were popping off less than 3-5 miles out.

A call to the USCG in St Pete got it turned off okay (and it was shockingly, an intelligible dialogue with them [taking needless cheap shots to keep the dialogue fun]).

But if you haven’t sailed toward explosions at night, you hadn’t lived!
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Old 29-08-2020, 18:26   #32
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

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What does it mean?


I'm very familiar with FFE, but not FFA (other than Free Fire Area which, unlike FFE is meaningless in the context of "Repeat")
You’re both playing off of “fire for effect”, I just assumed a typo because wer’e on a forum. God knows I produce a fair many of them. And when they do fire for effect; should you say repeat, they’ll do it again.

Which (for the team) is why if you want a message repeated, it’s always best to say “say again”. You never know when you’ll need the USCG to fire for effect to destroy the captain ron pirate boat, Albondiga (Meatball).. or say their message to you again about the log reported to be floating near Pickle Island.... which we’ve still yet to have been informed about.
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Old 29-08-2020, 18:31   #33
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

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WE now sailing in the US and we frequently hear the USCG on the radio. Despite being a European, I am a native english (american) speaker. The USCG broadcasts are unintelligible.

1 - They are speedtalkers like I've never heard before - they literally are talking so fast that even I can't follow what they say.
Won't comment on the rest, but I have definitely noticed this. On Lake Ontario you can tell in the first sentence which country's CG is calling, simply because the Americans talk twice as fast as the Canadians.
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Old 29-08-2020, 18:36   #34
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

Can I just put this here:

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Old 29-08-2020, 18:40   #35
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

Fire For "Affect"

That's the joke...
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Old 29-08-2020, 18:42   #36
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

Aaaaaand that’s a cavalryman. Pretty much enough said!
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Old 29-08-2020, 18:52   #37
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

USCG radio broadcast things that could be improved:
1. Background noise in the USCG radio room be it either idle chatter or other radio coms.
2. Lat/Lon given more rapidly than I can write and without a "I say again" repeat.
3. The use of local names not shown on charts, like "Felix McDougal Bridge".
4. English as a second language or non-standard accented operators.

The synthesized voices of NOAA and NMN / NMG weather broadcasts are generally easier for me to copy.

We actually listened to the Sector Charleston Broadcast Notices to Mariners for entertainment. It apparently was used as a training opportunity for complete beginners.

All that said, the new radio communications system is a great improvement in both range and signal clarity.

Bill
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Old 29-08-2020, 19:03   #38
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

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I nominate Pickle Island as the site for Cruiserforums’ first annual Captain Ron viewing festival.
Right on, Creedence!
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Old 29-08-2020, 20:49   #39
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

In all fairness most of us are past 40 and our hearing has deteriorated somewhat, mine quite a bit. Most of coasties on the radio are in their 20s , or late teens, and have much better hearing.

My hearing sensitivity has decreased some but my ability to filter the noise out of the signal has decreased significantly.

Thx-Ace
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Old 30-08-2020, 04:56   #40
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

On the other hand, every direct conversion I have had with the CG on the radio has always gone clearly. They do tend to want to switch to calling you on the phone if in range. But, those hourly messages etc. are just a bunch of radio noise most of the time.
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Old 30-08-2020, 05:35   #41
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

USCG radio operators are a mixed bag, so to speak. Some are quite good and some are as the OP said, poorly trained and unintelligible. Also, as some have noted, background noise can be very distracting and garble the transmission. I don't think this is such a difficult thing to correct if Lieutenants and higher-ups would give some stern and clear comms to the operator. Spitting out the Lat and Long and not repeating it is ridiculous, especially when not preceded by the general location/vicinity. The overuse of Lat and Long without geographic information is a symptom of button-pushing boaters who have a fancy chartplotter but don't know what point of land, body of water or buoy is nearby. However, what is really disturbing on VHF these days are the boating fools and rubes jabbering away, making the same call over and over, insulting people, making crass comments (often political...) hogging 16 etc etc.
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Old 30-08-2020, 06:10   #42
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

Quite a difference of opinions here. My Military background is from when the dinosaurs roamed the earth so I have no new experience from that. I do have a slight hearing loss (half an octave at the extreme high range in my right ear).


But I've made any number of training videos on various subjects and spoken in front of a multitude of gatherings. I went to radio school to get my GOC 5 years ago and in Denmark that means a week on the school bench learning not only about radios but how to use them.

Most USCG need to learn how to speak into a radio. They are supposed to be pro at his and they truly are not
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Old 30-08-2020, 06:11   #43
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

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However, what is really disturbing on VHF these days are the boating fools and rubes jabbering away, making the same call over and over, insulting people, making crass comments (often political...) hogging 16 etc etc.

The last time I heard someone make a crass and political comment on 16, USCG was right on point. Not even 10 seconds from the offender un-keying his mic to the coasties chewing him out for it.
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Old 30-08-2020, 07:26   #44
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

They are poorly trained. I would be surprised if they even have their General Operators License at all. They would fail examination in a horrible way.

I am sure they do it on purpose, probably their idea of being very operator, macho like. Time for change and falling in with International levels of competence and certification.
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Old 30-08-2020, 07:36   #45
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Re: Why is the CG Unintelligible When They are on the Radio?

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They are poorly trained. I would be surprised if they even have their General Operators License at all. They would fail examination in a horrible way.

I am sure they do it on purpose, probably their idea of being very operator, macho like. Time for change and falling in with International levels of competence and certification.
They actually go to a resident school that's far more involved than simply taking the GROL. It would make far more sense to improve the school since there is a lot there that isn't covered or required for the GROL (they do a lot more than just sitting there operating a radio, in case that's what you thought). Generally the military does their own certifications. The two 3,000 hour helicopter pilots that save you wouldn't even have a private pilot's license unless they went out to get it on their own. Would you call them incompetent on that basis, or better yet turn down that ride based on lack of competency if you needed it?
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