[Ares-races] VHF Marine Band question

Sun, 14 Dec 2003 11:38:45 -0500

  I'm not looking to start another firestorm on the subject, but when the
use of any frequency in a life or property emergency was discussed, I simply
mentioned that I had read the same thing in my original "Now You're Talking"
book from ARRL while studying for my original license.
  My daughter is now studying for her license and has the latest edition,
5th, of "Now You're Talking!" which says the same thing I remember.
  On page 4.6 of Chapter 4, the topic of Distress Calls is presented and the
following statement goes along with what I remember from my previous reading
of an earlier edition, "In a life or property-threatening emergency, you may
send a distress call on any frequency, even outside the amateur bands, if
you think doing so will bring help faster."
  I have uploaded the scanned page to
http://www.imagestation.com/mypictures/inbox/view.html?id=4199369021&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imagestation.com%2Fpicture%2Fsraid93%2Fp834a6de700458ac3685ee20fb81a46bc%2Ffa4d493d.jpg&caption=emergency%20comm%20in%20now%20you%27re%20talking%205th%20ed
  The page also touches on something else that bugs me in real life.  It is
common to hear people say Break on the repeaters and even HF, and you hear
net operators say to call a double break in case of an emergency.  I got
into a conversation years back about this practice.  The same page says not
to use the word Break unless you have a real emergency and that all
communication should be halted with the mention of Break to accept the
emergency call.
  I'm not trying to start a war here; I just wanted to finally show some
documentation to back up my input on the subject.

73,
David AE4YM

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "N4AOF" <[email protected]>
To: "Rick Abbott" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 9:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Ares-races] VHF Marine Band question

> This reply is going to start a firestorm but let me point out that there
> is NO SUCH THING as "any frequency anywhere is ok in emergency" anywhere
> in the FCC Rules and Regulations.
>
> Each service has its own provisions for emergency operation and most of
> them do NOT authorize unlicensed operation even in an emergency.
>
> There is also a general provision for emergency operations in Part 2,
> Section 2.405  which covers all licensed services "except amateur,
> standard broadcast, FM broadcast, noncommercial educational FM
> broadcast, or television broadcast".  For those services covered by
> 2.405, the authorization is specifically limited to "the licensee..."
>
> The idea of "Any frequency anywhere is ok in emergency" is a common ham
> operator misreading of the emergency operations provision in Part 97 -- 
> a more accurate reading would be "Any Ham Frequency, by Any Licensed Ham
> Operator of Any Class, Anywhere Regulated by the FCC" -- NOTHING in Part
> 97 applies to any non-ham frequency.
>
> Part 80, Section 80.13 is absolutely clear: "(a) Except as noted in
> paragraph (c) of this section, stations in the maritime service must be
> licensed by the FCC either individually or by fleet."  Paragraph (c)
> goes on to say "A ship station is licensed by rule and does not need an
> individual license issued by the FCC if the ship station is not subject
> to the radio equipment carriage requirements any statute, treaty or
> agreement to which the United States is signatory, the ship station does
> not travel to foreign ports, and the ship station does not make
> international communications."
>
> Section 80.15 covers eligibility; 80.39 covers shore station locations;
> and 80.47 covers "Operation during emergency."
>
> Section 80.47 says "A station may be used for emergency communications
> when normal communication facilities are disrupted. The Commission may
> order the discontinuance of any such emergency communication service."
>
> 73 de N4AOF
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Rick Abbott" <[email protected]>
> To: "Ares-Races@Mailman. Qth. Net (E-mail)" <[email protected]>
> Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 09:01
> Subject: [Ares-races] VHF Marine Band question
>
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > Our group just picked up a used VHF Marine Radio. I was going to get
> this up
> > and running in our club station which is our backup EOC. The intent
> was that
> > we could possibly assist in any emergency that happens on the water.
> We are
> > on the Wisconsin River and there are numerous recreational lakes in
> the
> > county. I know you do not need a FCC license for VHF Marine but the
> rules
> > say you cannot xmit when boat is on land. So then I read more of the
> rules
> > and am confused. They mention coastal stations and other public land
> > stations and these seem to require a license. I wonder if we could
> still
> > utilize this radio on land but only in emergency situations, kind of
> like
> > the any frequency anywhere is ok in emergency (damage to life or
> property
> > threatening of course). Can anyone shed some light on this? Any other
> ARES
> > units doing a similar thing?
> >
> >
> >
> > Rick Abbott-WX9M
> > Emergency Coordinator
> > Portage County
> > Wisconsin ARES/RACES
> > [email protected]
> >
> >
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>
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