[Elecraft] KX1 strikes again - Cruise Ship Bootleg Operations (OT)

[Mike Morrow]

Ron wrote:

> ...ships use SSB on the HF bands for long distance communications 
> - both voice and data - on frequencies right in between the bands
> were us Hams "play" on HF. 

> The Safety of Life at Sea protocols never depend solely on satellite
> communications. 

Many hams, even the the days of the commercial Maritime Morse radio
officer (which ended July 12, 1999), exhibit a cavalier attitude
towards SOLAS issues.  In the Morse days, for example, it is NOT likely
that most hams would have recognized an SOS (which is sent as one
character ...---..., not three characters ... --- ..., quite radically
different in sound).

Disregarding issues of ham operation upon SOLAS communications, there
are regulatory issues.  At sea, the country of the ship's registry
would have jurisdiction over any ham operations.  Are ANY cruise ships
of US registry?  When in port, the host country has jurisdiction.  IIRC,
back in the Morse radio officer era, operation of the ship's Morse
station was prohibited in port.
 
I don't know how MF/HF USB use is controlled today in the GMDSS era.
Obviously use of a ship's VHF-FM is required in foreign ports for
SOLAS, piloting, and docking operations.  (The only foreign country
radio operation that I've ever done has been on VHF-FM as a USN
officer of the deck coming in and out of port.)

Do hams who operate from foreign registry ships use a call sign
indicating the country of ship's registry when at sea, and a call
sign of the host country when in port?  I'd be surprised.

Many will see such issues as mere technicalities from olden days that
don't apply any more.

> That's why it's often so difficult to get permission to operate a
> Ham rig on a ship - they are depending upon clear QRM-free communications 
> on frequencies very close to several Ham bands across the HF and VHF
> spectrums.

Plus, many QRP rigs have marginal spurious radiation specs, a situation
aggravated by use of a DDS frequency generation scheme without PLL.

Were I ship's master, I'd be reluctant to grant permission, based on the
jurisdictional issues alone.

> Ron AC7AC (Licensed GMDSS Maintainer and Operator). 

Be honest, Ron.  :-)  I suspect your commercial radiotelegraph license
is a source of greater pride for you.  I still regret letting my second
class telegraph license expire more than 15 years ago.  Are you maintaining
yours?

73,
Mike / KK5F