[Milsurplus] The old 2 MHz boat channels ?

[Mike Morrow]

The submitted tabulations are of frequencies that *could* be assigned specifically to coast stations.  There are others more important.  The distress and calling frequency of 2182 and a few others have been mentioned, but there were others assigned to USCG and general ship-to-ship traffic.

The ultimate source for all of these frequencies is the now-nonexistent Title 47 Part 83 of the US Code, section 83.351  (Part 83 was combined long ago into Part 80.)

You can read this section in a 40 year old CFR by using Google to find:

   83.351 radio

You may need to scroll the document that appears back about 15 pages to start section 83.351.

I have one of the small-boat AM transceivers nearby...a 1967 Pearce-Simpson Catalina 85 made in 1970.  It has a broadcast-band receiver, and is solid state except for three tubes including a 12JB6 PA in its 85 watt transmitter.  It cost $300 in 1967, equivalent to $2200 today.  In 15 years I've not found an instruction book.

The eight channels give good indication of where it was to be used:

CH   TRANS    RECV   CH LABEL
 1    none    1630   CANADA CG
 2    2142    2558   VANCOUVER
 3    2126    2522   SEATTLE
 4    2182    2182
 5    2638    2638   SHIP
 6    2670    2670   C GUARD
 7    2738    2738   SHIP
 8    2430    2482   SEATTLE

So...it looks like it's from Miami.  :-)

Mike / KK5F