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Mudcrab
09-03-2004, 06:31 AM
Next course is Tuesday 16th. and 17th. March commencing at 7.00 pm at Volunteer Marine Rescue Victoria Point.
Base is located at the end of Colburn Avenue from where you hang a lefty and head for the rescue boats. We have about five or six vacancies at this stage.
You will need to bring a cheque or cash for $64.00 to cover the cost of the Manual and the Examination. The course runs over the two nights and everybody has a natter over a common date to do the one hour examination. Please give me a call on 0407 029 704 to confirm.
Ian Fischer

Lucky_Phill
09-03-2004, 01:28 PM
answer ya phone Ian ! ;D

Phill

searaider
09-03-2004, 04:33 PM
Hi Ian ,
Is this course for a VHF radio lisence ,if so I may be interested .
How long does it go each night ?
How long after the training would you normaly have the exam ?
I know you said the class has to decide , but do you normaly have the exam on a week night ?

Regards
Peter Searaider 2

adamleah
09-03-2004, 05:38 PM
I was all keen to go until you mentioned the 16&17th March... Im getting married this weekend so don't think the missus will let me come along on our honeymoon... ??? ???

When do you think the next one will be organised for , because I will definately be there ... 8)


Adam

Lucky_Phill
10-03-2004, 01:51 PM
Well, I'm in and ready.

Not a VHF licence Peter, it is a Radio Operators course with a certifcate at the completion of exam,. That means it'll give you a good understanding of proceedures etc, on the use of marine radios. This course is also a pre-requesite for a deckies ticket, coxswains etc.

Also, we'll have to decide on date for exam, but definatley as soon as possible after course !

cya ya's there. ( course from 7pm - 10pm Tues & Wed night )

Phill ;D

subzero
20-03-2004, 04:51 PM
Hi all. Bit late now because the course has been run, but I will just clarify a couple of quick points.
Their are 2 types of liscences. MROCP and the MROVCP. (Plus their is a Satelite endorsement if required).The MROVCP is the liscence most have opted to do and it is an actual liscence. The V in MROVCP stands for VHF only, and it removes the need to study for the MF/HF parts of the exam and therefore to answer a few less multiple choice questions, and do a whole lot less study. Both are recognised internationaly if you intend on travelling overseas.
The full title, Marine Radio Operators CERTIFICATE of Proficiency lead's a little to people missunderstanding the value of this accreditation.
With regard's to another course, I am sure we will do another one within a couple of months.
Hope this clears it up for you
Safe Boating
Lloyd

merv
20-03-2004, 05:46 PM
could you please tell me why we need a ticket for these sets .i bought a new set 9 months ago off my marine dealer where i purchased my rig and was told after several phone calls after asking if a licence or anything req.was assured no i didn;t need .now i have owned roadtrains with long range radios and cb s and i know you have a certain group of people that missuse them but if you know the correct procedure and protocal then whats so wrong with that.when you buy a new boat with sets in them they dont tell you anything about needing a ticket for the set. however i am a paid up associate member of the coast guard with my own alloted callsign.dont get me wrong i have only a 4.2metre boat but i have every bit of safety gear on board even a eperb i always log on and off every trip so where is it all going to end i am now on a disable pension and it;s getting too costly to own and run a boat.are we going to be penalised for the right to save our or somebody elses life.what about 27meg do you need the same ?

basserman
20-03-2004, 05:54 PM
i'm down in port macqaurie and almost all boats have a 27meg and no e i knows has a ticket for one and even some of our bigger boats that run both 27meg and vhf don't have a thing and as far as i'm aware from our VMR we do not need a thing to use them just comon scents

subzero
20-03-2004, 06:31 PM
27 meg, No ship station liscence required. No operator certificate required.

VHF, No ship station required, MUST HAVE a MROVCP or a MROCP to be able to legaly use the set. (Must also have a license if you want to get a MMSI number allocated to your set for DSC)
Main reasons as I see it, VHF you have acess to repeaters and therefore can create a problem over greater distances if not used correctly, more importantly modern sets have acess to Digital Selective Calling, (DSC), and accidental activation of an alert such as Mayday or Pan Pan, although extremely hard to activate accidently, will throw VMR, Coastguard, Water Police and the RCC into a full scaled search. (Very costly to us). Lastly but probably the main reason is that under International Maritime safety requirements that Australia is a signatory to, the big boy's dictate that the operators of these sets hold a license.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, the units who take your call's dont give a fat rat's wether you have a license or not. If you can tell us the information we require to find or help you when you need it, we dont really care. On the radio if you log on or off, want a weather report, assistance etc the only identifying thing we need in your call is your vessel reg on the side of your hulll. (3 P's if you want assistance etc, Possition, Persons on Board, Problem).
Dont be frightened of your radio. Get used to using it BEFORE YOU HAVE TO IN A SERIOUS SITUATION.
To my knowledge, no one has EVER been prosecuted for using his set sensibly, and it is unlikely they would be as it would put others of using them when they really needed too.
Hope this helps
Safe Boating Lloyd

Kerry
21-03-2004, 04:12 AM
So why is there this apparent resistance to completing the marine VHF radio licence #???. Yes, requires a little time, some initial cost (one off cost only) but in the long run has the ability to make boating safer for all concerned and for some probably gives them a little more confidence in radio procedures and using the radio, especially in times of an emergency.

The standard procedures simply help everybody communicate more efficently and safely considering marine VHF is an international agreement.

Although 27mHZ doesn't legally require an operators licence just about all documents relating to marine radio issues/licence requirements etc has a clause such as

Note A person who operates a limited coast assigned system station exclusively on the
27 MHz marine band is not required to be, or be under the supervision of:
• a qualified operator; or
• a person holding particular operator qualifications.
However, in the interests of safety, the ACA recommends strongly that the person obtains
at least the Marine Radio Operators VHF Operators Certificate of Proficiency (MROVCP).

Extract from the Radiocommunications Licence Conditions
(Maritime Ship Licence) Determination 2002

Cheers, Kerry.

subzero
21-03-2004, 06:33 AM
Gidday Kerry, dont get me wrong, I would prefer people to get their Radio Licence as would every other person belonging to groups such as ours, but at the end of the day if they dont or cant for what ever reason, we would still rather they used them.
2 out of the last 5 jobs I have done, had 27meg Radio's onboard, both said they didnt work, (1 of those vessels was a brand new boat and radio),
One said I would find him within sight of the Yellow x BETWEEN Coochie and Mcleay, found eventualy by the Yellow x ABOVE Coochie, and the other said he was at Pat's Point on the Northern end of Mcleay, but was actually sitting between Mcleay and Karraggara. Both of these used the dreaded mobile phones and as you can imagine this is extremely frustrating especialy at night and especialy with the phones dropping in and out. If they had used the radios they had, it would have been a lot easier to find them as com's would have been a lot easier to maintain. The radio is still only as good as the operator. If he doesnt know where he is in the first place then it is an absolute pain in the arse.
I normally find that those that have the good sense to buy, fit and use a radio, legally or not, tend to be more concietious and have enough clues to know where they are on the water. I also think that most of the regular fishie's are not to bad on the radio, and more importantly seem to know where they actualy are when they do have a problem.
At the end of the day, if someone comes up to the radio room and asks how to use their radio, I show them, I dont ask them if they have a radio licence as I dont want to put them off talking to us, (We dont want them thinking of us as being some regulatory authority which of course we are not and therefore being to frightened to talk to us), but I do always recomend that they do a course and sit their licence wether required legaly or not, and I point out if they do have a VHF that they are required to hold a MROVCP or better by law if they are going to use it.
Im a big fan of the radio, I am proud to say my daughter sat and passed her licence at 12 yrs of age, had to wait untill 16 to get it, but she is one of the best radio operators around, and even the other units compliment her. (I like to think she could have possibly been the youngest in Aussy to get the MROCP)
Hope this clears up my views on the subject

Lucky_Phill
21-03-2004, 06:58 AM
First Peter, I misled you. It is Licence & Cert.

Having completed the course, I found it a bit full-on, but on the whole the first nights effort was what I already knew. #Althoug there was a clarifaction on some points.

The second night with the battery, Antenna's, Epribs, and more tech stuff was good.

Shame, I thought this course would include the MF/HF side of things. #But only taking the 2 nights, it would have been tooo much to ask. #This can be done at a later date.

The reason I took the course was in the lead up to my Skippers Ticket. Ya have to start somewhere.

Ian and Lloyd were full of good advice and seemed very dedicated to the VMR, MR, ASR, or whatever they want to be know as these days, #hey Ian #;).

I personally think that this type of course ( maybe an abreivated one ) should be included in a boating licence test. #Just the basics.

Look forward to sitting the exam in 2 weeks.

Cheers # Phill

subzero
21-03-2004, 08:00 AM
Gidday Phil, thanks for the vote of confidence in what we do. Either Radio exam is a bit harder than what most people anticipate, but if people dont take it lightly, and study the book, not to many people will have problems.
You already had a great understanding of the subject and I have no doubt you should fly through it.

With regards to the basic course, I totally agree, where the whole thing could be vastly improved is when the likes of the boat shops sell people Boats equipped with comm's etc, they should show a little bit of social responsibility by suggesting where to go and what to do with regards to gaining the knowledge for proper usage and licensing etc of set's.
From what I see and frequently hear from people we pull back is most are mislead by the dealers and/or given bad advice. At the end of the day, most are only interested in making a quick sale.
The MROVCP exams are ordered. Look forward to seeing you on the 31st

basserman
21-03-2004, 08:44 AM
just wish we had more than one test a year :(
i agree with you phil should be a part of a boating test just like the PWC so if you want to do it you can but if you do not need it then you just do the boating test

peter that explains how come the vmr is ok with all sets getting used around here and i can't agree with you more on how much of a safty item the radio is
as you could imagain our vmr covers alot of coast line here and a simple radio call has saved countles lives and even more would of been saved if others had a good working radio turned on and up and used them
i only have a 27meg myself but the widest i go is to the shelf and we get good coms out there on it with the vmr

subzero
21-03-2004, 09:28 AM
Gidday Basserman. When you say one test a year, if you are talking about the MROVCP or MROCP the unit normaly run 3-4 a year. Their has been a long gap between our courses and tests because VMRAQ, our parent body, has changed and standardised the courses run throughout Queensland. (A good thing). It has taken them some time, with delays and minor changes for the course to be finalised. This coupled with the expense of obtaining and setting up computers and purchasing a $1900 overhead projector costs a lot of time and more importantly money. (A lot of fundraising had to be done to purchase this equipment). Initialy we try and seek sponsorshop, beg borrow or steal. In the end we have to go shake the tin's, sell raffles and the Commodore even stood on a street corner under a red light. (Didnt get any buissiness though). When we do run the courses, we charge absolutely nothing for ourselves as we realise the importance of the radio licence and obviously the cost of the book and the test is already heafty enough for some people. (We are more than happy to take a donation if you are happy with what we have done for you though).
Once the results are through for this batch, we will set another date, probably starting in about 2-3 months down the track.
Unfortunately the Gov has NOT seen fit to increase the money allocated to Rescue units and after 15 years we still get $20,000 a year to run the entire base, train, maintain, and fuel the vessels, the same figure we got back then. I guess inflation and rising costs does not effect boats, fuel, maintanance, training, insurance, electricity etc. If we didnt spend twice the amount of time raising money, as we actualy do on a weekend roster, we would have a lot more time to run these courses. Believe you me, I LOATHE fundraising, but I do get a great deal of satisfaction from helping others.
Sorry for crying on your shoulder.

Kerry
21-03-2004, 01:13 PM
Lloyd, yeah I know where your coming from but the right message has to be conveyed in what ever way, shape or form to those that don't see the need, just because they don;t think they should have to do it. Lots of parallels can be drawn with this one and in some respect some states are way behind the 8 ball with moving on from 27mHZ.

Similar with mobile phones as these haven't done anything constructive to help promote proper marine communication and as with most things when the $$'s aren't there anymore (as was the case with Telstra and radio telephone services) then all they want to do is unload the service onto somebody else, in this case the state DoT's.

The inadequacy of dealers with this half wrong, half right answer to radio licencing is obviously only to serve their own purpose and really the dealers should be telling the customer ALL the facts and not the half baked answer convientienly leaving out the bits that don't suit them.

Cheers, Kerry.

basserman
21-03-2004, 02:52 PM
this is in country nsw the tafe runs ours and runs over one night for a few weeks cost not sure but being tafe more than not lots of $$$$$

subzero
21-03-2004, 05:02 PM
I am sure it is not cheap through Tafe.
If you are prepared to do the hard yards and go it alone, you can read the MROCP handbook on-line and get all the theoretical knowledge you need. Ring your nearest Marine Vollunteer group, and ask if you can spend a morning in their Radio Room to get an idea of how it is put into practice. Any questions and you are more than welcome to contact me.
Manual
http://www.amcom.amc.edu.au/handbook/
To gain a better understanding of the DSC part of the test study the section on DSC in this user manual for the sets we use at our base. (M402)
Download from here in .pdf format
http://www.icom.net.au/2000_web/index2.html
When you feel you are ready and you are going to be up this way, you can either do the test at my place or at the base at Victoria Point. All I need is a weeks notice to order in the test, the fee for the test, ($38-50 I think) and a passport sized photo plus a drivers licence to identify you.

basserman
21-03-2004, 06:23 PM
cool that would make it so much easyer
luckly i know most of the stuff needed after being in the army for 5 years!
now thats a place where they drum radio procedurce into your head all the time! over ;)

subzero
21-03-2004, 06:43 PM
Just remember grunts say Rodger, in the marine side of things its Romeo.
When they ask you to spell a word such as marine using the phonetic alphabet its mike-alpha-ROMEO-india-november-echo, (I dont think the Navy boys like having a word like getting rogered in their vocabulary).
There is the odd slight difference..... I assume it's Roger in the Aussie Army anyhow, it was in the Nz one. (Yup, i'm another pesky Kiwi).

searaider
21-03-2004, 07:42 PM
Hi Lloyd / Phil ,
I found both nights of the course quite interesting .
The first night on the actual operation & using the radio was a bit heavy going than I had expected .
Seeing that it's blowing the usual 30m knts tomorrow , in stead of going fishing , it will give a good opportunity to do some study for the exam .
See you on the 31st.

Peter
Searaiser 2

subzero
21-03-2004, 09:13 PM
Gidday Phil, if you get a chance, download and have a quick read of the DSC section of the user manual on the M402.
Dsc is often the section that people most get confused over and can get a bit tripped up on. This will help to make a bit more sense of it's capabilittys and uses etc.
Remember the steps or BOXES for the DSC etc in the MROCP handbook.
The other MAIN area to concentrate on is the priority calls, Mayday, Pan Pan, and Securitee. + the mayday Relay of course.
It's a hell of a lot to learn in a course over a couple of nights even with the home study.
Look forward to the 31st.
See you then.

http://www.icom.net.au/2000_web/index2.html

basserman
22-03-2004, 01:46 PM
half use rodger but they have changed it to wilco (will compliy) ::)

would be nice if we all used that same but!