Re: A Real SOS
Locked
 
|
Ron wrote:
> By 1980 receivers had grown very selective, but the fact was that a great > many ships still used a regenerative receiver as the "backup" in case the > main receiver was out of commission for some reason. The auto-alarm (AA) receivers were also designed to be broad enough to detect A2 (MCW) distress AA signals from 492 to 508 kHz. Typically the AA receiver was a dedicated unit of TRF design feeding simple electronics capable of detecting the distress auto-alarm signal of twelve four-second dashes with one-second spacing sent in one minute's time. The AA signal is one of the most interesting portions of the distress signal in the link to the Morse traffic containing the M/V Prinsendam/PJTA SOS. I recommend the web page of N1EA, the assistant radio officer (N1EA) on the ship (Williamsburg/WGOA) that came to the rescue from 120 nm away after hearing the SOS DE PJTA signal: http://www.qsl.net/n1ea/ More details and background are provided, along with direct link to an MP3 version on the SOS traffic by clicking the SOS DE PJTA button on that page. Apparently, the decision to send the SOS was made by the Prinsendam's chief radio officer, Jack van der Zee, and not the ship's master. Very unusual! Also, the QRZ.COM page for the chief radio officer on the Williamsburg has a lot of interesting related information: http://www.qrz.com/db/ns1l Both radio officers of the Williamsburg are hams (NS1L, N1EA). > Some of the signals in the link below sound like they have modulation. They > do. MCW was the norm for emergency traffic so they could be copied even on a > receiver without a BFO. Even the emergency lifeboat transmitters like the SCR-578 and AN/CRT-3 and commercial equivalents, plus all the larger lifeboat emergency receiver and transmitters like the RCMA ET-8053 (AN/SRC-6) and the Mackay 401-A (AN/SRC-6A) sent MCW on 500 kHz. That actually complicated their design and increased the power consumption (generated by a human on a hand-crank) compared to a simple A1 transmitter. (I collect these sets.) > The possibility of an SOS not being heard at all in the bedlam is what > launched the twice-hourly "silent periods" when all ships fell silent and > the R.O.s listened on 500 kHz for three minutes. Yep, from minute 15 to 18 and 45 to 48 each hour. Any Morse traffic being sent on ANY maritime frequency MF or HF would be paused with a "AS SP" when minute 15 and 45 came up on the clock so that ROs on any frequency could listen to 500 kHz. The old MF 405 to 535 kHz Maritime Morse band was an amazing place at night. For years I kept a bedside receiver tuned to 500 kHz. > This link is a real SOS recorded in 1980 when the MV Prinsendam had an > engine room fire and a flooded engine room. It begins with a series of long > dashes. That was the standard opening that was supposed to set off automatic > alarm bells on any vessels whose radio rooms were not operating at that > moment. The bells went off on the navigating bridge and right over the bed > were Sparks would be sleeping. Following the dashes the SOS and emergency > message begins. > > http://mikea.ath.cx/www.n1ea.coastalradio.org.uk/EJM_CD3_Track03_SOS_de_PJTA.zip It has always been interesting to me that the radio officer on the Prinsendam, technically did NOT send the SOS correctly. It's supposed to be sent as as one very distinctive signal of ...---..., yet PJTA sent ... --- ... with definite space between the S, the O, and the S. But in reality, it's those four-second dashes of the AA signal that draw the most attention! Technology did not move very fast in the communications of the merchant marine. When I took my Second Class Radiotelegraph exam in 1981, the exam material was dated 1961 and required schematic drawing and short answers in addition to multiple choice. I never felt the elation of passing any other FCC exam, (especially ham exams) that I got from passing the commercial radiotelegraph exam. 73, Mike / KK5F ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
On 4/13/2012 2:23 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> http://mikea.ath.cx/www.n1ea.coastalradio.org.uk/EJM_CD3_Track03_SOS_de_PJTA > .zip Sounds like the Holy Frequency in the 50's 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012 - www.cqp.org ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
In reply to this post by Mike Morrow-3
On 4/13/2012 2:23 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> So when an emergency occurred it was > often pandemonium, first until those on the channel realized there was an > emergency, and then QRM from those who could not hear the emergency traffic > while others tell them to QRT. Happens all the time in the ham bands. They're called the "UP Cops" 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012 - www.cqp.org ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
In reply to this post by Mike Morrow-3
On 04/13/2012 05:23 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> > the post-Titanic international distress frequency of 500 kHz was > used for routine messages as well. So when an emergency occurred it was > often pandemonium, first until those on the channel realized there was an > emergency, and then QRM from those who could not hear the emergency traffic > while others tell them to QRT. Yes it may have taken a bit for everyone listening to settle down, however I have never heard anything about this QRM, nor any mention of this problem from any documented programs about that fatal day. Could you provide a source to support that? 72 Ron, wb1hga ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
In reply to this post by Mike Morrow-3
On 4/13/2012 6:28 PM, Mike Morrow wrote:
> Even the emergency lifeboat transmitters like the SCR-578 and AN/CRT-3 and > commercial equivalents, plus all the larger lifeboat emergency receiver and > transmitters like the RCMA ET-8053 (AN/SRC-6) and the Mackay 401-A (AN/SRC-6A) > sent MCW on 500 kHz. Thanks for posting the AN/SCR numbers for those - as an FCC ship inspector in the latter 1/3 of the 20th century I tested many of them but never knew the military designation. You said that you collected them - do you have available the Able Bodied Seaman-types that were needed to crank those beasts for any length of time? <G> --- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 >From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
Hah, hah... I imagine it was a real judgement call for the FCC
inspector as to just how thoroughly the lifeboat radio must be tested while some ancient "sparks" was grinding away wheezing and sputtering at the crank... 73, Drew AF2Z On Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:48:09 -0700, you wrote: > >Thanks for posting the AN/SCR numbers for those - as an FCC ship >inspector in the latter 1/3 of the 20th century I tested many of them >but never knew the military designation. > >You said that you collected them - do you have available the Able Bodied >Seaman-types that were needed to crank those beasts for any length of >time? <G> >--- >73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane >Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
In the old days there were some pretty creaky old timers out there.
But, the newer SOLAS requirements pretty much put an end to that. Now, anyone working on a ship has to have gone through a couple of days of "survival swimming", a couple of days of ship-board fire fighting training, etc. etc. I suppose it depends on which training facility one attends but the various courses are somewhat rigorous and a good many people wash-out. And, of course, once all that is accomplished one *still* needs a 2nd Telegraph license! It's an odd set of rules. You need an FCC 1st or 2nd Telegraph license in order to get the USCG License as an R/O. But, the FCC doesn't care about the 2nd Telegraph, they only require the GMDSS license. It's hilarious.. 73, -Doug, W7KF http://www.w7kf.com On 04/15/2012 07:00 AM, drewko wrote: > Hah, hah... I imagine it was a real judgement call for the FCC > inspector as to just how thoroughly the lifeboat radio must be tested > while some ancient "sparks" was grinding away wheezing and sputtering > at the crank... > > 73, > Drew > AF2Z ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
On 4/15/2012 9:26 AM, Doug Smith wrote:
> And, of course, once all that is accomplished one *still* needs a 2nd > Telegraph license! It's an odd set of rules. You need an FCC 1st or > 2nd Telegraph license in order to get the USCG License as an R/O. But, > the FCC doesn't care about the 2nd Telegraph, they only require the > GMDSS license. It's hilarious.. But how many ships still carry "ROs" as we knew them? Any deck officer can operate the radiotelephone or radiotelex. --- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 >From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
Ge all
I am looking for a used 10watt K3. I would like it to run my transverters G0GMS Tony -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Phil Kane Sent: 15 April 2012 17:58 To: [hidden email] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [OT] A Real SOS On 4/15/2012 9:26 AM, Doug Smith wrote: > And, of course, once all that is accomplished one *still* needs a 2nd > Telegraph license! It's an odd set of rules. You need an FCC 1st or > 2nd Telegraph license in order to get the USCG License as an R/O. > But, the FCC doesn't care about the 2nd Telegraph, they only require > the GMDSS license. It's hilarious.. But how many ships still carry "ROs" as we knew them? Any deck officer can operate the radiotelephone or radiotelex. --- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 >From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
All, I have two boards, one chip and two toroids from an SK friend's estate. I had previously sold his K2, K1 and KX1 and just now found these in a box of misc parts. The first board is labeled K1 FIL 2, Rev. D. The second board is labeled KXB30 REV B1. Also I have two small toroids with windings and a chip that has 26 pins and is labeled KX1 1.01. I have posted pictures at https://picasaweb.google.com/110621169662200832462/ElecraftSpares#5731706769554205010 Let me know if this link doesn't work and I will email reply with the pictures. I have no idea what these are worth - if anything. If someone can use them, please let me know and we can arrange something. 73, Rod/w7zrc ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
Rod,
The larger board is a K1 2 band board. He likely replaced it with a 4 band board. The rest of the parts are from the KX1 - he most likely upgraded it to include 80 and 30 meters - he would have had to upgrade the firmware IC to 1.02 when he did that, so he saved the old firmware IC, The small board is the 30 meter option (not the 30 and 80). The toroids were replaced in the low pass filter when the KXB3080 option was added. So know you have information on how they came to be in the box. I really don't know their worth, but perhaps someone on this reflector will make you an offer. If you look at the crystal frequencies on that 2 band K1 board you will be able to tell which bands it is for - the information for which crystal is used for each band is in the KFL1-2 manual which you can download from Elecraft website. 73, Don W3FPR On 4/15/2012 3:28 PM, Rod Greene W7ZRC wrote: > All, > > I have two boards, one chip and two toroids from an SK friend's estate. I had previously sold his K2, K1 and KX1 and just now found these in a box of misc parts. The first board is labeled K1 FIL 2, Rev. D. The second board is labeled KXB30 REV B1. Also I have two small toroids with windings and a chip that has 26 pins and is labeled KX1 1.01. > > I have posted pictures at https://picasaweb.google.com/110621169662200832462/ElecraftSpares#5731706769554205010 > > Let me know if this link doesn't work and I will email reply with the pictures. > > I have no idea what these are worth - if anything. If someone can use them, please let me know and we can arrange something. > > 73, Rod/w7zrc > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
|
|
In reply to this post by Phil Kane-2
The USNS and the gray hulls in the Ready Reserve fleet all carry R/Os.
Those ships still have real radio shacks with HF gear in them although they get used on Mil frequencies not on maritime freqs. Also, secure satellite, etc. Need a "Secret" clearance to get the job these days. I think all the commercial ships dumped R/Os as fast as they could when GMDSS came into being. I actually re-licensed in 2003 and took a couple of ships over the the Persian Gulf for OIF-I and OIF-II. Taking the 2nd Telegraph *again* was kinda fun.. [Ending my involvement in the thread now. Sorry to stray so far and for so long..] 73, -Doug, W7KF On 04/15/2012 10:58 AM, Phil Kane wrote: > But how many ships still carry "ROs" as we knew them? Any deck officer > can operate the radiotelephone or radiotelex. --- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
«
Return to [HAM]
|
1 view|%1 views
| Free forum by Nabble | Edit this page |