Re: Cruise Operation
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Avoid Royal Caribbean ... “HAM RADIOS” are on the list of prohibited items along with firearms. No one at RCP seems to know why. Even asked the captain - Said he doesn’t know about ham radio ... Would be interested to hear about cruise lines that are Ham Radio friendly 73 Bob W3RW ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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Contact XE1C
He operates (as an officer) from Harmony of the Seas, interestingly enough a RC liner. Wes N7WS On 9/22/2017 6:13 PM, Bob Witmer wrote: > Avoid Royal Caribbean ... “HAM RADIOS” are on the list of prohibited items along with firearms. > > No one at RCP seems to know why. Even asked the captain - Said he doesn’t know about ham radio ... > > Would be interested to hear about cruise lines that are Ham Radio friendly > > 73 > > Bob W3RW > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by J Robert Witmer
I just completed a cruise on Holland America’s Westerdam. I thought about trying to take a KX2 along (I’ve operated on cruise ships before), but their policy is discouraging. You can operate in the territorial waters of Canada and the U.S., and I guess maybe even Holland, but not in other territorial waters. Somehow, I thought there might be a work around on this from the Captain, but decided not to try. Well, I did bring an HT, but never used it!
Holland America’s policy is sort of intriguing. It seems they don’t have a basic problem with operating, so long as you don’t obstruct things, but it also seems they are concerned about operating privileges in various countries. In other words, does the operator have the necessary reciprocal permissions under CEPT or otherwise. If that’s the case, I sort of see their point as it could be problematic for the ship. However, it also seems that one could provide the necessary documentation to show permission. I suppose that could be just too complicated for them to deal with. I also interpret their policy to NOT be prohibitive if you are on the open sea! On many cruises you are not really sure just how far out you are as you can often see land in the distance. However, there are usually several “at sea” days, and on a trans-oceanic cruise you should be relatively safe. On the Westerdam, the TV system has a channel that constantly shows the ship’s current position, so a little navigation skill could allow you to determine your distance from any country. Even my cell phone indicated when we were “at sea”! Hi. In essence, given their stated policy, I guess I could have done some operating. Oh Well! Dave W7AQK ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by J Robert Witmer
I would think it has more to do with inconvenience and liability to other passengers, tripping over wires, getting zapped, setting off pacemakers, messing with shipboard nav, shorting out the generators leaving the ship dark, cold, the swimming pool unheated and ice makers impotent.
And, God forbid, if anything serious happened at sea, all the PR folks back at HQ need is some PITA eyewitness on the radio ruining a good story. 73 Jim Allen W6OGC Sent from my iPad > Holland America’s policy is sort of intriguing. It seems they don’t have a basic problem with operating, so long as you don’t obstruct things, but it also seems they are concerned about operating privileges in various countries. In other words, does the operator have the necessary reciprocal permissions under CEPT or otherwise. If that’s the case, I sort of see their point as it could be problematic for the ship. However, it also seems that one could provide the necessary documentation to show permission. I suppose that could be just too complicated for them to deal with. ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Wes Stewart-2
My last cruise on Royal Caribbean was, I believe, Sovereign of the Seas (?). I had no plans to actually operate on the ship, but I met the Captain during the opening night reception and we had a chat. Upon finding out my interest in amateur radio, the Captain said "hey, you'd like to meet "Per", our Chief Radio Officer (also a ham). We had a nice visit. The next day a courier appeared at my stateroom door with a message from the Chief Radio Officer offering me a personal tour of the ship's radio room. I was let up to the bridge by a steward and Per, the Radio Officer took me into the radio room where there walls full of older HF gear which he quickly told me they don't use much anymore (mostly VHF and satellites now). He let me sit at the gear and tune around. I got some nice photos too. Huge signals from everywhere and lots of fun.
Never hurts to ask, even if you've brought no gear. Per and I carried on an email exchange for a few months after that. 73, Terry, W0FM -----Original Message----- From: Wes Stewart [mailto:[hidden email]] Sent: Friday, September 22, 2017 11:25 PM To: [hidden email] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Cruise Operation Contact XE1C He operates (as an officer) from Harmony of the Seas, interestingly enough a RC liner. Wes N7WS On 9/22/2017 6:13 PM, Bob Witmer wrote: > Avoid Royal Caribbean ... “HAM RADIOS” are on the list of prohibited items along with firearms. > > No one at RCP seems to know why. Even asked the captain - Said he doesn’t know about ham radio ... > > Would be interested to hear about cruise lines that are Ham Radio > friendly > > 73 > > Bob W3RW > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 Message delivered to > [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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My son, KD4ODR, and myself, K4TAX and our wives on a Royal Caribbean
cruise many years ago had the opportunity to visit the Radio Room of the ship. I was amazed at the "antique" equipment still in place. The Chief Radio Officer, in addition to the officer on duty, did indicate it wasn't used for much of anything, although the automatic SOS system was still functional. At this time they were copying traffic for various ships and all was in CW running in the background. He was surprised that I was able to follow along with many of the messages for other ships. He indicated they monitored the channel 24/7 and could easily pick out their ships call as it appeared in a string of calls when traffic existed for their ship. I presume since that time all of this has gone away in view of satellite communications and such. 73 Bob, K4TAX On 9/25/2017 11:16 AM, Terry Schieler wrote: > My last cruise on Royal Caribbean was, I believe, Sovereign of the Seas (?). I had no plans to actually operate on the ship, but I met the Captain during the opening night reception and we had a chat. Upon finding out my interest in amateur radio, the Captain said "hey, you'd like to meet "Per", our Chief Radio Officer (also a ham). We had a nice visit. The next day a courier appeared at my stateroom door with a message from the Chief Radio Officer offering me a personal tour of the ship's radio room. I was let up to the bridge by a steward and Per, the Radio Officer took me into the radio room where there walls full of older HF gear which he quickly told me they don't use much anymore (mostly VHF and satellites now). He let me sit at the gear and tune around. I got some nice photos too. Huge signals from everywhere and lots of fun. > > Never hurts to ask, even if you've brought no gear. Per and I carried on an email exchange for a few months after that. > > 73, Terry, W0FM > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Wes Stewart [mailto:[hidden email]] > Sent: Friday, September 22, 2017 11:25 PM > To: [hidden email] > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Cruise Operation > > Contact XE1C > > He operates (as an officer) from Harmony of the Seas, interestingly enough a RC liner. > > Wes N7WS > > On 9/22/2017 6:13 PM, Bob Witmer wrote: >> Avoid Royal Caribbean ... “HAM RADIOS” are on the list of prohibited items along with firearms. >> >> No one at RCP seems to know why. Even asked the captain - Said he doesn’t know about ham radio ... >> >> Would be interested to hear about cruise lines that are Ham Radio >> friendly >> >> 73 >> >> Bob W3RW >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 Message delivered to >> [hidden email] > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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On 9/25/2017 11:16 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
> > I presume since that time all of this has gone away in view of satellite > communications and such. It must have been "a long time ago" because commercial high-seas MF/HF CW traffic ended July 12, 1999. The Maritime Radio Historical Society has resurrected San Francisco Radio (KPH/KFS/KSM) on the air Saturdays under the auspices of the Golden Gate National Seashore (National Park Service) but very few ships have Morse equipment and/or operators. Safety watch is no longer kept on 500 kHz since the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (HF SITOR/SSB, VHF-FM, and satellite radio) came into force for US-flag vessels in 1999. 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Bob McGraw - K4TAX
No experience from cruise ships since I never did one. My wife is
diametrically opposed to taking one. Quite a few travellers to Alaska come up by cruise ship. The untold cheap alternative is taking the Alaska Ferry System. Unknown if ham radio is allowed, but I suspect so. Only US and Canadian waters are sailed. Advantage of the Ferry is that you can disembark at any stop and explore with your car as long as you wish and then catch the next Ferry to continue your trip (at no extra cost). Many Alaskans camp on the passenger deck and avoid the extra cabin charge. Ferry has a cafeteria but you are allowed to bring your own food. Cheapest rate is walk-on without a vehicle. I know that several members of the ARRL Experimental 500-KHz Group previously were ship's radio operators or land-base station ops. That results in 600m early activity being CW. FCC limited the modes we were permitted so most digital modes were not legal for us. Subsequent experimental licensee's sought permission to use several digital modes which enabled them to operate with them. We were restricted to only making 2-way contacts with members of our group and not with other licensees (definitely not with ham's). The lead person has instructed the group to cease operating now that ham radio use is permitted. I would guess you will start hearing the active members as hams as soon as they are approved by UTC. I applied the first day. But I still need to repair and rehang my inverted-L and install new synth in my K3 to be operational. When I modified my aircraft beacon (NDB) transmitter I found two xtal oscillators running at about 265-KHz separated by 400-Hz they were keyed by a MCW keyer which shifted the frequency for dots and dashes and back to original frequency for non-keyed signal thus creating 400-Hz MCW. Aircraft radios are primarily AM so could receive MCW. 73, Ed - KL7UW http://www.kl7uw.com Dubus-NA Business mail: [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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I found this after a Google search...
https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/carnival-cruise-lines-does-not-allow-amateur-radios.553433/page-4 "...Some information from Debbie - N5DSR Bio page. https://www.qrz.com/db/N5DSR We have just returned from a 7 (+1) day cruise on the Carnival Breeze out of Galveston, Texas, January 8 through 16. The Ports of Call were Jamacia, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Our arrival back in Galveston was delayed due to fog which gave us another 24 hours of operating time! We had a total of 89 travelers of which 59 were Amateur Radio Operators! Not only were there many contacts, many new friends were made with great conversations around both operating positions. We only ran 75 to 100W, but the 'salt water amplifier' combined with the 1000' steel hull created many pileups. Thanks to all the amateurs who worked us!!!!" ----- Roger W5RDW -- Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/ ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email]
Roger W5RDW
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In reply to this post by Edward R Cole
This uber-complexity seems to occur in many early radio equipments,
often the ones purchased by the government. I've seen NDB's with two non-shifted xtal oscillators, one keyed on/off to achieve the same result. They're the pits if the unkeyed one is the one giving you QRM problems on 160. I've also seen a single oscillator, with the PA cathode or grid blocked keyed. Maybe it's "more complex, more revenue." 73, Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW Sparks NV DM09dn Washoe County PS: "Equipments" is a valid word in the US Department of Defense dictionary. On 9/26/2017 3:38 PM, Edward R Cole wrote: > When I modified my aircraft beacon (NDB) transmitter I found two xtal > oscillators running at about 265-KHz separated by 400-Hz they were > keyed by a MCW keyer which shifted the frequency for dots and dashes > and back to original frequency for non-keyed signal thus creating > 400-Hz MCW. Aircraft radios are primarily AM so could receive MCW. ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by W5RDW
Looks like Debbie has the answer................charter the entire dang
ship. Seems as that's what they did with only 89 travelers. Of course it will likely break your ham radio budget for the year, and then some. 73 Bob, K4TAX On 9/26/2017 6:24 PM, W5RDW wrote: > I found this after a Google search... > > https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/carnival-cruise-lines-does-not-allow-amateur-radios.553433/page-4 > > "...Some information from Debbie - N5DSR Bio page. > https://www.qrz.com/db/N5DSR > > We have just returned from a 7 (+1) day cruise on the Carnival Breeze out of > Galveston, Texas, January 8 through 16. The Ports of Call were Jamacia, > Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Our arrival back in Galveston was delayed due to > fog which gave us another 24 hours of operating time! > > We had a total of 89 travelers of which 59 were Amateur Radio Operators! Not > only were there many contacts, many new friends were made with great > conversations around both operating positions. We only ran 75 to 100W, but > the 'salt water amplifier' combined with the 1000' steel hull created many > pileups. Thanks to all the amateurs who worked us!!!!" > > > > > ----- > Roger W5RDW > -- > Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/ > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to [hidden email] > ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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I don't think they chartered the whole ship, just a large party composed
mostly of hams on a cruise with other paid customers. Read her QRZ.com N5DSR page describing their cruise activities: "....HAM CRUISE #6 - January 12-19, 2019 has been approved and we are good to go!...." ----- Roger W5RDW -- Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/ ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email]
Roger W5RDW
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