Boaties urged to check their VHF radios
From www.callsigns.co.nz.
Boaties urged to check their VHF radios
Careless boaties are disrupting emergency distress channels and putting potential rescue operations at risk, Radio Spectrum Management warns.
Radio Spectrum Management has been alerted to multiple incidents of jammed-on microphones causing significant disruption to the VHF distress channel, particularly within the Tasman, Marlborough and Wellington regions.
Marine VHF channel 16 is the international distress and calling channel and is monitored around-the-clock by Maritime New Zealand’s coast station network.
Radio Spectrum Management compliance manager Chris Brennan says the problem has been particularly evident over long weekends.
On Waitangi weekend, coverage at Picton and Wellington stations was disrupted by continuous transmission on the distress channel from a vessel operating in the Endeavour Inlet area. The problem ceased as a helicopter despatched from Wellington arrived to search for the offending vessel but resumed again for a period the next day.
On Good Friday a similar incident occurred affecting the Farewell, Durville and Picton sites, again repeating the next day. Both instances are believed to be caused by jammed-on microphones.
“These transmissions greatly reduce the ability of the safety services and boaties to receive calls and distress messages. We urge boaties to check their VHF radios every time they turn them on. The transmit light should not be showing unless you have the microphone switch depressed, and there should be noise from the speaker when the squelch is reduced. A test call is recommended to verify correct operation.
“Microphones must always be carefully stowed when not in use, to ensure that the operating switch is not accidentally activated.”