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GB3WR used to bridge emergency call to 999

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Stephen Thomas Cole

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Aug 21, 2017, 4:56:22 PM8/21/17
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Who ever said that repeaters were useless? :-p

https://youtube.com/watch?v=gjHbLo40i5E&sns=fb

Stirling work from all involved! A credit to the hobby, this.

--
STC / M0TEY /
http://twitter.com/ukradioamateur

Brian Reay

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Aug 21, 2017, 6:36:44 PM8/21/17
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On 21/08/2017 16:05, Stephen Thomas Cole wrote:
> Who ever said that repeaters were useless? :-p
>
> https://youtube.com/watch?v=gjHbLo40i5E&sns=fb
>
> Stirling work from all involved! A credit to the hobby, this.
>

As you say, well done.

Prior to the days of mobile phones, this kind of thing happened far more
often than it does now. Sadly, it wasn't unknown of someone 'not to
respected the importance the call and interfere with the contact' in
some cases.

It is also interesting that the 999 operator seemed to be unaware of
amateur radio. In the days before mobile phones, that was far less
likely to be the case.

Stephen Thomas Cole

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Aug 21, 2017, 7:40:54 PM8/21/17
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I was listening to a couple of locals chatting a while ago about how, years
ago, one of them came across a car crash in a country lane. No mobiles so,
he said, he scanned 2m, found a QSO and broke in with "pan pan pan" and
asked them to call an ambulance. The two amateurs ignored him... LOL.

What does "pan pan pan" mean, in radio terms? I meant to look it up since
hearing but forgot until your message prompted my recall.

Nick Norman

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Aug 21, 2017, 8:14:46 PM8/21/17
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On Mon, 21 Aug 2017 18:45:28 +0000, Stephen Thomas Cole wrote:


>
> What does "pan pan pan" mean, in radio terms? I meant to look it up
> since hearing but forgot until your message prompted my recall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-pan

HTH

--
"What's a philosopher ?" said Brutha. "Someone who's bright enough to
find a job with no heavy lifting," said a voice in his head.
(Small Gods)
20:50:01 up 1 day, 11:50, 5 users, load average: 0.11, 0.17, 0.26

Jimbo

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Aug 21, 2017, 8:14:58 PM8/21/17
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"Stephen Thomas Cole" <use...@stephenthomascole.com> wrote in message
news:onf9o8$svs$1...@stc.eternal-september.org...
same as SOS ??? ....


Ian Jackson

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Aug 21, 2017, 8:46:09 PM8/21/17
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In message <onf9o8$svs$1...@stc.eternal-september.org>, Stephen Thomas Cole
<use...@stephenthomascole.com> writes
In the days when most amateurs started on 160m, they would soon become
familiar with the radio procedures of the ship-to-shore stations that
shared the band. They actually had little choice, as many a QSO that
started on a clear frequency would be abruptly terminated by one of the
coastal stations taking over.

As many receivers covered far more than the amateur bands, quite a few
amateurs and SWLs also used to listen to the calling and emergency
frequency, 2182kHz. While Mayday emergency calls and QSOs were rare, Pan
warning announcements (usually gales etc) were fairly common.

I have to say that M6MGE's handling of the situation was exemplary. He
used just the right amount of 'official' procedure, and relayed the
messages virtually word-for-word. I feel he should be immediately
awarded a Full licence, and given a 2-letter suffix callsign!
>

--
Ian

Brian Reay

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Aug 21, 2017, 8:46:27 PM8/21/17
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If I remember correctly from my flying days, it is a general warning
from a boat or aircraft but there is no immediate danger to life. An
example would be to warn of something that could be pose danger, rather
than had happened. Mayday would be the next 'level', when the muck hits
the fan and help is needed. (A bit OTT for calling an ambulance etc) I
don't recall pan x 3 ever being taught in the RAE etc.

There is also Securite x 3, more for nautical stuff, and (in broad
terms), like pan x 3


As for the incident, in the days I referred to, that did happen- more on
repeaters, especially in London.

These days, people tend to reach for there mobile phones but, I would
like to think, people would (in the main) react correctly if they heard
such a call.




Stephen Thomas Cole

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Aug 21, 2017, 9:20:54 PM8/21/17
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Nick Norman <M0...@qsl.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 21 Aug 2017 18:45:28 +0000, Stephen Thomas Cole wrote:
>
>
>>
>> What does "pan pan pan" mean, in radio terms? I meant to look it up
>> since hearing but forgot until your message prompted my recall.
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-pan
>
> HTH
>

Fab! That does help, thanks! So, it looks, then, like the chap I overheard
was wrong to use "pan-pan", not least of all because it wasn't regarding a
boat or 'plane, but because a "mayday-mayday" might have been more
appropriate. In conclusion, perhaps the two amateurs he broke in on were in
the right to ignore him! Hell's bells!

Stephen Thomas Cole

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Aug 21, 2017, 11:40:49 PM8/21/17
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Thanks for the interesting info!

> I have to say that M6MGE's handling of the situation was exemplary. He
> used just the right amount of 'official' procedure, and relayed the
> messages virtually word-for-word. I feel he should be immediately
> awarded a Full licence, and given a 2-letter suffix callsign!

Indeed! He did a great job, it's a shame there isn't a mechanism within the
licensing to recognise this kind of honourable activity. Awarding a Full
might be a bit much but offering the option of a "special" callsign such as
a M0xx when he gets there would be neat!

Jimbo

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Aug 22, 2017, 6:58:31 AM8/22/17
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"Ian Jackson" <ianREMOVET...@g3ohx.co.uk> wrote in message
news:oYmejCLq...@brattleho.plus.com...
I remember being on holiday and sitting in mymini clubman at Flambourgh head
in 1974 very close to the lighthouse which had an antenna strung between it
and a tower...I was on 80m having a qso when the coast station came on very
near to my frequency.....people have told me in the past that flamborough
heat didn't operate on 80m and the coast station antenna was strung between
two towers....so can anybody give me an explanation as to what happened?
.....my ft101 mk1 didn't have topband...I have a super 8 cine film somewhere
of the location in '74 if I can find it ...


Ian Jackson

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Aug 22, 2017, 8:15:10 AM8/22/17
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In message <ongjlm$brr$1...@dont-email.me>, Jimbo
<kinvig...@ntlworld.com> writes
I think I'm right in saying that the actual fishfone stations had
separate TX and RX aerials - with the RX aerials usually being a couple
of miles away. Unlikely with lighthouses, though.
>
>.....my ft101 mk1 didn't have topband...I have a super 8 cine film somewhere
>of the location in '74 if I can find it ...

In those days, I don't recall ever hearing any fishfone transmissions
from a lighthouse.

But, of course, there was 'Andy The Light'. He was a GW3, who was a
lighthouse keeper on a lighthouse off the Welsh coast. I have a feeling
that the callsign was GW3UUZ - but on QRZ G3UUZ belongs to an H Bluer
near Penzance - so maybe not.

In mid-60s, Andy The Light was a 160m regular - and, of course, a very
good signal! I'm sure he received a write-up in the SWM, so I'll check
as I copy them.
>
>

--
Ian

Jimbo

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Aug 22, 2017, 10:18:24 AM8/22/17
to

> These days, people tend to reach for there mobile phones but, I would
> like to think, people would (in the main) react correctly if they heard
> such a call.
>
>
>
>
up here you can go miles without getting service on your mobile phone....but
then again you don't hear much on 2m and nothing on 70cm either.....


Guy G4DWV 4X1LT

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Aug 22, 2017, 11:35:19 AM8/22/17
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On Mon, 21 Aug 2017 20:57:14 -0000 (UTC), just as I was about to take
a herb, Stephen Thomas Cole <use...@stephenthomascole.com> disturbed
my reverie and wrote:

>but because a "mayday-mayday" might have been more
>appropriate

"Help! This is a genuine emergency" might have done the trick too.
--

73 de Guy G4DWV/4X1LT

Ian Jackson

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Aug 22, 2017, 2:33:30 PM8/22/17
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In message <ongufk$12ig$1...@gioia.aioe.org>, Jeff <je...@ukra.com> writes
>One of the keepers at Portland Bill at one time was also licensed.
>
>Coast Stations did indeed use separate Tx & Rx antennas, that was so
>that they could use full duplex for telephone link calls (tx & rx on
>different frequencies).

Newcastle University's radio society (once G3OWM, but now long, long
defunct) paid a visit to Cullercoats Radio (callsign GCC, Top Band
frequency 1941kHz). Although the TX aerials were on-site, they said the
RX aerials were two miles inland.

While we were there, an automatic 'nee-nah' distress alarm signal was
received on 2182, but the voice information that followed was
indistinct. It was not clear whether the incident was in Morecambe Bay
or Borkum Bay (north-east Germany). Either way, it was well out of
Cullercoats Radio's area.
>

--
ian

paulpr...@gmail.com

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Aug 23, 2017, 7:21:55 AM8/23/17
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mike is a credit to gb3wr and makes the hard work worth it keeping gb3wr on air and this has really raised our image as a group

Stephen Thomas Cole

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Aug 23, 2017, 3:42:42 PM8/23/17
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<paulpr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Monday, August 21, 2017 at 5:56:22 PM UTC+1, Stephen Thomas Cole wrote:
>> Who ever said that repeaters were useless? :-p
>>
>> https://youtube.com/watch?v=gjHbLo40i5E&sns=fb
>>
>> Stirling work from all involved! A credit to the hobby, this.
>
> mike is a credit to gb3wr and makes the hard work worth it keeping gb3wr
> on air and this has really raised our image as a group
>

Indeed, Paul, Mike's actions reflect very well on your repeater community,
in particular, and on to our hobby as a whole. Nice one, gents! Please pass
along to him the positive comments posted in this thread. We're all proud
of amateurs like him!

Ian Jackson

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Aug 23, 2017, 8:36:39 PM8/23/17
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In message <8QhbRLD2...@brattleho.plus.com>, Ian Jackson
<ianREMOVET...@g3ohx.co.uk> writes






>In those days, I don't recall ever hearing any fishfone transmissions
>from a lighthouse.
>
>But, of course, there was 'Andy The Light'. He was a GW3, who was a
>lighthouse keeper on a lighthouse off the Welsh coast. I have a feeling
>that the callsign was GW3UUZ - but on QRZ G3UUZ belongs to an H Bluer
>near Penzance - so maybe not.
>
>In mid-60s, Andy The Light was a 160m regular - and, of course, a very
>good signal! I'm sure he received a write-up in the SWM, so I'll check
>as I copy them.

Yes, in Jan 1966 SWM 'New QTH's' I've found
GW3UUZ, H. Bluer
Nash Point Lighthouse
Llantwit Major
Glam

I'm sure he was 'Andy the Light' - but I'll try and find the write-up on
him.
>>
>>
>

--
Ian

Laurence Taylor

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Aug 24, 2017, 4:39:54 AM8/24/17
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On 22/08/2017 Ian Jackson wrote:

> While we were there, an automatic 'nee-nah' distress alarm signal was
> received on 2182, but the voice information that followed was
> indistinct. It was not clear whether the incident was in Morecambe Bay
> or Borkum Bay (north-east Germany). Either way, it was well out of
> Cullercoats Radio's area.

Though not as far as South America; I remember several years ago a call was
received on 2182 by a coast station in Scotland from a vessel off the coast
of, I think, Brazil.

--
rgds
LAurence
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