Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #153215

Re: Marine distress system

Show all headers | View raw

On Wed, 21 Oct 2015, Anne & Lynn Wheeler wrote:

>
> I was sitting at coffee shop yesterday morning, the next table had four
> men and one was explaining the marine distress system. A ship signals
> distress and all ships in the world receive it ... and receivers have
> limited time interval to respond (cancel or acknowledge), before their
> system retransmits the signal. He claimed that a sinking ship distress
> transmission near australia a month ago, is still being
> retransmitted. He said that it is an ancient MS/DOS based system and
> almost impossible to change. He said that some ships turn off their
> receiver because there is also required paper work that has to be filled
> out for each signal that is received.
>
So this is the system installed that caused the rules to relax, no need 
for knowing morse code, maybe no need for an actual "radioman"?

In the old days, ship to shore was something radio was used for even 
before Titanic proved the value and caused more regulations to go in 
place, there'd be a radioman, maybe an assitant, and they were there for 
regular work, but they were also required to monitor the distress 
frequency.    It seems silly that they turn it off because "it's too much 
trouble".

I actually knew someone who got the right certification and "ran away to 
sea" as a radioman.  This was in the late seventies or early eighties. I 
know he made some trips, don't know what happened after that. Almost the 
twilight of it all.

   Michael


  > this doesn't go into that 
level of detail ... > > Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Maritime_Distress_Safety_System
> digital selective calling
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Selective_Calling
>
> -- 
> virtualization experience starting Jan1968, online at home since Mar1970
>

Back to alt.folklore.computers | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Marine distress system Anne & Lynn Wheeler <lynn@garlic.com> - 2015-10-21 19:17 -0700
  Re: Marine distress system hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com - 2015-10-22 07:38 -0700
    Re: Marine distress system "78lp" <78lp@nospam.com> - 2015-10-23 05:53 +1100
  Re: Marine distress system Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-10-22 11:57 -0400

csiph-web