27 meg radios
Submitted by piscetor on Fri, 2025-03-21 11:04
rockingham sea rescue are not activly monitering 27mghz radios now. they are running them in the back ground but are concentrating on the vhf channel, at least that was what i was told whilst trying to log on by the RSR after finally ringing them on the phone. 27MGHZ DON'T GO IN THE BIN UNTIL THE 1 OF SEPT 2028 so they should be given the same coverage as vhf's. There are still people using the 27 meg radios and as they are still ok to use it would be pretty sad for them if someone died due to a lack of coverage. Duty of care they are a rescue orginization so all possible tools should be employed instead of just some.
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Filletmaster
sunshine
Posts: 2639
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Cockburn MR
Still monitor 27mhz but seriously as a MRC radio operator reception is crap unless your are reasonably close. I accept that if you log on as you leave the ramp and give reasonable details of where you are heading and time of return then we WILL come looking for you if you don't log off but if you need urgent assistance and your over perhaps 6nm out the chances of being heard on 27 are slim.
dmck
Posts: 461
Date Joined: 07/03/19
As RSR is a voluntary organisation....
if you dont like the way they operate, join them - get on the ececutive and change their procedures.
Duty of care starts with the boat user...... a duty to maintain safety equipment to the highest standards available.
27Mhz= 4 watts, AM transmission- noisy and static affected
VHF- 25 watts FM - usually clear and quiet................ and monitored 24/365
Rob H
Posts: 5833
Date Joined: 18/01/12
As well as monitored (or
As well as monitored (or should be) by every commercial vessel in Australian waters, domestic or foreign.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
piscetor
Posts: 207
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Not sure that would be a
Not sure that would be a valid argument in court of law. You must remember they always monitored 27 meg inthe past and it still a legally accepted radio to use in a boat. Duty of care in my book starts with them,end of story.
Filletmaster
dmck
Posts: 461
Date Joined: 07/03/19
RSR are volunteers...
they could all stay home... unless RSR have a contract to monitor 27Mhz, someone else has duty of care.
Ultimately that usually falls on a state body such as SES (or whatever WA have as an emergency service) but again, if its staffed by volunteers it is THEIR choice if they respond.
sea-kem
Posts: 15056
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Absolutely! Key word here
Absolutely! Key word here being volunteer.
Love the West!
Rob H
Posts: 5833
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Once they publicly announce
Once they publicly announce in advance that its no longer going to be monitored then thats it.
How are you going to have your day in court when youv'e drowned?
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
resurgence
Posts: 582
Date Joined: 23/04/14
Your duty of care
Where is your duty of care to use the best safety equipment? It's been many years since 27MHz was considered the best choice for marine radio.
Duty of care has two sides.
Swompa
Posts: 3933
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Curious - probably more one
Curious - probably more one for Rob H - Is Geraldton monotored 24/7? Last time we were at the islands, I noticed the lighthouse on wreck point wasnt working. I tried calling Gero Port Authority and also sea reascue but couldnt raise anyone. Some one else in the anchorage called me up to see if i was OK and I confirmed all was good with us and then logged off.
Rob H
Posts: 5833
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Hey mate, it relays to their
Hey mate, it relays to their home but normally only physically monitored 0600-1800 is my understanding.
You'd be lucky to get an answer in the middle of the night, they are older volunteers.
The channels are;
Ch16 MWPA should be monitored 24hrs a day, but theres no repeater so a shorter aerial from Wreck Point unlikely to reach Geraldton.
Ch82-Moresby Hill repeater-this is the main and best channel for GVSR mainly in the southern half of Abrolhos
CH81-Rat Island repeater
I don't know if MWPA monitor CH82 and/or 81
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Swompa
Posts: 3933
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Yeah I tried 16 but as you
Yeah I tried 16 but as you say, my aerial is around 1.5m on the roof trying to cover 40 odd nm so likely the reason they couldnt hear me.
It did make the stars extra bright that night with only the faintest loom from Gero visible.
sunshine
Posts: 2639
Date Joined: 03/03/09
And don't bother buying the longer GME antenna
Is physically longer BUT the actual antenna wire within it is exactly the same length as the shorter one. Scalar or other brands are far superior and just how they are mounted on the boat is critical or it can be quite directional due to proximity effects of the boats superstructure
Rob H
Posts: 5833
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Gordon is right there, many
Gordon is right there, many have it mounted on the side of the hard top rather than on top.
I've heard a rumour they're going to build a phone tower on Rat
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
piscetor
Posts: 207
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Radio
I'm not talking 6 at night I'm talking about 12 midday they only monitor it in the background where it's hard to hear over all the other radio chatter
Filletmaster
Bodgy 79
Posts: 310
Date Joined: 04/08/22
Don't rely on 27 meg off the
Don't rely on 27 meg off the south coast.My local vmr group don't monitor it anymore as it only any good with in line of sight.
Even vhf gets sketchy when in closer around the cliffs,coves ect
dmck
Posts: 461
Date Joined: 07/03/19
seems WA water police dont monitor 27Mhz...
https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/marine-radios.asp
"
When at sea, you must have your radio turned on and tuned to the distress frequency or channel:
Not all Marine Rescue Groups monitor Channel 88.
letsgofishing
Posts: 36
Date Joined: 23/03/12
The ocean isn’t a place to scrimp.
My two cents. It's YOUR safety and life on the line.
your going to have to upgrade anyway.
why not just replace the crappy old 27 meg and have some peace of mind.
as for duty of care.
surely as a skipper it all falls down on you to keep you and all your duckies as safe as possible
I'd consider it bordering on neglect by not having the best available safety systems that are easily available and within an affordable budget.
what price can you put on the safety of you and your fellow boaters.
we implement "best work practises" and safety in our daily work lives.
why not at home as well.
piscetor
Posts: 207
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Radio
By 2028 I'll probably be deadso I would rather spe d the money on new rod now.
Filletmaster
piscetor
Posts: 207
Date Joined: 13/05/16
Neglek t
It wasn't neglected for the 30 years I've used it, just so one in an office came up with an idea while watching cats play piano in the net
Filletmaster
sea-kem
Posts: 15056
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Does anyone know if VMR will
Does anyone know if VMR will receive from Gnaraloo? I've heard there's a repeater at Cape Cuvier/Quobba but that's 70km away roughly.
Funnily enough we pick up the Indos on 27meg out there.
Love the West!
dmck
Posts: 461
Date Joined: 07/03/19
years ago...
on 27Mhz I could not talk to my mate who was visible a few Km away... but I had a perfectly clear conversation with a VMR search on Morton Bay. I was fishing off the bottom of York Peninsula, Sth Aust
sunshine
Posts: 2639
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Andy, you will pick up all sorts of rubbish on 27
Tropospheric skip .....bounces signals. My best as a ham operator was Chile with the directional antenna pointed due south over the pole on 28mhz at 30 watts ssb
sea-kem
Posts: 15056
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Wow!I have a good friend of
Wow!
I have a good friend of mine in Albany who's a ham operator.
Love the West!
sunshine
Posts: 2639
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Was VK6XI for many years
And had one of the largest cubicle quad three band antennas in Australia and the tower itself was insulated from ground allowing me to use it as a vertical for 40 and 80 metre frequency bands with a tuning capacitor.
Actually arranged one of the only recent ham radio trips to Heard Islsnd
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Skip
Not just on the lower bands, we were anchored at Bedout island off Hedland and I was chatting with a mate at Rowley shoals on HF 4620, unbeknown to us, another mate was anchored in Bunker bay down south was listening in and tried to cut in but couldn't even though the signal was strong.
sunshine
Posts: 2639
Date Joined: 03/03/09
We regularly hear Geraldton VMR on VHF in metro
All you need is a strong trough down the coast and just offshore.....and yes they can hear us......called ducting effect ....odd but it happens
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Gnaraloo
Been a while since I had anything to do with Carnarvon sea rescue but I think its channel 21 on the Cuvier tower that gets you through. Inside the bay is a bit sketchy but once you are outside the signal was strong.
sea-kem
Posts: 15056
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Thanks John, I knew you'd be
Thanks John, I knew you'd be the man to have the info. And that's my concern when we head out wide to be able to communcate if needed.
Love the West!