An amusing VHF conversation overheard!

[WJM]

An amusing VHF transmission that I overheard recently: A pompous toff-voiced Pimms drinker on a big ridiculous plastic thing 'chatting' with London VTS!

 

 

London VTS, this is MV ****, over.

 

This is London VTS, go ahead MV ****, over.

 

We are passing Kew Bridge and heading for Tower Bridge, over.

 

Ok MV ****, inform us when you exit the tideway, over.

 

Can you tell us what it like down there, whats the traffic like, how is it all looking down there?, over.

 

------ long pause.

 

MV ****, London VTS out.

 

------ long pause

 

(enraged) Thank you London VTS, you have been most helpful, have a nice day!, MV **** out!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

:-) Well I enjoyed it! :-)

[Proper Job]

That's the great thing about VHF. Some people forget that everyone can hear the conversation

 

[sebrof]

That's the great thing about VHF. Some people forget that everyone can hear the conversation

 

 

VHF reception on the Thames is very patchy in parts.

 

It is not at all impossible that VTS replied to the Tupperman's question, and that the latter heard, and was not being sarcastic.

 

ETA: The fact that, after the long pause, VTS said "Out" suggests they had been transmitting immediately before.

 

Of course, the PLA's standing instructions are that prior to a journey on the river one should tune in to the half-hourly updates by VTS on traffic conditions. Clearly Tupperman had omitted to do that.

Edited July 6, 2011 by sebrof

[NB Willawaw]

I'm thinking of getting a large fly bridge, twin screw cruiser which will have the abbreviations for my yacht club on the stern below the name.

 

The name will be MY Do You Know Who I Am

Edited July 6, 2011 by NB Willawaw

[WJM]

sebrof - no chance, dont be so forgiving to the pillock :-) I was right beside him and I had perfect reception. The VTS operator was just dumbfounded at the stupidity of the question.

 

VTS broadcasts a very powerful signal which can be heard all the way up the Thames, but obviously boats talking to them do not broadcast so powerfully - so it is not unusual to hear only the VTS half of a conversation.

 

 

==========================================

 

willawaw - I was going to name my unlikely plastic and chrome monstrosity "Look at how fantastically brilliant I think I am", but I have decided to call it "Brash Self Congratulation" instead!

Edited July 6, 2011 by WJM

[Robin2]

I believe it is illegal to publish conversations heard on the marine vhf system .....

[carlt]

I believe it is illegal to publish conversations heard on the marine vhf system .....

Yes, it is a contravention of the Official Secrets Act, that is signed on completion of the course.

[ditchcrawler]

Yes, it is a contravention of the Official Secrets Act, that is signed on completion of the course.

But he may not have done a course, anyone can listen to VHF, in the good old days you use to be able to buy 5 or more band radios that would get all sorts of things, boats, aeroplanes , police, fire even early telephones.

[carlt]

But he may not have done a course, anyone can listen to VHF

Important Note

Anyone who intends to listen to radio transmissions should be aware that licence is not required

for a radio receiver as long as it is not capable of transmission as well.

However, although it is not illegal to sell, buy or own a scanning or other receiver in the UK, it

must only be used to listen to transmissions meant for GENERAL RECEPTION. The services that

you can listen to include Amateur and Citizens’ Band transmissions, licensed broadcast radio and

weather and navigation broadcasts.

It is an offence to listen to any other radio services unless you are authorized by a designated

person to do so. This means that it is illegal to listen toanything other than general reception

transmissions unless you are either a licensed user of the frequencies in question or have been

specifically authorised to do so. Also if communication is overheard it is illegal to tell a third party

what you have heard or profit from the information.

The above is only a summary of the relevant guidance note on the OFCOM website issued some

time ago by the now defunct Radio Communication Agency but should still be considered valid.

Should anyone have any doubt about the legality of radio reception they should visit the OFCOM

website for further clarification and read the information note in full or contact OFCOM

[nb Innisfree]

But he may not have done a course, anyone can listen to VHF, in the good old days you use to be able to buy 5 or more band radios that would get all sorts of things, boats, aeroplanes , police, fire even early telephones.

 

When I was in the fire service we operated on a frequency that could be received on ordinary domestic VHF radios, very handy if for instance someone out on hydrant checking parked up on his drive say, and have a skive indoors and listen out on his stereo in case he was needed. Purely hypothetical of course. We had one bloke who used to come back to the station with his lap covered in cat hairs, came from 'Soot' his cat

[alan_fincher]

It is an offence to listen to any other radio services unless you are authorized by a designated

person to do so. This means that it is illegal to listen to anything other than general reception

transmissions unless you are either a licensed user of the frequencies in question or have been

specifically authorised to do so. Also if communication is overheard it is illegal to tell a third party

what you have heard or profit from the information.

 

So.....

 

In WJM's case, it was OK for him to listen to the exchange, because he is "a licensed user of the frequencies in question".

 

But even so as a licensed user, it was still "illegal to tell a third party what he had heard" ?

 

So would he have been more or less of a law-breaker had he not been licensed to use the Marine VHF frequencies ?

 

The jury is out for me on that, but I think on balance his training and licence should have placed him in a better position to know he should not pass on the info.

 

Can't see it actually going to court, though, somehow !

[carlt]

 

So would he have been more or less of a law-breaker had he not been licensed to use the Marine VHF frequencies ?

 

The jury is out for me on that, but I think on balance his training and licence should have placed him in a better position to know he should not pass on the info.

 

Don't know, don't care, just presenting the facts.

 

It is entirely up to the individual to decide which laws are okay to break and up to the enforcing authority to decide whether it is worth taking action.

[Radiomariner]

Yes, it is a contravention of the Official Secrets Act, that is signed on completion of the course.

No, Not Official secrets act., The Post Office Protection Act section 11, drawn up in 1884 to protect the privicy of telegraphic communications.

 

An overheard conversation overheard many years ago between Landsend Radio and a yacht in distress on 2182 Khz

 

The yacht had given a bearing from a headland, which put the yacht somewhere in the middle of Cornwall. There was some confused conversation where Landsend Radio tried to suggest that the reciprocal of the bearing given was correct, the conversation later went fhus: -

Yacht *** this is Landsend Radio, What is your position please. Over

Landsend Radio, this is Yacht ****. I am the Managing Director of ........!!!

 

Edited for a typo

Edited July 6, 2011 by Radiomariner

[robkg]

This topic reminded me of this.

 

Edited July 6, 2011 by robkg

[Sunset Rising]

That made I larf.

[carlt]

No, Not Official secrets act., The Post Office Protection Act section 11, drawn up in 1884 to protect the privicy of telegraphic communications.

 

You sign the Official Secrets Act, on completion of the MRSRC course.

[WJM]

allegedly....

[Gibbo]

You sign the Official Secrets Act, on completion of the MRSRC course.

 

That would mean that anyone who does that course signs the Official Secret's Act.

 

One of the parts of the OSA is that no one else is supposed to know who has signed it.

[carlt]

allegedly....

Why allegedly?

 

I signed the Official Secrets Act when I finished the MRSRC course.

 

This is a fact.

[Gibbo]

I signed the Official Secrets Act when I finished the MRSRC course.

 

But you're not allowed to tell anyone. It says so in the OSA.

[carlt]

That would mean that anyone who does that course signs the Official Secret's Act.

 

One of the parts of the OSA is that no one else is supposed to know who has signed it.

Maybe but that is one of those unenforceables.

 

But you're not allowed to tell anyone. It says so in the OSA.

As I said earlier, it is for the individual to decide which laws he feels happy about breaking and the enforcing authority to decide whether it is worth enforcing.

[Radiomariner]

You sign the Official Secrets Act, on completion of the MRSRC course.

Well I did a PMG Certificate,the .fore-runner,to the MRGC and signed a paper which did somewhere in it,s title bear the words "Secrecy of Communications" but it was about The Post Office Protection Act of 1884 section 11. I remember actually having a question on this in the "regulations examination" and the instructer insisted that we quote the answer precisely as worded

That I believe though much modified, is still enforceable today. However it is possible that the requirement was later to incorperate the OSA. I would not have had to sign it as I was already "comitted"

Now about the OSA. Every citizen is bound by it whether they like it or not. What I signed when I joined the Civil Service and again when I left, was a statement to the effect that I was aware of the OSA. (Nobody signs "The Act" itself) With this signing of "awareness" means that you can not plead "ignorance" as an excuse for a breach, and HMG can lock you up and throw away the key!

Oh dear. Have I just Breached the OAS by saying that?

 

Another overheard VHF Conversation. : -

 

"Muscat Radio this is Tanker British Justice"

"This is Muscat Radio, who is calling?"

"Muscat Radio, this is British Justice"

"This is Muscat Radio , please repeat, British what?"

The voice from the tanker replies "British Justice, British Justice."

A third heavy accented voice intervenes "No such bloody thing"

 

Edited to delete a controversial comment.

Edited July 8, 2011 by Radiomariner

[Serendipity]

Another overheard VHF Conversation. : -

 

"Muscat Radio this is Tanker British Justice"

"This is Muscat Radio, who is calling?"

"Muscat Radio, this is British Justice"

"This is Muscat Radio , please repeat, British what?"

The voice from the tanker replies "British Justice, British Justice."

A third heavy accented voice intervenes "No such bloody thing"

 

Edited to delete a controversial comment.

 

That reminds me of this story:-

 

Allegedly, while taxiing at London's Gatwick Airport, the crew of a US Air flight departing for Ft. Lauderdale made a wrong turn and came nose to nose with a United 727. An irate female ground controller lashed out at the US Air crew, screaming: "US Air 2771, where the hell are you going?! I told you to turn right onto Charlie taxiway! You turned right on Delta! Stop right there. I know it's difficult for you to tell the difference between C and D, but get it right!" Continuing her rage to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically: "God! Now you've screwed everything up! It'll take forever to sort this out! You stay right there and don't move till I tell you to! You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about half an hour and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you! You got that, US Air 2771?" US Air 2771: "Yes, ma'am," the humbled crew responded. Naturally, the ground control communications frequency fell terribly silent after the verbal bashing of US Air 2771. Nobody wanted to chance engaging the irate ground controller in her current state of mind. Tension in every cockpit out around Gatwick was definitely running high. Just then an unknown pilot broke the silence and keyed his microphone, asking: "Wasn't I married to you once?"

[MoominPapa]

That reminds me of this story:-

 

Allegedly, while taxiing at London's Gatwick Airport, the crew of a US Air flight departing for Ft. Lauderdale made a wrong turn and came nose to nose with a United 727. An irate female ground controller lashed out at the US Air crew, screaming: "US Air 2771, where the hell are you going?! I told you to turn right onto Charlie taxiway! You turned right on Delta! Stop right there. I know it's difficult for you to tell the difference between C and D, but get it right!" Continuing her rage to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically: "God! Now you've screwed everything up! It'll take forever to sort this out! You stay right there and don't move till I tell you to! You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about half an hour and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you! You got that, US Air 2771?" US Air 2771: "Yes, ma'am," the humbled crew responded. Naturally, the ground control communications frequency fell terribly silent after the verbal bashing of US Air 2771. Nobody wanted to chance engaging the irate ground controller in her current state of mind. Tension in every cockpit out around Gatwick was definitely running high. Just then an unknown pilot broke the silence and keyed his microphone, asking: "Wasn't I married to you once?"

 

Which in turn reminds me of the story of the British Airways pilot getting a similar ear-bashing from a controller at Berlin airport having got the taxi-ing wrong. The tirade finished with "how did you get this wrong, have you not been here before?" to which the answer was "I've been here before, but it was in 1944 and we didn't land".

 

MP.

Edited July 8, 2011 by MoominPapa

[Nine of Hearts]

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