[Psml] MARYLAND DRN PROMOTES UNSAFE VHF USE

[John & Judy Gill]

Paul,

This thread was started by me by posting the following quote from a  
flier we received for our 2008 dinghy registration:  The DNR  
(Department of Natural Resourves) MARYLAND 2008 Boating Tips 2 page  
flier stated on page 2 under VHF FM MARINE CHANNEL 16 the following:   
“The primary marine distress frequency is monitored continuously by  
the U.S. Coast Guard.  Please keep Channel 16 clear -- someone's life  
may depend on it!  Use Channel 9 for non-emergency hailing and then  
switch to another working channel for routine conversation.  Cell  
phone users can dial *CG for assistance.”   I interpret this  
published document as a "mandate and/or legal notice" to ONLY Use  
Channel 09 for all "hailing" purposes and to use Ch.16 ONLY for  
Emergency transmissions.

Many on this list are missing the point that I was trying to  
communicate and that is:

Does the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (or any state) have  
the Authority to "VACATE" the Federal Communications Commission and  
the Code of Federal Regulations?  Does the U.S. Coast Guard have that  
authority over another Federal agency?  If they do, then we will all  
have to carefully "study" the various state's laws if boating in  
another state from our own!

We're not talking about boaters who carry on idle communications with  
another vessel, we are talking about the use of Channel 16 to "HAIL"  
another vessel (then switch to a working channel) and/or to call a  
bridge tender, lock master or a marina.

We're also talking about the loss of Channel 09 as a Ship-to-Ship or  
Ship-to-Shore channel which is also available for intership, Ship and  
Cast general purpose calling by non-commercial vessels such as  
recreational boats and private coast stations.  If Ch. 09 becomes the  
ONLY "Hailing" channel then it can no longer be used for its original  
intended purpose as outlined above!

For the record, both my wife and I have FCC Radio Operators Licenses  
as well as a Station License and feel that in this case that the  
state of Maryland has exceeded its authority by effectively VACATING  
Federal Communications Commission regulations and the Code of Federal  
Regulations.

John

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

On Dec 6, 2007, at 2:18 PM, Paul R. Soucy wrote: (SNIP)
>

> BTW I couldn't find anything in various Maryland sites or the  
> United States
> Coast Guard sites that says anything about not calling on channel  
> 16 and for
> monitoring on channel 9 or whatever it was that started this thread.
>
> Paul Soucy
> SEO Long Bay
>

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