MBTBC Radio Room
NEXT RADIO COURSE
The next Radio Course providing qualifications for a Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency (MROCP) or a Marine Operators VHF Certificate of Proficiency (MROVCP) will be held in November/December 2009. The tutorial segment will be held on Sunday, 29th November from 0830 to 1700 hrs and the examination will take place on Thursday 3 rd December at 1930 hrs, both in the Club Stradbroke Room.
Cost of the course including supply of an Operators Handbook and the Examination fee is $140.00 for full members and their immediate family (wife/partner), $150.00 for other than full members/family and $130.00 for Juniors (18 yrs and under), inclusive of GST.
While the course covers the full curriculum required for the MROCP examination which provides qualification for operation of MF/HF as well as VHF Radios, candidates are offered the alternative choice of sitting for the MROVCP examination providing qualification for operation of VHF Radios only.
Nominations for the course will close on 12 November and persons wishing to register should contact the Radio Room on 3396 2778 between the hours of 0700 and 1700 Monday to Friday. Anyone intending to sit for the MROVCP should make specific mention of that when registering; otherwise it will be assumed that the intention is to sit for the MROCP.
Those who have registered by the closing date will be contacted in writing within one week thereafter confirming their nomination and giving specific details of course arrangements.
The MBTBC radio station call sign, VKQ 447, is a licensed Limited Coast Station. It operates to provide members and the general boating public with a safety service by recording boat movements, providing weather forecasts, tide times, etc. and arranging assistance from Coast Guard or Volunteer Marine Rescue units when required. Members are encouraged to log on with the station when going out on the water during its hours of operation and with the Coast Guard on weekends and public holidays
Club members who hold marine radio operator’s certificates man the station on a voluntary basis. It operates 3 shifts between 0700 and 2130 Monday to Thursday and 0700 to 1730 on Friday, except public holidays; then handing over to Brisbane Coast Guard until 0700 Monday morning.
VKQ 447 also maintains a listening watch for the Coast Guard Redland Bay and Volunteer Marine Rescue Units at North Stradbroke Island, Victoria Point and Raby Bay when those stations are unattended. Frequencies monitored are 27 MHz channels 88 and 90, VHF channels 16, 21, 67, 73, 80, 81 and 82 and HF/MF frequency 2524. VKQ 447 is a highly respected station in central Moreton Bay and operators are always required. If you have a few hours to spare once a fortnight, either day or night, and have a radio operator’s certificate or prepared to get one, you are welcome to do a shift and enjoy the camaraderie of the Club down by the water’s edge.
For further information, contact the Safety and Communications Officer or the Radio Room on 3396 2778.
STATISTICS OF TRAFFIC HANDLED BY VKQ447 DURING DECEMBER 2009
| OUT | IN | TOTAL | |
| CALLS RELATING TO LOCATION | 1 | 189 | 190 |
| CALLS RELATING TO BAR CROSSINGS | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| CALLS RELATING TO RADIO CHECKS | 1 | 37 | 38 |
| CALLS RELATING TO WEATHER,TIME ,TIDE | 72 | 14 | 86 |
| CALLS RELATING TO PASS MSGS. / MAKE ENQ. | 30 | 28 | 58 |
| CALLS RELATING TO BREAKDOWNS | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| CALLS RELATING TO GROUNDINGS | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| CALLS RELATING TO ILLNESS /ACCIDENT | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CALLS RELAYING MESSAGES | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| CALLS RELATING TO SECURITY / DANGER | 14 | 2 | 16 |
| MAYDAY CALLS | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NUMBER OF OVERDUE VESSEL REPORTS | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| CALLS RELATING TO MARINA BERTHS | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NUMBER OF VESSEL IN TRANSIT ADVICES | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF CALLS | 130 | 281 | 411 |
| ANALYSIS OF CHANNELS USED ON THE ABOVE CALLS | |||
| CALLS ON 27 MEG. | 42 | 36 | 78 |
| CALLS ON VHF | 53 | 204 | 257 |
| CALLS ON MF / HF | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| VERBAL REPORTS | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| CALLS ON LANDLINE | 35 | 26 | 61 |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF CALLS | 130 | 281 | 411 |
| THERE WERE 36 INWARD MESSAGES ON 27mHZ | 14.8% OF TOTAL | ||
| THERE WERE 204 INWARD MESSAGES ON VHF | 84.0% OF TOTAL | ||
| THERE WERE 3 INWARD MESSAGE ON HF | 1.2% OF TOTAL | ||
| THE FOLLOWING CALLS WERE RECEIVED FOR OTHER STATIONS | ||
| STATION CALLED | NUMBER OF CALLS | % OF TOTAL |
| COAST GUARD BRISBANE | 38 | 13.52 |
| VMR RABY BAY | 6 | 2.14 |
| OTHER STATIONS | 7 | 2.49 |
