Displaying items by tag: Radio

21st February 2012

Safety Advice for Leisure Boaters in MCIB's Helvick Head Report

#MCIB - The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has called for better safety awareness among leisure boat users in its report into the deaths of two men off Helvick Head in Co Waterford in May 2010.

John O'Brien and Pat Esmonde were lost overboard from their small RIB on 23 May 2010, and their remains were recovered two days later. Post-mortems confirmed that both died by drowning.

The report does not conclude exactly how the incident occurred. But accounts from eyewitnesses who sighted the men in the minutes before state that neither was wearing a lifejacket, despite the legal requirement to do so - and despite O'Brien having no seafaring experience and Esmonde being unable to swim, as confirmed by their families.

The MCIB also noted that while there were two lifejackets aboard the vessel, they were for emergencies and not suitable for constant wear as per the requirements for the vessel class.

Other safety issues highlighted include the kill-cord on the engine, which was not being used, and the fact that the initial distress call was made by mobile phone and not VHF radio.

Though neither had any bearing on this specific incident, the MCIB warned in particular that mobile phone calls are closed in nature, whereas VHF distress calls can be heard and answered by any vessel in the vicinity.

The board recommends that the Minister for Transport "undertakes a highly visible information poster campaign on piers and launching areas relating to lifejackets, VHF radio and emergency contact details" and also reminds boaters of their legal obligations.

The full report is available to download as a PDF from the MCIB website HERE.

Published in MCIB

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25th May 2011

Icom Introduce 'Smallest and Lightest' Floating VHF

Measuring just under 13cm in height, ICOM claims that its IC-M23 is the smallest and lightest buoyant handheld VHF radio on the market.

The IC-M23 is powered by Icom's most "eco-friendly" marine battery yet. The BP-266, a compact 3.7V,
1500 mAh Lithium-Ion battery pack helps reduce the overall volume and weight of the IC-M23. Yet thanks
to a newly developed PA circuit within the radio, boat users can still expect a full 5 Watts of transmit power
and up to 10 hours of typical operating time.

The new transceiver can match the audio and battery performance of comparable models. What's more, the IC-M23 sports a bright red LED which flashes if dropped in water, even if the radio is turned off making it easy to find, day or night.

600mW (typ.) of audio output makes the radio easy to hear, even when in a loud cabin or out in stormy conditions. There are volume loud/mute functions that temporarily change the IC-M23's volume
to the maximum/minimum level with two touches of a button.

Depending on the background noise level, you can easily change the volume level to capture the received
message. The IC-M23 contains well known Icom features including favourite channel feature, dual/tri watch, one-touch "Tag" scanning and a 4-step battery life indicator. It also contains Icom's unique AquaQuake feature, which uses low-frequency sound waves to clear water away from the speaker grille.

An optional extended 3 year waterproof warranty is available free of charge to customers who register on-line.

The IC-M23 is available now with a special introductory offer price of Euro 199.95 (inc.VAT) from sole Irish
leisure market distributor Western Marine (phone 01 2800321) and from all good chandlers.

Published in Marketplace

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14th May 2011

Seascapes Highlights Two Atlantic Voyages

This week's edition of Seascapes on RTÉ Radio 1 features accounts of two very different voyages across the Atlantic.

http://www.afloat.ie/sail/tall-ships/item/15615-us-cutter-eagle-on-its-way-to-waterford/

The show also features news of a group of sailors hoping to retread the route of St Brendan's famous voyage.

A crew of "mariners, poets and musicians" will set sail from Dingle on 16 May - St Brendan's Day - on the 45ft vessel An Seachrán, heading up the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland towards Iceland.

The latest edition of Seascapes is available to listen HERE.

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/seascapes/2011-05-13.html

This week's edition of Seascapes on RTÉ Radio 1 features accounts of two very different voyages across the Atlantic.

Presenter Marcus Connaughton hears from Pat Hanafin who is currently crossing the pond on board the US Coast Guard clipper Eagle, which as previously reported on Afloat.ie is due to call at Waterford on 27 May ahead of the Tall Ships Races.

The show also features news of a group of sailors hoping to retread the route of St Brendan's famous voyage.

A crew of "mariners, poets and musicians" will set sail from Dingle on 16 May - St Brendan's Day - on the 45ft vessel An Seachrán, heading up the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland towards Iceland.

The latest edition of Seascapes is available to listen HERE.

Published in News Update

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2nd December 2010

Irish Vessels Require Communications Licence

The Department of Transport today has issued a Marine Notice (No. 35, 2010) to advise that all Irish ships having radio communications or radio navigational equipment, which transmits radio signals, must hold a ship radio licence under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts. This is also a requirement under the International Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunications Union ITU.

The ITU Radio Regulation Article 47.2 specifically lays out the requirement for the operator of a ship to have a recognition or authorisation (Authority To Operate) issued by the administration issuing a ship radio licence, to a ship station. The applicable legislation in Ireland is the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1926; Wireless Telegraphy Act 1972; Communications Regulation Act 2002; and amending legislation, in particular the Wireless Telegraphy (Ship Station Radio Licence) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 414 of 2006)

In order to comply with these regulations, Ireland accepts the following documents as meeting the requirements on board its vessels:

To view the regulations in greater detail logon HERE

Published in Ports & Shipping

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Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!