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From: k2ors@comcast.net
To:  rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org (rsgb lf reflector), rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org (rsgb lf reflector)
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:38:05 +0000
Message-Id: <061220072138.16995.466F123A000B1ABA0000426322135285730B97010D0A020E06979D0E03@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: RE: LF: MF Still on shifp?
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Status: O

I'm forwarding the message below since Steve is not a member of the RSGB LF reflector and can't post.

--
73 Warren K2ORS/WD2XGJ/WD2XSH/23/WE2XEB/2
FN42hi
http://www.w4dex.com/wd2xgj.htm

-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: "Floyd, Steve (US SSA)" <steve.floyd@baesystems.com>
To: "Floyd, Steve (US SSA)" <steve.floyed@baesystems.com>, <k2ors@comcast.net>, <rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org>, <rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org>
Cc: "Andy Talbot" <andy.g4jnt@googlemail.com>, "Linda Holtby" <linda.holtby@googlemail.com>
Subject: RE: LF: MF Still on shifp?
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:07:54 +0000
> 
> Hi Warren,
> 
> When I was on a cruise ship recently I did notice several HF whip
> antennas with antenna tuners right below the whip antennas, and some 500
> kHz antennas.  On several recent cruises I found the radio room, (no
> Hams unfortunately) and they were still monitoring 500 kHz as a matter
> of habit.  Old habits die hard I guess.  The HF SSB radios were still
> installed and working, however rarely turned on they said.  Most cruise
> ships have full time data links to shore via satellite to provide 24 hr.
> phone and internet access for the guests, at a high price I am sure!
> This is the primary communications means now.  In fact, on our most
> recent Holland America cruise out of Florida they had cell phone sites
> on the ship for full time cell phone access!  I never actually made a
> call however I had full "bars" service on my Verizon CDMA phone when out
> at sea for many days.  Many folks on the ship were using their cell
> phones around the ship so I assume that the most popular cell phone
> standards are supported when at sea, CDMA and GSM.  These ship cell
> sites appeared to turned OFF when in port, I would guess to prevent
> interference to shore cell operations.  The roaming charges must be very
> high for this cell service at sea.  Interesting.
> 
> 73'
> Steve
> W4YHD
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: k2ors@comcast.net [mailto:k2ors@comcast.net] 
> Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 2:47 PM
> To: Steve Floyd; rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org;
> rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
> Cc: Andy Talbot; Linda Holtby
> Subject: Re: LF: MF Still on shifp?
> 
> Hi Andy,
> 
>       I think that is very possibly a 500kHz antenna. Steve Floyd W4YHD
> was on a cruise ship recently and they still had 500kHz equipment and
> were still monitoring! I have cc'd Steve  on this e-mail in case he has
> some more information to add.
> 
> BTW - Are the big wire cage antennas still atop the Ministry of Defence
> on Whitehall Street - last time I was in London (2003) they were still
> there.
> 
> 
> --
> 73 Warren K2ORS/WD2XGJ/WD2XSH/23/WE2XEB/2
> FN42hi
> http://www.w4dex.com/wd2xgj.htm
> 
>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "Andy Talbot" <andy.g4jnt@googlemail.com>
> > Yesterday I was watching two large cruise ships sail down Southampton
> water
> > (P&O ships,  'Artemis' and 'Aurora').   Both had a large wire antennas
> > strung between the masts, and in the case of  Artemis this extended
> down at
> > each end close to bow and stern; and there may even have been two wire
> > side-by-side on this ship.  A really long antenna.   I'm not sure of
> the
> > length of these ships, but they could  be 200 metres (ish), so even at
> the
> > bottom end of HF these are electrically long-wires.
> > Of course, the pair on Artemis, if I saw them correctly, could even be
> > phased for really high gain at HF - a Rhombic perhaps?
> > 
> > Does anyone know if large modern ships still have MF, or a serious HF
> > presence?  Or are the wire antenna(s ?) just there to hang flags from?
> Or
> > are they not even antennas, but just used for supporting decorations.
> > 
> > Artemis also had a mass of big whips on the bow, which I assume were
> base
> > tuned HF - the normal VHF whips were practically invisible beside
> them.
> > Aurora presumably had something similar, but they weren't obvious.
> > 
> > Needless to say, each ship had two large VSAT radomes, and three or
> four
> > smaller Inmarsat (and other satcom?) antennas.
> > 
> > Andy  G4JNT
> 
> 
>