As PV radio is unfortunately off air tonight, using a piece of bamboo, a random bit of wood, some bits of wire obtained from gutting a old PC power supply, a TV antenna cable and a BNC patch lead (plus some adaptors) I have been able to get VHF reception as far as Harwich even though the antenna is only in the roof space rather than outside. At this point, ships entering the North Sea which are large and/or carrying dangerous things such as bulk petrol / gas or other chemicals have to notify their position and get a pilot to escort them to their destination. The pilots here are actually called “Sunk Pilots” but the idea is that the ships get a pilot so they don’t collide and sink 😉 [map]51°51.6’N 001°40.4’E[/map] And if you look here you will see why – the Maersk Semarang and the Sichem Hiroshima are both loaded up with Grade A hazardous chemicals and navigating in darkness (there is also a risk of running aground and several points), and there is considerable risk of collisions. Although there is a computerised system called AIS which is a marine version of GPS satnav which also transmits every vessels position, the masters, pilot, port authority and Coastguard use the VHF radio to keep in contact, as the AIS can get interference or show incorrect details (I have got my scanner radio connected to another computer which is logging all the tranmissions and recording the audio with a timestamp) This is the first time in nearly 6 years since moving here I have had a chance to do this, I never realised the North Sea was that busy, it is like the M25! The Semarang is now safely at anchor at Felixstowe and unloading whatever the cargo may be (could be anything from explosives to nuclear waste).
BTW the Thames Coastguard signal from Bawdsey is well ropey and Walton on the Naze TRX kaputt or surely i would hear it loud and clear? – had to run the report through noise reduction/EQ, was barely readable… At this point a 55ft ex Navy pinnacle has sunk, which is a bit of a bugger as it is right in the middle of the channel and narrows it even further at a location of North Essex where running aground on the mud is a real risk (Essex is basically built on mud).
[map]51°45.876’N 000°54.855’E[/map]
Also google maps is rubbish for anything maritime (below is a far better chart of this wreck).
[ATTACH]151402[/ATTACH]
BTW this is the Sichem Hiroshima. She is from SG but the master is from RU and the officers from IN and PH. She is supposed to be taking her cargo to Blighty (actually headed to not far away from where Daftfader is) which could be up to 13393.506 m3 of anything from heavy fuel oil to naphtha or petrol/gasoline. So I see now why her crew have dropped anchor in the middle of the North Sea, rather than sail against the wind (also everyone else knows where she is).
And no gaspers or pipe for these nautical chaps….
