A story that I just became aware of—and find fascinating—involves the use of amateur radio communications in the Golden Globe Race, a 30,000 mile, non-stop solo yacht race to celebrate Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s historic 1968/9 world first solo non-stop circumnavigation.
Scuttlebutt Sailing News reported on January 21, 2019 (day 205 of the race):
Sailors have been making use of the Amateur Radio net (ham radio) for decades, and while National telecommunication authorities have often turned a deaf ear to unlicensed operators using made-up call signs while at sea, warnings from a National regulator to Golden Globe Race skippers has created intrigue into an exciting finale for race leaders.
Modern navigation and routing tools are restricted from use in the 2018-19 contest, limiting GGR skippers to the type of equipment available for the inaugural Sunday Times Golden Globe solo non-stop round the world race in 1968-69. That includes Amateur Radio.
The skippers have been using this free communication system to gain weather forecasts and maintain contact with their teams, which is allowed under the Race Rules. However, it is the responsibility of each skipper to ensure that they abide by National and International regulations which Jean-Luc Van Den Heede and Mark Slats, in first and second in the race, have not been doing. [[Neither Van den Heede or Slats have valid amateur radio licenses…Dan]]
Said the warning, “You use an amateur callsign and are making connections with amateur radio operators. The call sign letters are not registered, and thus illegal. I ask you to stop. If you have a legal amateur callsign then I urge you to present it.”
As a result of this warning, Slats is considering dropping out of the race, even though the race is nearly complete. Yachting Monthy reports:
Mark Slats, who is less than 50 miles from Golden Globe Race leader Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, has announced he is thinking about retiring from the race after being banned from broadcasting on the Ham Radio Net.
Race organisers said the Dutch skipper does not have the required licence, and has been warned by the Dutch authorities to stop broadcasting, which has left him unable to communicate with his shore team.
Under the rules of the race, all of the entrants are able to use this free communication system to gain weather forecasts and maintain contact with their teams, but, it is the responsibility of each skipper to ensure that they abide by national and international regulations.
It’s not only the yachters that are flouting the rules, it’s the amateur radio operators who are communicating with them. According to Yachting Monthly, OFCOM, the UK regulator issued the following warning:
‘Fair warning both to unregistered GGR skippers and to legitimate Ham radio operators communicating with them. In Britain, the Ham Radio net is controlled by OFCOM, which recently revoked more than 500 licences for non-compliance. This includes communicating with unregistered Ham radio operators. The maximum penalty is 6 months in prison, a £5,000 fine and loss of their licence.’
I wish that I’d found out about this sooner. It would be interesting to listen in on some of these communications. One question I have is why these guys failed to obtain a valid amateur radio license? The Golden Globe Radio website notes, “[The race] will be sailed under the auspices of the Royal Nomuka Yacht Club in the Kingdom of Tonga. His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Tupouto’a Ulukalala is Patron of the Race.” They probably could have issued valid amateur radio licenses to all the racers.
Have any of you heard the communications? Do you know any more about the technical details?
Sounds like Mr Slats is sore loser. He going to quit and take his ball home because was told to get a ham license. He gets no sympathy from me.
We earned the right to use the bands as licensed amateurs. These boaters obviously believe they are above the law.
The licensed amateurs who list their tickets by communicating with the sailors got their just desserts by losing their tickets.
If someone is using a fake callsign, it wouldn’t necessarily be easy to know someone is unlicensed. I think it would be difficult to prove someone knew they were communicating unlawfully.
Pirate radio on the high seas! I can’t feel too bad for these racers, they knew the provision that they obey all national and international laws and regulations was in effect when they registered to participate. The should have at least one licensed person on board in the crew, and they have been told this multiple times. The practice of using amateur radio communications without legitimate credentials also brings with it the lack of courtesy and protocol they probably engage in as a result of being ignorant of the best practices of amateur radio operations. They can of course get weather information via a receiver without a license but if they are going to transmit they need to be legal. The fact they have continued to operate on the air without licenses is concerning especially if they are using an amplified signal. It would in that case be very easy for their traffic to obscure calls from vessels in trouble and needing assistance, and could have dire consequences for the other vessels in their vicinity because of that.
If they are truly sportsmen and want to prove it, they need to get licensed or find crew with amateur radio licenses. To do as they have been shows a blatant disregard for regulations that nearly every country on the planet has in place for the sake of everyone, not merely to present an inconvenience for some yachtsmen. Good conduct is good conduct no matter what the activity is, and abiding by the rules is the way most honest and honorable people pursue their goals and accomplishments.
They have been getting away with occupying the airwaves illegally up to this point, and now they have been given the message that this is not to continue. The true sportsmen will do the honorable thing and make sure their broadcasts are legal. Even on the open seas, far from land and governments, it is still important to conduct yourself in accordance with the law – especially when the government makes it clear that they must comply. To do otherwise indicates a lack of respect for your fellow human beings, and the officials whom they are lead by, for the sake of self. This kind of contempt must be dealt with, if not what is to keep people from doing the same thing on dry land?
If this isn’t a clear enough message to these people I can’t feel too much sympathy for them. Their lack of compliance is not simply a matter of obedience of bureaucratic regulations, but much of the information about responsible use of the public airwaves is likely not familiar to them. I am certain there are rules and regulations they must comply with in order to legally circumnavigate the world, and this should be no different.
Either you obey the rules and provide a licensed operator for the transmitter, or you stop transmitting and face the penalties imposed on anyone else for non compliance.
I see very little gray area in this.
The bit about OFCOM revoking 500+ licenses is utterly unrelated. Those 529 licenses were revoked in 2015 because they had not been “revalidated”, basically responding to mail that you were still alive.
Apparently it was such a hassle that OFCOM decided to punt on revalidating the remaining licenses.
http://www.arrl.org/news/uk-telecoms-regulator-revokes-500-ham-radio-licenses-not-revalidated-by-holders
https://www.essexham.co.uk/validate-your-licence
Dan the words “OFCOM, the UK regulator issued the following warning” are false.
Neither ScuttleButt or Yatching Monthly article said that.
OFCom are a law unto themselves when it comes to revalidating peoples licences. Some people do not like throwing their bank or card details around. As all UK Gov representing entities those involved with licencing are supposed to accept cash, a postal order, or cheque if proffered as that is what the law actually requires for payment. However these proffered payments have been refused or more correctly just ignored likewise even some card payments…
Thus I would be cautious of any claims that come out OFCom on these matters, lets just say it can be coloured by PR etc to try and hide the reality OFCom seniors do not want generally known.
While working on the repair of various broken pieces of ham hardware, I have an HF radio on in my shop every day, sometimes listening to the shortwave and ham bands, HF aircraft channels, and military comms.
I also often listen to the marine HF channels, and for some time now, unless you speak Spanish or Chinese, it has been a case of “nobody’s home”.
So, when you are alone on the high seas, who ya gonna call? Would I respond? In a heartbeat.
Dave
KB7JS