I didn't expect to be contributing to this thread, but Bob WB4APR's posting suggested another idea.

Permission to operate is always at the discretion of the captain or master of the vessel. But how about keeping a list of operations from cruise ships with the first three items on Bob's list together with dates, name of vessel, name of cruise company. That way anyone wishing to do this has a precident for the captain. There may be less reason to say no if the captain knows its been done before and the vessel didn't sink or all the navigation aids crash. Worth noting that with all of the automated comms and navigation on cruise ships these days there probably isn't a wireless operator, so no potentialy friendly professional to put a in a good word.

Just a thought.

73 all John G7HIA

________________________________ From: Bob Bruninga bruninga@usna.edu To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Tuesday, 1 March, 2011 22:11:02 Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Ham Radios on Cruises

I'm sorry, maybe I'm missing something. Wouldn't it be much easier to say ... that you must check with the ships Captain and/or communications officer

Yes, exactly the point.  But that is no where near good enough advice.  So that we don’t have to address this for each 4000 of us that might eventually take a cruise and have piecemeal responses from a dozen different people offering portions of the answer that then we have to assemble each time from a dozen emails, the AMSAT web page should also address these points (and more).

The web page should also suggest:

1) In your (1 page or less) written request to the captain include: 2) What frequencies and bands and power level 3) Description of your antenna and power source 4) Copy of your license 5) Copy of appropriate language in ITU Radio Rules 6) Copy of appropriate language in Maritime Law 7) Copy of whatever else.

Lets nail down the above list once and for all, post it.  And then we don’t have to hash it everytime with only pieces of the answer coming in from a dozen different folks, but one answer that accumulates all that info in one place.

Something like that is what I was proposing.

Bob, WB4APR -----Original Message----- From: Donald Jacob [mailto:wb5eku@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 4:41 PM To: Bob Bruninga Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: Ham Radios on Cruises

I'm sorry, maybe I'm missing something. Wouldn't it be much easier to say (on web page or what ever since this topic has been address MANY MANY times) that you must check with the ships Captain and/or communications officer. Forget FCC or any other nation's communications authority, since once at sea the ship is totally under the authority of the Captain -- Maritime Law.

Just seems much more logical to me than beating a dead horse!

73 Don  WB5EKU

On Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 12:51 PM, Bob Bruninga bruninga@usna.edu wrote:

OK, the web page could say:

1. "The following have written policy prohibiting all "radio"

operations...

<big list>

2. "The following have written policy prohibiting "amateur radio"

operations

<big list>

3. "On the following lines no one has yet found a written prohibition, but

the captian of the ship should always be informed as to any radio

operation

(usually via the Comm officer). Good luck.   <list>

4. In all categories above.  There are known examples of individuals

obtaining permission.  These cruise lines AND ships have supported amateur operations.

• Then each amateur that has been successful should submit a simple

sentence

of what he did (May request his call be removed before posting on the web page so he is not burdened by continuously answering the same question for the next 20 years.)  But properly formatting your sentence to answer all

the

proper questions in the first place will usually avoid that kind of

bother.

Examples:

Wrote letter advance to ____.  Got written permission Asked Bursar on arrival to speak to commo...  Got permission Slipped note under door of comm. shack with my cabin number.. got permission... etc..

Etc...

Bob

-----Original Message----- From: n0jy@lavabit.com [mailto:n0jy@lavabit.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 1:17 PM To: Bob Bruninga Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: Ham Radios on Cruises

For what it's worth, you may not be as forward as I am...

On our last cruise (in 2008) I just took my HT and Arrow with me, called the Purser and asked to speak with the Radio Officer for permission to operate.  I believe it was the next day that I spoke with them and described what I was using and what bands, they gave me permission and I went to work making satellite contacts.

At that time, their primary concern was power, frequency, and whether my antenna would bother any other passengers.  Princess Cruise Lines.

73, Jerry NØJY

...

Can we nail down all the cruise ships that prohibit it and those that allow it into a single document.  Then provide a link to it on the AMSAT web page?

This topic comes up over and over, and someday when I retire, I too am going to want to go on cruise, AND take ham radio along, and so I too will be asking this question.

So this is a good INFO topic that we need to collectively nail down, and then get it permanently posted on the AMSAT web page...

Thanks... Then we can UPDATE it as new info comes in (everyone write their cruise ship and indicate you're not taking their cruise if you cannot bring your radio)...

Bob

---

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_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb