|
There are 4 shifts of up to 7 staff on at any time with one officer keeping a dedicated listening watch on channel 16 ( they are allowed to do it on the speaker, but Solent have decided to continue to monitor it on headset). Another officer monitors 67 and zero with the others joining them if things get interesting.
 Any radio calls to 16 or 67 are typed into a computer and the message is stored - I went through all our transmissions to them since 2004 and we do not make many calls! As they have 2 officers on listening watch, they prefer any routine calls to be on 67.
When you make a DSC call to the centre it come up like a pager on one desk. When you use the Distress Button it alerts all the desks, who then wait for the call on 16. It is only after hearing nothing that they will look at the message and get the lat/long from it. When you pass your position, they will log the lat/long you give and plot it, but they also want a range and bearing from a good point so they can be sure you have read your current position and not the cursor or a waypoint position - it happens a lot.
It should be noted that you only get free rescue when you are north of the shipping lanes centreline (south of that you will pay for the service!)
They really want us to leave passage plans with them for X-channel crossings as it speeds things up at their end if they need to alert people. Note: they will NOT action anything until they are advised by a call from someone at home - so please remember to leave details and to advise when they have to contact the Coastguard ( 02392 552100). 
Solent and Portland Coastguards can cover for each other if there is a problem in either MCC and they have aerials all along the coast to get triangulation on a radio call.
On getting a call, the Coastguard first check all marinas that you could make and check the radio log. Once a decision is made to start a search, they have a computer programme that can plot all the tides since the last known position and wind history. Then they can assess the drift rate to start the search pattern.
The new helicopters are much smaller than the old ones, and although they are faster they cannot even carry a full resuscitation stretcher on board. The downdraft is a lot worse. After 2100 it will take 45 minutes to get it airborne.
All our details are correctly logged at the centre, but there are 22 Speedbirds currently on the UK active list and 16 Concordes including a submarine (plus however many French ones)! So, whenever you speak to the Coastguard you will have to give our unique callsign - be ready, they will ask for it.
The final comment should come from my boss the Chichester Harbour Master - he has personally pulled dozens of humans out of the water, some badly burnt and some barely alive, but of the 6 dead ones he has pulled out, not one of them was wearing a lifejacket.
Chris Berners-Price
p.s. to look at live traffic in the Solent as shown on AIS, click here ....
|
