Suva Radio Smallships
p. 103 · Read in the full issue
Schedules
Supplementary to the information given in various issues of PIM last year, we now have the following from the Radio Inspector, Suva, which will be of interest to yachts and smallships with radio telephone only.
Suva Post Office, VRO-4, maintains loudspeaker watch on 6300 kc/s, answer ing on the same frequency, between 0000- 0100 GMT, 0200-0400 GMT, and from 2000-2400 GMT. Weather forecasts are broadcast on the frequency at 0230 and 2130 GMT, with the traffic list. A close watch for vessels is maintained for about half an hour thereafter —then ordinary loudspeaker watch is resumed.
Vessels equipped with 6280 kc/s should doubtless be heard at the traffic-list times when an operator tones the band.
If and when the Weather Office issues a preliminary hurricane warning, weather broadcasts will be made on the hour and half hour, every half hour, day and night, until the warning has been can celled.
The Fiji Islands now have a very thorough radio hurricane-warning system.
In addition to the above, the Suva broad cast station on 930 kc/s gives its routine weather forecasts and remains on the air when an alert is issued. This station will soon also have a short-wave outlet— currently under test. Then, across the Island, Nadi broadcasts weather on voice at 0915 GMT on 7530 kc/s regularly—and ajt frequent intervals when an alert is issued.
Smallships, through the 6300 kc/s voice channel, may, for a nominal charge, ob tain a special forecast from the Suva meteorological office at any time—though this would not be necessary under normal circumstances.
Yachts unable to transmit on 6300 kc/s, may, in case of extreme emergency, use one or other of the inter-island net channels, though these must not normally be used by shipping. Suva listens on 3885/4000/7770/8000 kc/s. Replies to calls on the first two channels are made on 5090 kc/s and to the second two on 5142 kc/s. It may happen that a yacht, not equipped for 6300 kc/s, can use one of the above four frequencies in extreme emergency. Watch is maintained as per 6300 kc/s loudspeaker watch schedules.