Turn Up the Radio

By Michael Crowley, Correspondent

The ability to communicate anytime and anywhere on the water — to other vessels, shore-based operators, or crewmen on your own boat — is critical for safe, ef cient, and pro table vessel operations. Fortunately, it’s a technology that is continually evolving, as three radio companies mentioned below demonstrate.

Standard Horizon

Standard Horizon (Yaesu USA), Cypress, Calif., released its newest radio, the HX320, in January. It’s a handheld VHF radio equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology. Match it up with Standard Horizon’s optional headset and the HX320 can be operated wirelessly. Standard Horizon’s Hans Rooker admitted the HX320 was designed “more for the recreation market than the commercial market.” But, he said, Standard Horizon is hoping to take advantage that because “some workboats do like a wireless headset” the HX320 will nd a niche in the commercial market.

He thinks crane operators are one possibility, especially when the operator must use both hands to operate the crane, while at the same time “needing to talk to the vessel. If he had a Bluetooth, he’d be able to use it hands free,” said Rooker, adding “we’ve heard there is a need.”

In the case of a crane operator, switch on the HX320’s VOX headset and it is always listening for the crane operator’s voice. When the crane operator begins talking, the HX320 automatically starts broadcasting.

The HX320 has six-watts transmitting power for up to 17 hours of operating time, though lower transmitting power settings can be selected to extend the battery life. If the HX320 is dropped overboard it oats and a water activated white strobe light automatically switches on to help locate the oating radio. The strobe light works whether the radio is on or off.

The HX320 measures 2.36"(wide)×5.24"(high)×1.65"(deep) and weighs 10.23 ozs.

David Clark

The most recent offering from David Clark Company Inc., Worcester, Mass., is the Series 9100 digital headset system. It’s a wired-system solution designed to ensure clear communications among crewmembers at normal voice levels, despite ability, versatility, and simplicity of operation – to enhance their situational awareness and safety while contributing to successful workboat operations, according to the company.

The headset system’s components include a master station, the heart of the system, which provides high performance Ethernet/IP versatility and multichannel, modular capability. A variety of durable, yet comfortable noise-attenuating headsets provide both hearing protection and crisp, clear voice transmission, according to David Clark. Headset stations and accompanying belt stations allow seamless connectivity with two-way radios, loud hailers, other common ancillaries, and existing networks. The system offers scalability for an unlimited number of users, radios, and other devices, with each user having four mode-selections to program to their job criteria.

All system components are built for all-weather reliability. Rugged, marine-grade construction ensures salt and fog corrosion resistance, wide-ranging temperature tolerance and shock/vibration absorption

LESSONS LEARNED … ALMOST

Asthe National Transportation Safety Board will tell you, “Early and frequent communication, both external and internal to the vessel, is an effective measure in averting accidents.”

But just because you’ve got the equipment for it, that’s only part of the navigating safely scheme. The remaining part is knowing how and when to use your radios. Two incidents show that’s not totally understood. The first example involves the collision on the Lower Mississippi River at mile 126 near Hahnville, La., between the bulk carrier Century Queen, going upriver on June 8, 2019, to load rice, and the towboat Katylin Marie heading downstream to pick up barges.

A passing arrangement was never established, in part because the pilot of the Katylin Marie did not respond. Thus, the Century Queen struck the Katylin Marie, resulting in three injuries, and 8,954 gals. of the towboat’s diesel fuel going into the Mississippi River. The towboat had about $1 million in damages and the Century Queen over $380,000 damages.

The NTSB said the probable cause of the accident was “the lack of early and effective communications to confirm a passing arrangement.”

About six months later, and on the same river, a similar accident occurred. On Jan. 26, 2020, the 200' towing vessel Cooperative Spirit, pushing 40 barges (total length 1,600’) upbound on the Lower Mississippi, and the 69' towing vessel RC Cripple, pushing two barges (total length 514') down river, collided near Destrehan, La. Minutes later the unbound dry bulk carrier Glory First contacted the starboard side of the Cooperative Spirit’s tow. The accident’s probable cause was “the two pilots insufficient radio communication before meeting in a bend and not broadcasting accurate AIS information regarding tow size.”

— M. Crowley