A Quick Question...

This message appears in error...I think it was mine!

Bruno,

Yes the boats monitor channels 13 and 16 VHF above Baton Rouge. 13 changes to channel 67 down there. 13 is the hailing channel between boats and 16 is commonly the USCG.

There is a VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) once you enter Upper Baton Rouge harbour. Hopefully, Capt. Ted will jump in and get you the particulars on this, as I don't want to step out and say something not too politically correct about this!

Basically, you log into the service via radiotelephone contact and all vessels are tracked by position by the VTS. The operator of the local VTS will give you permission to proceed or hold you up based on traffic conditions.

We have a VTS here at Louisville when the river gets above 16ft on the upper pool at Mc Alpine. Somewhere in my old video tapes I have a video I made of the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN leaving Louisville...I have my scanner on and you can hear the conversation between the Pilot of the boat and the VTS personnel. What you see is MUCH more interesting than what they say between each other!

Remind me to tell you this story when we are on the river together this summer!

~Travis~

To contact bridges and locks you use 14... including in the Intracostal in the New Orleans area as well as on the UMR and Ohio. The radio transmission between VTS(Gov. Nic) and pilots is on 67 in NOLA. There no longer is a pilot in the Gov. Nic tower, but rather in the headquarters on Canal St., but one calls "Gov. Nic" yet to report in. Much chatter/visiting is done on 68 in the NOLA harbor.

Channel 13 is the bridge-to-bridge frequency above Baton Rouge on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, Illinois and Green Rivers. 13 is also used on the Intracoastal Waterway west of New Orleans. On the Arkansas, Tenn-Tom, Tombigbee and I.C.W. east of N.O., channel 16 is used as the bridge-to-bridge frequency.

Understand, bridge-to-bridge is a Coast Guard/FCC term, meaning pilothouse-to-pilothouse.

Channel 14 is used to make initial contact and to arrange lockage or passage through locks and bridges on the Upper Miss. and the Illinois, but on the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland, initial contact is made on channel 13. Sometimes lockmen will conduct the business on 13 as well without going to 14 after the initial call.

Any VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) channel is separate from the bridge-to-bridge channel, with the exception of Governor Nicholls and Gretna Traffic Lights in N.O. harbor and Louisville Traffic; they are on 67 and 13, respectively. Confused? It's almost like the old engine room bell signals -- sounds confusing, but it really ain't!

Boat stores and fuel services ostensibly stand by on 16 and switch to another working channel, but many are never really on 16. One just knows what channel each service is on. Every barge fleet on every river in every area also has their own channel they work. I think these are not FCC-assigned, but sort of "taken" for use by their respective users.

This goes against my better judgement, but here goes...

This is the USCG site for marine frequencies...
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/vhf.htm

You can pick up a good Uniden Bearcat handheld pretty cheap these days...
http://www.scannerworld.com/content/product/category/Scanner%20Radios

My father has a 200 channel 900mhz portable scanner...I've used it pre-9/11 on DQ trips as I programmed all of the marine frequencies as well as the local police & fire frequencies of where we were travelling near to hear that as well...

That came in handy when the onboard entertainment was a near repeat of the last cruise we were on...

Thanks Pete, Bob, Judy and Travis...

Yeah, I have a Uniden VHF Marine Handheld (non-scanner, manually switched) that I bought awhile ago for cruising on the Erie (New York State Barge) Canal, but the way the lockmasters here communicate to each other about where an individual boat is predicted to travel (as told by her owner at the very first lock the boat goes through), the radio really isn't needed. When I arrive at the next lock, the lockmaster is usually waiting for me, or at the very least a very small wait on my part until the gates open and I get the green light. So my basically unused radio has been down in the basement getting dusty...

I thought I'd take it to NOLA this weekend and listen in a bit...

Again, thanks all!!

If you have it on 67, you'll hear almost constant talking. I don't know what the river stage is, but if its high enough for the Gov. Nic light to be on, it will really be busy. You'll be able to pick up the whole harbor - my range is only 3 miles or so, but that's what it is by land - only the river bends make the river mileage so much more. And it will be a real 'linguistic' lesson - I dare you to understand some of the local harbor boat pilots. And don't think you've turned to a religious station if you hear "Jesus Saves" or "John 1:1". Those are real boat names!!!! I have my marine radio on in my apartment rather than the regular radio or TV. One time when Capt. Verne C. Streckfus was on the Gov. Nic light late at night, I called in: Steamer Capitol to Gov. Nic - he was stunned, but figured it out and we chatted a bit on 68. That's one thing to remember: no chatting on 67, its too busy with business. 68 is the usual chitchat channel.

Bruno, the river is at about 11 feet here at N.O., fairly high. The harbor is a very busy place; I would advise you to listen and marvel, but not talk. And the linguistic lesson of which Judy speaks will be real! Also, as much as we might try to avoid it or think we don't do it, there is a "code" which I am sure wil baffle you, but I'll bet you will be very intrigued. You might want to check out "Bunny MAtthews" on Google before your trip down so you will be able to understand a "Yat" (and if you don't know what a "Yat" is, you can find that out, too).

No way would I ever attempt to transmit, passive listening only, thank you! My voice would only be taking up someone's very valuable business/air time, and by a mere yankee to boot... 🙂

Pete Sisak;9981 wrote:

That came in handy when the onboard entertainment was a near repeat of the last cruise we were on...

Ummm, Pete, I have to ask........huh?

Paul

Paul Penta;9991 wrote: Ummm, Pete, I have to ask........huh?

Paul

The downside of being a repeat passenger within a certain time frame...

The entertainment was the same...same shows, etc...

Dinner menus too...although that you can sometimes get around...

Like watching the same movie over again???

No offense to anyone...just went out on deck river watching, despite it being dark out and listen to the scanner instead!!!

Pete Sisak;9995 wrote: The downside of being a repeat passenger within a certain time frame...

The entertainment was the same...same shows, etc...

Dinner menus too...although that you can sometimes get around...

Like watching the same movie over again???

No offense to anyone...just went out on deck river watching, despite it being dark out and listen to the scanner instead!!!

Oh, ok. I understand. Hey, making your own river adventure is what it's all about. To each his/her own.

Paul

Channel 77 - The Working Channel For Ships

Bruno ,
Now Bob Reynolds and I have been navigtating the rivers and using the marine VHF radio for some time now and my best advice to you is to not only listen but to also make calls on the radio and if interested in something in general , simply as the boat or ship in question to go to another channel and to ask any question you my have . There is no doubt in my mind that whom ever you speak with would be more than happy to speak with you and to answer any question you may have . Also , I would suggest that you monitor channel 77 if you would care to listen in on pilots and tug captains docking or undocking their ships . For that matter there is really no reason to monitor either channels 13 or 14 between New Orleans and Baton Rouge due to the fact that the limited transmissions on those respective channels is rather brief and boring . So , hope you have a great trip and listen and talk on the radio all you wish .
Smoothe Sailing !
Ted Davisson

Gov. Nic Is On All The Time !

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Not only is the Coast Guard , VTS , " Gov. Nic " or " Gretna Tower " ON all the time , 24 - 7 , regardless of the river stage , but there is now also a new stretch of river , between Geismar , La., and Burnside , La., that is now being covered and regulated by the CG , VTS . This new VTS coverage works channel 63 A (Alpha) and was created to both monitor and assist traffic in this area due to a rash of accidents in this area .
Smoothe Sailing !
Ted Davisson

Listened in on last year's DQ/BL race, they cheated

I brought along a scanner for last years Belle of Louisville and DQ race, and yes, the BL cheated. (that is, if you can really cheat in steamboat racing) A great way to keep up with what was happening, including a lot of behind the scenes discussions.

Mobile scanners are illigal in CARS while in motion in some states, I don't know about boats. No security issues unless you are trying to listen to encripted messages.