WL2K at Sea

Every day, the WL2K system handles messages from and to seagoing users that range from routine to life-or-death in urgency and importance. Here is a story that illustrates what we mean. --Ed.

Dave (WA2DXQ), a Winlink Participating Mail Box Office (PMBO) Operator in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, received and forwarded the following message that had been sent via his PMBO:

QUOTE

Subject: PAN-PAN ----- SERIOUS!!!

I monitor 14300.00 MHz 20:00 to 24:00 GMT also 19:00 14297.00.

UNQUOTE

Translating this for the layperson: Here’s a cruiser sailing his boat all by himself near the equator about 700 miles of the coast of Brazil. Under the best conditions it could take him up to a week to reach land. His headsail, a large Genoa, is stuck, as is the pole that holds it out from the mast to catch wind. That part of the Atlantic Ocean can be absolutely or nearly wind still, hence the use of the large out-poled Genoa sail. It can also have roaring winds and huge waves. If he cannot control the sail, he cannot control the direction in which he wants the boat to sail.

As long as there is no wind he’ll just be drifting along on the current. However, if strong winds suddenly pop up, he’ll be at the mercy of the winds and waves. With a large sail up that cannot be doused, he could capsize. In the attempt to save himself he would have to cut the sail away starting maybe as high as 60 feet up the mast. He has enough fuel for his engine to motor no more than 40 hours, say, at best for two days. That quantity of fuel is enough for getting in and out of harbors but not enough to get out of trouble 700 miles offshore and, who knows, traveling an even greater distance to a safe harbor.

Jim, the sailor on the vessel Feisty Lady, with US Documentation, #914552, doesn’t want to call “May Day” because he is not in immediate danger of losing life or his vessel. Instead he sends a “Pan-Pan”, a lower level of emergency call. Wisely, via Winlink he asks for radio amateurs on the Mobile Marine Nets to stay in touch with him until either he can get fuel from a nearby vessel or, if weather conditions worsen, seek other assistance. He’s an experienced sailor, calm and in control.

Winlink is not a standalone system. It has direct electronic links to many Mobile Marine Nets around the world. These nets spring immediately into action upon receipt of a Winlink Emergency message. Tom (VE3II) passed the message on, among others, to Alfredo (IK6IJF) with the following addition:

“Hello Alfredo, The attached message is from Jim EL0BF on the SV Fiesty Lady. Jim has more problems now. He has lost his forestay and jib. His main sail is still jammed and he says the only way he can take it down is to destroy it. He also reports that he has 800 miles of fuel but 1400 miles to the nearest port. He wanted me to send you this information so that you are aware. Ciao, Tom VE3II, Assistant Net Manager, Maritime Mobile Service Network”

Alfredo, an amateur operator of the Italian Amateur Radio Maritime net (www.qsl.net/ik6ijf), is among several others who play a lead role in coordinating continuous radio contact with Feisty Lady. As is the practice, he kept a log of the communications that occurred. Here is part of the record:

He writes: "In our Logbook we entered a contact with Jim on 01 May 2003 he was underway from Ascension Island to Trinidad, he requested us to pass him some WX (Weather Information). We received further calls from Jim on the following days and all was OK on board."

On the 10th May I received a copy of a message via Winlink describing the "Pan – Pan" with a request to mobilize the Maritime Mobile Nets.

Alfredo continues: “After the reception of the above message I decided to wait for Jim’s instructions before announcing a distress; especially because at the end of the message Jim said: “I do not want to declare an emergency at this time! Only alert”.

The subsequent communication came 10 hours later on our Net frequency 14.297 kHz. It was a Brazilian station operated by Fernando de Noronha (PY0FF). It informed me that the Brasilian Navy had received the message from the Winlink system. Jim had reported that all was OK on board and that he could continue to sail. He also informed PY0FF that he would remain in touch with the Italian Maritime Net in the coming days.

During my next contact with Jim, we established a plan, I requested Jim to be on the Net every evening to report his position, course, speed and situation on board. I also asked Jim to send me an email via Winlink if he needed our assistance outside the Marine Net. We agreed that I would provide him WX info. especially to let Jim have an idea of the weather in his area so he could take the necessary precautions to avoid further damage to the sails and avoid compromising his safety.

Before closing the Net I informed the Italian Coast Guard in Rome about the situation with Feisty Lady, I told them that Mr. Jim could sail without assistance but that I would inform the Italian Coast Guard about developments, especially as Jim had not much fuel on board and was far from the coast. The Italian Coast Guard agreed to a rescue operation if it was necessary.

I received another message from Tom (VE2II):

“Hi Alfredo, OK on the Italian authorities. Well, I do not think there is a lot that they could do since he is off the coast of Brazil but they could relay the information to the appropriate authority. Jim is for now OK and making his way into port. I'm sure that he may be able to get refueled by a passing ship but if the wind is good, he can turn off the engine and sail. 73s Alfredo. Tom.”

During the next following days we had a daily contacts with Jim. All was more or less OK on board, even though he had more problems with the sails but had been able to fix that problem. Eventually, Jim arrived on 26 May in Chaguramas. Many friends were waiting for him as Jim is a well-known guy around the Caribbean.

Just before Jim’s arrival I received a message from Trudi (8P6QM):

“Hallo Alfredo, When I talked to Jim on 40m this morning, 11.00Z, he had only 5 nm to go to Chaguaramas in Trinidad. He asked me to specially thank you very much for all your help. He sounded very happy, and there were friends looking forward to seeing him, he’s a very popular fellow! Very best wishes from Trudi - 8P6QM”.

After Jim's safe arrival in Chaguramas, I informed the Italian Coast Guard so they could close the Alert.

The last message received from Jim EL0BF, after his arrival, is as follows:

“Hello Alfrado: Yes, I am safe in port at Chaguarmas Bay Trinidad. It was my pleasure to meet you this way and your help was needed. Thank you. We are busy now but will find time to make contact in the future. Hello to Steve, kg4mqz. Bye Bye. Jim”

Reported by:

ITALIAN AMATEUR RADIO MARITIME MOBILE SERVICE
Alfredo DE CRISTOFARO IK6IJF
Via Aldo MORO, 100
64014 MARTINSICURO (TE) - ITALY

Readers could ask “What’s so special about this event”. It turned out OK and no life or property was lost. However, it could, of course, have been much worse as in the case reporting the sinking of SY MAPEMA (it probably foundered because it hit a floating object like a container in mid-Atlantic). However, what is truly notable about this story is the presence of mind of the skipper to send an initial alert via Winlink. The Marine Mobile Nets are open for traffic only a few hours per day and than usually in the evening hours only.

On the other hand, Winlink is on the air for 24 hours per day every day of the year. Further, under all radio wave propagation conditions, Winlink digital communications via Pactor is far superior to voice or even Morse Code. In fact, Pactor transmissions will succeed under conditions where the human voice cannot be heard. By sending an initial alert via Winlink, all relevant Maritime Mobile Nets are immediately alerted by email and, if necessary, could be contacted by telephone. Round the clock communication facilities could safe life.

Thanks to AussieWinlink at http://www.aussiewinlink.org