Pittsburgh Maritime Radio Activity

[Fast1eddie]

Hello,

I live outside of Pittsburgh and aside from monitoring small pleasure craft, have not heard any commericial barge traffic that is often seen on the Ohio. Anyone local have any good catches to share???

Any Great Lakes HF traffic heard???

Thanks,

Ed

 

[ecps92]

You may want to try

Many of the Cargo Vessels, in addition to VHF Marine, tend to use the same channels as we find the Cruise Ships on in UHF.

Hello,

I live outside of Pittsburgh and aside from monitoring small pleasure craft, have not heard any commericial barge traffic that is often seen on the Ohio. Anyone local have any good catches to share???

Any Great Lakes HF traffic heard???

Thanks,

Ed

 

[csvff78]

There is a moderate amount of river traffic on the marine channels. I have heard the Gateway Clipper Fleet using 157.025 (Ch. 80) for shuttles during games, and for their regular cruises up and down the river. There is also traffic on 156.650 (Ch 13) for traffic control going through the locks. There is quite a bit of traffic throughout the marine band with the barges.

They do also use some UHF freqs, but not the same as cruise ships. Cruise ships tend to run with the repeater offset reversed (The repeater would be in the 466-470 range with the input in the 461.465). There are some UHF business freqs used by them. There was one (I don't have the freq handy now) that would rebroadcast marine Ch. 16 and another for a marine channel they used for their ops.

There is also some HF (High Frequency or Shortwave) stuff used as well.

Your best bet is go down to the river (The Waterfront at Homestead) and sit search the marine channels and UHF. They use low power stuff, mostly simplex, so you have to be close.

Frank K3FSS

 

[ecps92]

Actually the UHF Pairs are in the 457 & 467 Regions.

457.5250 / 467.5250 / 467.7500
457.5500 / 467.5500 / 467.7750
457.5750 / 467.5750 / 467.8000

Also 457.5000, 467.5000, 467.6000, 457.6000, 467.8250

There is a moderate amount of river traffic on the marine channels. I have heard the Gateway Clipper Fleet using 157.025 (Ch. 80) for shuttles during games, and for their regular cruises up and down the river. There is also traffic on 156.650 (Ch 13) for traffic control going through the locks. There is quite a bit of traffic throughout the marine band with the barges.

They do also use some UHF freqs, but not the same as cruise ships. Cruise ships tend to run with the repeater offset reversed (The repeater would be in the 466-470 range with the input in the 461.465). There are some UHF business freqs used by them. There was one (I don't have the freq handy now) that would rebroadcast marine Ch. 16 and another for a marine channel they used for their ops.

There is also some HF (High Frequency or Shortwave) stuff used as well.

Your best bet is go down to the river (The Waterfront at Homestead) and sit search the marine channels and UHF. They use low power stuff, mostly simplex, so you have to be close.

Frank K3FSS