Fireworks Coordination on Marine Freqs?

[Gator596]

The large New Years Eve fireworks display near me was coordinated using marine freqs. Given the many regulations that pyrotechnicians work under, I don't think they would fudge something like communications so I am guessing that them using the marine freqs is legit and above board.
My question is - how did this evolve ? I though the use of marine freqs was only for vessels and maritime operations.

BTW - here is what I heard;
Chan 22R (161.7) became active with an open FM modulated carrier about 24hrs prior to New Years Eve. There were some occassional broadcasts by a mechanical male voice doing what sounded like a countdown from 10 down to one with some popular music in the background.
On New Years Eve there was some comms come up on Chan 5A as well that seemed to be fireworks related. At midnight the mechanical man came on with the countdown from 10 followed by "Ready One - Fire, Ready Two-fire" up to around "60" all of which coincided with the release of fireworks. One really odd (to me, anyways) observation was that as the transmission went on and on for 23 minutes, different PL tones were being displayed by my scanner.
Can anyone shed some light on to how this all works?

 

[gewecke]

They should not have been on any marine channels whatsoever for this purpose.
n9zas

 

[WA1ATA]

I'm not so sure those are VHF marine freqs in the US. In the US, Chan 22 is a simplex channel at 157.1, reserved for Coast Guard use. I don't think the associated freq, 161.7 that you heard in use is a valid VHF marine freq in US. (And I don't think in Canada, either).

Similarly, Channel 5 is available for use as Vessel Traffic Control in Houston and New Orleans. It is not available for general use.

It is likely that the PL tones that you heard were controlling the firing of the fireworks.

 

[WA1ATA]

Lots of VHF marine freqs programmed into scanners are not available in any given location.

http://wireless.fcc.gov/marine/vhfchanl.pdf is a simplified chart that summarizes the US channels.

Note that some channels are available only in specific areas.

Also note that, although it isn't clear from this chart, the assigned freqs don't include the 160.x and 161.x freqs included in scanners. A few of those -- 24-28, for example are valid transmit freqs for Public Correspondence shore stations (what used to be used for phone patch links into the telephone system. pretty much dead now)

 

[ab2ms]

I've heard a lot of comms for 4th of July fireworks on coast gaurd freqs, but the scene was on a canal and the CG was coordinating the safety etc. of the area. Fireworks were set off from a barge out in the water.

 

[n4jri]

I'm not so sure those are VHF marine freqs in the US. In the US, Chan 22 is a simplex channel at 157.1, reserved for Coast Guard use. I don't think the associated freq, 161.7 that you heard in use is a valid VHF marine freq in US. (And I don't think in Canada, either).

Similarly, Channel 5 is available for use as Vessel Traffic Control in Houston and New Orleans. It is not available for general use.

It is likely that the PL tones that you heard were controlling the firing of the fireworks.

In the US, 161.700 would have been for remote broadcast pickup, and this would certainly explain an open FM carrier. The band was 161.64-161.76, I think. It should roughly match the 'high' side of what are used in this part of the world as simplex coast guard channels.

Also note that there is some reallocation of old public coast station freqs in the 161.8-162.000 range along with their partners at 157 MHz. One user is the Commonwealth of Virginia. Much traffic on its digital trunked STARS system is on former VHF marine channels, particularly in the western part of the state.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[Gator596]

Thanks Friends, This clears up a lot of the questions I had about this activity. I had figured that because the freqs were in the marine "Service Search" function of my scanner that they had to be bona fide fcc designated marine freqs.

 

[RKG]

In my neck of the woods, fireworks displays are almost always conducted from barges anchored in an appropriate location, and usually attended by a small flotilla of escort craft. Hence the marine traffic. Typically a PortsOps channel will be utilized.

 

[kb2vxa]

Calm down fellers, it's perfectly legal in navigable waters of the Niagara Region. When I lived up north, every Independence Day I would hear fireworks being set up and readied on channel 18, perfectly legal and normal for commercial barges in the East River (NYC).

 

[Jay911]

The frequencies which are in the "marine band" are not restricted to marine use in Canada. Commercial licenses exist throughout the 156-158 etc area.

 

[ff-medic]

The large New Years Eve fireworks display near me was coordinated using marine freqs. Given the many regulations that pyrotechnicians work under, I don't think they would fudge something like communications so I am guessing that them using the marine freqs is legit and above board.
?

I use to work on the Ohio with a few tow companys in my earlier days. Here is what I know.

If an organization / group / entity , wants to do something of that sorts , the Coast Guard for your sector ( Use to be Coast Guard Group in my days ) should be advised , and through him , a notice to mariners will be broadacsted at the scheduled bradcast time on on Ch-22 Alpha ( 157.100 mhz ).

No one wants a river tow of hazzardous or flammable material going down the river and an accident occuring with fireworks..although highly unlikey it could happen. Or to the lesser degree a fire getting started on a commercial vessel.

Back when I started in EMS / Fire , after my river days..everyone in the Fire business wanted to call the local safety office for a search, downed boat on the river..ect..ect. All that is goinig to happen is that particular safety office is going to call the sector responsible for them and get permission , and or advise that they are launching. The Sector notifys the "Captain of the Port " and he, or she ; gets the particulars and gives the go ahead..cause, all marine safety offices in his or her sector they are responsbile for ; including manpower and equipment. They know who is doing what at all times.

So, in a sense...if you have an emergency on the river ...instead of the info going " Up the chain of command " then " back down the chain of command " save time and call the sector responsible on Channel 16 or 22A and give them the particulars. Fireworks , boat races and thing of that sort....the Coast Guard has a website..Call or fax those folks and let them know. Yes..they can and will fine you...Significantly.


FF - Medic !!!

 

[ff-medic]

In the US, 161.700 would have been for remote broadcast pickup, and this would certainly explain an open FM carrier.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

161 mhz - My thoughts exactly - remote broadcast. But for Ontario..I have no idea. FCC regs and 161 mhz near Ontario.. I am not sure if there is legalitys for wattage and ect , so it don't interfere with them. Some rules limit broadcast for US freqs near the Candians..and I am to tired to look them up.

FF - Medic !!!

 

[rfguygg]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I've heard a lot of comms for 4th of July fireworks on coast gaurd freqs, but the scene was on a canal and the CG was coordinating the safety etc. of the area. Fireworks were set off from a barge out in the water.

Broadcast RPU. Radio stations commonly use these for synchronized fireworks displays. (as well as any remote broadcast) Around here the pyro techs use dtmf to fire from the radio station. I suspect that the group that did the show there used subaudio tones for this purpose.