Handheld radios on Holland America Cruise

[AK_SAR]

Satellite phone and EPIRB are on the prohibited list. ...... InReach by name is not listed, but may fall under satellite communications equipment. They want to be sure you use their paid WIFI.

Tell them the InReach is a handheld GPS. Which it is, it just has some additional features.

An air band radio could reach high altitude aircraft instead of waiting for something low to fly by. All you have to do is have a list of ARTCC frequencies and approach frequencies. You don't need to be able to see them. A handheld transceiver on the ground can communicate to aircraft at high altitude up to 200 miles or more. 121.5 may not get a response. I would not depend on 121.5. Never have considered 121.5 as reliable. My experience in aviation communications systems and conversations with ATC. I would also be sure to have a list of the RCO frequencies.

Good luck with that. For all the reasons I listed previously, this is a distant second choice to a sat device.

VHF marine is so widely used in Alaska, it may have a chance of making contact. So the combination of marine and aviation makes sense as I already own both.

Again, good luck with that, unless you are on a boat or standing on a beach. A VERY POOR CHOCE for inland areas.

I am unsure how well the satellite SOS may work in Alaska from my wife's iPhone. It is not supposed to be reliable above 62 deg latitude. I have tested it at my home location. A test message works with a clear view of the sky.

My understanding is that Apple uses the Globalstar satellite constellation which is optimized for mid latitudes. That being said, there has been at least one successful iPhone SOS from the Kotzebue area. If you have a clear view of the southern horizon it will probably work. If in more rugged terrain, maybe not so much.

If I frequently went beyond cellular reach and in Alaska often, I would certainly invest in an InReach device and satellite subscription.

"Beyond cellular reach" in Alaska can mean most any place outside of larger towns and well populated areas. Even along major roads coverage is often spotty.

I would like to know if 155.16 Mhz is actually used for SAR in Alaska.

Yes, we have that in our code plug. Most SAR teams in Alaska which are affiliated with ASARA use a common code plug.

But hey, you are obviously an expert on Alaska. WTF do I know about it? You do what you think is best.

 

[Hdc30474]

I was on the Zuiderdam this past December and took with me a Uniden BCD325P2, Qodosen SR-286, laptop with RTL-SDR stick and a pair of Motorola DLR1060s. The Uniden came off the ship with me while at various ports of call with no issues upon return to the ship. One time, I put the Uniden on a tray with my cell phone since I didn't take my backpack with me. No one ever said anything to me.

I have been on 13 different cruises on Carnival (1), Celebrity (2), Holland America (1), Norwegian (1), Princess (6) and Royal Caribbean (2). Out of all those cruises, I only got flagged once by security at San Pedro who then had me show my GRE PSR-500 to the onboard security on the Sapphire Princess who let me on board without a second glance. I later heard him identified as "seaco" on the scanner.

On some cruises, I have taken a Kenwood TH-F6A or a BFDX CS-580 without issue. I have also taken Motorola DTR650s and DTR700s on cruises as well.

Bernard, K6KBL/WRQD400

This is what I was asking about. Whether positive or negative. I am encouraged to take the VHF marine, Airband handheld and BCD325P2
Thanks.