- V8V2222 -
HF/SSB radio services


HF/SSB Position & Passage Report Watch

BRUNEI BAY RADIO's  Position Report Watch is a positive action service originally designed for yachts and other small-craft on passage or cruising   in the BRUNEI BAY RADIO service area.

The daily (evening in BBRs service area) emailed position/passage report sent to Brunei Bay Radio combines with a daily (morning in BBR's service area) emailed YOTREPS position and weather report, to create twice daily contact. 

The 1200 UTC report informs  BBR of the overnight location - often at anchor for cruising yachts -  or passage plan. The 2200 UTC report to YOTREPS provides position, weather and intentions to indicate the latest plan for that day; at anchor, exploring ashore, or underway to a new destination, with course and speed if underway.

Voice contact can also be established if required.

This service is commonly used by yachts cruising alone or in small groups in isolated parts of BRUNEI BAY RADIO's service area, and for yachts - or small groups of yachts - making long passages, usually as part of their SE Asian cruising area arrival or departure.

This service is based upon participating yachts carrying specific on-board communication and safety equipment. Because of this, the BBR position report watch can have a very definite notification procedure to alert an  appropriate MRCC if there is no contact from a yacht on the watch list.

It is essential to have a dependable email service on board. SailMail, Winlink are preferrable. Satellite based email is also feasible.

A small monthly fee applies. SailMail members receive a discounted fee.

Yachts and small-craft that wish to join this service should contact BRUNEI BAY RADIO at least  two weeks in advance of departure, so there is time to setup the reporting routines and to check that on-board communication facilities are functioning.

For more information and to sign up email to BRUNEI BAY RADIO.

Note:  Navigation in this region:

1. When looking at Lat and Long positions, remember there is a significant difference between the WGS84 datum used by electronic VECTOR charts, such as C-Map - and also Google Earth - compared to the datum used by paper charts, and by electronic RASTOR charts (which are a scan of paper charts). It DOES NOT WORK to use a Lat/Long derived from C-MAP/Google Earth (ie: VECTOR chart - WSG84) and plot that directly on a paper or RASTOR electronic chart without making the correction. Paper charts always show the correction required to convert between the two datums.
   
    

2. Old charts always create a much better opportunity to hit “uncharted” obstructions, reefs etc. Paper charts are constantly updated (ie: monthly) with small and large corrections. There are summarised in Notice To Mariners. Some marine chart issuing authorities - eg Australia - have a service to send automated emails of Notice To Mariner chart updates for their paper charts. See the issuing authority websites for details.
   
    

3. There have been substantial chart updates in recent years in SE Asia - especially in parts of the Philippines, such as Palawan. Be sure to update your electronic and paper charts with the latest information. Notice to Mariners - and emailed updates from the chart issuing authority - contain the information to manually update your own paper charts. Electronic chart suppliers release regular updates for their products.  Stay current to avoid incidents.
   
    

4. The pirate version of C-Map that is commonly available and swapped between cruising yachts is an early 2000's version of C-Map. Considerable upgrades to paper and electronic chart information have occurred since then. Considerable changes man-made features such as lights/beacons, shore facilities, channel markers etc have occurred since this copy of C-Map was liberated.  It is prudent to have up-to-date information. Using this pirate version of C-Map increases the risk of a navigational incident.
   
    

5. It is important to have the latest detailed charts for harbours, ports etc. For paper charts, this means the particular charts for that port, or series of ports, correctly updated with Notice to Mariners. For electronic charts, the details are normally there already (if using an updated copy), but it's essential to click to get to that detailed level to see all the information. For example, here in Brunei, a number of yachts have hit the training wall that runs just below the surface along one side of the main shipping channel, because A - they did not look at the detailed C-Map chart display and/or B - they had the old pirate copy of C-Map that does not show the additional set of channel markers and other changes.
   
    

6. We are a C-MAP agent and a paper chart agent. If you need the latest paper or C-MAP chart upgrade, please email. We can have these ready when you call into Brunei, or send them to you most places in SE Asia. If you need to spend money on C-MAP or paper charts, please support Brunei Bay Radio's services for small-craft, by buying from us.
   
    

7. SOB (Software On Board) is an Australian made navigation software created by a yacht sailor who does delivery work and was determined to have a good system for a realistic price. It uses C-MAP charts. SOB can display SailMail's GRIB weather charts as an overlay on SOB/C-Map, plus AIS info, MOB plots etc. Email us if you wish to purchase a copy. We also have convenient and innovative small PC options (the size of a car stereo) which are robust and can run SOB and C-Map, plus all the usual on-board PC needs, such as a stereo, CD/DVD player etc.

For more information on BRUNEI BAY RADIO's  Position Report Watch service - and to sign up - please use the enquiry form by clicking  on the enquiries link at the bottom of this page.

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Call-sign: V8V2222    SelCall ID: 2222

For enquiries click here to email BRUNEI BAY RADIO

Brunei Bay Radio 
PO Box 2234
Bandar Seri Begawan  BS8674
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Phn: +673 2 262676     Fax: +673 2 262675

Unit 105, 1st Floor, PGGMB Building
Jalan Sungai Kianggeh
Bandar Seri Begawan BS8111
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
 

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