CAUTION USING LED LIGHT BULBS

Word of caution when using LED light bulbs. A member of the communications team was having difficulty copying the signal from a D1N, VHF repeater, and could not understand why. He stated, “I had installed some LED replacement light bulbs and when we turned on the light, the VHF receiver input was desensitized.”
After reading the LED bulb package carefully, it states in very small print, "may cause harmful interference to sensitive marine band radio equipment. Do not install near sensitive life-saving marine communications equipment"
A word of caution for all members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Please check your gear and see that it operates with the use of your LED lights. You could loose comms and not even know it.

Congratulations to Our Newest Telecommunications Operators.

By Jonathan James
Well I was going to wait to introduce the latest Telecommunications Operator (TCO) qualified members for flotilla 7-6. I however think these members deserve a bigger spotlight than a staff report. John Polimeni, Nick Gyore and myself qualified as TCO last Friday, 15 Apr.

After three months of study and practice these member are now allowed to offer their radio facilities for use and operate them under Coast Guard orders. These members are also qualified to stand as watchstanders in the Emergency Incident Command Post (eICP) and in select Coast Guard command posts as well as meeting the stations requirement to start the brake-in process as a watchstander at Station Portland.

With this qualification brings a greater knowledge of radio operations and communicating with the mariner. If you have questions regarding Coast Guard communications, these member along with other TCO qualified members will be more than willing to answer them for you. TCO qualified members also have the ability to mentor and sign off tasks in the TCO-PQS.


We now have 6 TCO’s in our flotilla which is more than any other flotilla in the district.

BZ guys for a great job on your qualification.