b'ThePVASafetyandSecurityCommitteecreatedtwowas checking for such things as frequency variation which FOGHORN FOCUS prestigioussafetyawardstorecognizenoteworthyactsLindquist knew were no longer an issue because of the in-performed by crew of PVA vessel members that result increased reliability of solid-state devices. As he noted, ma-a safer maritime transportation system. Sponsored by therine radios have really come a long way since the 1940s. Passenger Vessel Foundation, these awards are presentedThe experience demonstrated to him that FCC inspection each year at the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends.regulations for radiotelephones were outdated and needed In the October issue of Foghorn and in this issue, we recog- to be reconsidered. nize the most recent recipients. About six or seven years ago, Lindquist brought to PVAs This month, we share the story of the latest honoree of theattentionthattheradiotelephoneinspectionsthatwere Roger Murphy National Marine Safety Award. This awardrequired in the Great Lakes region didnt make sense with is named in honor of PVA Past President Roger Murphythe current technology. At that time, inspections were re-who founded the PVA Safety and Security Committee.quired every 13 months, which went back to a 1954 agree-Each year, it is given out to recognize an employee of a PVAment between the U.S. and Canada. member for demonstrating, enhancing, or contributing to the overall safety of their organization and the passengerAs explained in a November 2023 Foghorn article by PVA vessel industry. Regulatory Affairs Consultant Peter Lauridsen, the Great Lakes Agreement (GLA) was a bi-national agreement be-Capt. Peter Lindquist of Munising Bay Shipwreck Tours,tween the countries which they initially entered into in Munising, Mich., was in the U.S. Air Force from 1967-71.1954, then updated and signed in 1973. The agreement He became an electronics technician and, at that time,established common radio telecommunication compatibil-acquired the highest Federal Communication Commis- ity because vessels navigating the Great Lakes often travel sion (FCC) license available, the first-class FCC license.in and out of the two nations jurisdictions. Based on the Around 1990, when he had to get a radio inspection for hisequipment technology existing at the time, the GLA en-first passenger-for-hire vessel, he realized that the personsured reliability by requiring inspection of radio installa-doing the inspection had a lower license than he himselftion every 13 months. had. In talking to the man, he learned that the inspection LindquistquestionedwhyGreatLakesdigitalradio equipment, which did not fail, had to be inspected every 13 months since, under FCC rules, the same radios were Lindquist questioned inspectedeveryfiveyearsonotherU.S.waters.Under Canadian rules, radios in service on waters other than the why Great Lakes digital Great Lakes were inspected every four years. The costs as-sociated with private sector license radio operators could radio equipment, be significant, having a notable impact on the budgets of which did not fail, had small, seasonal passenger vessel operators. to be inspected every At an annual PVA Great Lakes Region Meeting, Lind-quist brought up the topic and explained the situation, 13 months since, undereducating others on the treaty and the reliability of newer technology which made the requirements out of sync with FCC rules, the same current needs. A later region meeting held in Niagara Falls included Canadian partners and helped to bring further radios were inspectedclarification to the issue. every five years on otherPVA raised the concern with the U.S. Coast Guard, made itatalkingpointduringfly-instoWashington,D.C., U.S. waters.and met FCC headquarters staff, which Lindquist said FOGHORN 40'