Comment Re:Riding the Metawaves. (Score 1) 123
No. Most radios I have seen for commercial or large vessels are always monitoring channel 16 in the background via a dual-watch or tri-watch feature where channel 16 (and 9 if tri-watch) will be injected into whatever channel you are actually on. Channel 16 is only for initial contact and then once contact is made you switch over to another agreed on channel so that other vessels don't have their radio traffic taken over by the conversation.
I call big fat BS that a 300+ ft superyacht doesn't have a radio with a dual watch or tri watch feature. I looked it up and it costs $0 more for a dual-watch radio because the feature is so standard. I can go buy one for $100 today.
Big fat BS here.