Theoretical maximum time the horn could be used?

[Conor]

Hi guys,

Not sure if this hasn't been asked before but, what are the technical time limits on how long you could blast QE2's horn for? (e.g. could someone just sit there and have the horn blast indefinitely?)

Thanks!

[skilly56]

There are 3 whistles

Mast, air horn: Kockumsonics MKT 230/75 air SuperTyfon
Mast, electric horn: Kockumsonics MA 18/75 ElectroTyfon
Bow: Kockumsonics MTX 150/130 ElectroTyfon


The engineers would get brassed off with the air disappearing  from the air bottles in the first one, so would probably shut the manifold valve after a while. Got to keep the air pressure up for the other systems.

For the second one, the Tyfon air compressor motor would probably overheat and fail first, the compressor could eventually disintegrate, or the horn discs would crack. The horn is designed for intermittent, not continuous use - i.e., not designed to keep going for hours at a time. Ian McNaught probably got closest to the limits, but would still have been a long way away.

Passenger & crew deafness would probably lead an engineer very short on sleep to pull the fuses, then announced the unit had failed!

Skilly

[Conor]

The Typhon air compressor motor would probably overheat and fail first, the compressor could eventually disintegrate, or the horn discs would crack. The horn is designed for intermittent, not continuous use - i.e., not designed to keep going for hours at a time. Ian McNaught probably got closest to the limits, but would still have been a long way away.

Passenger & crew deafness would probably lead an engineer very short on sleep to pull the fuses, then announced the unit had failed!

Skilly

Haha! Thank you So the horn could easily manage about 45-50 seconds without damaging itself? (Or annoying too many engineers...)

[Michael Gallagher]

It was sounded for 40 seconds twice that I was there for - on the Clyde on 20 September 2007 (40th anniversary of launch) and just before she formally became the property of Dubai.

[Rod]

There are 3 whistles

Mast, air horn: Kockumsonics MKT 230/75 air SuperTyfon
Mast, electric horn: Kockumsonics MA 18/75 ElectroTyfon
Bow: Kockumsonics MTX 150/130 ElectroTyfon


The engineers would get brassed off with the air disappearing  from the air bottles in the first one, so would probably shut the manifold valve after a while. Got to keep the air pressure up for the other systems.

For the second one, the Tyfon air compressor motor would probably overheat and fail first, the compressor could eventually disintegrate, or the horn discs would crack. The horn is designed for intermittent, not continuous use - i.e., not designed to keep going for hours at a time. Ian McNaught probably got closest to the limits, but would still have been a long way away.

Passenger & crew deafness would probably lead an engineer very short on sleep to pull the fuses, then announced the unit had failed!

Skilly

When the Engineers were moved to 1 deck. The horn was quite a problem. There could be times on the Atlantic when it would blow for days at a time. Couldn't blow the mast one because of the suites....... for a fee the fwd one could be known to have a problem or 2!

[Twynkle]

This is absolutely Brilliant, Conay - thanks so much for asking!

So Rod, Skilly and Michael and anyone else - other than during Drills, do you know if or whether the two whistles and / or Foghorn were Ever blasted at length  'in distress', or 'anger', for example in the Solent?

Captain N. Bates wrote an interesting article (in a yachting magazine I think), relating to the perils of weekend traffic down Southampton Water and beyond. He expressed strong feelings and views regarding the small craft that seemed to ignore or become paralysed at the sight of QE2's great bow approaching. Mightn't this have been the ideal time to measure the length of a series of blasts?!
Also does anyone remember how long the Noon test blast(s)  could have lasted / been pressed down for?
Also - did the Foghorn have a 'button' that could be pressed in the same way as the whistles?
As before, please excuse all the questions - it's just lovely to be thinking about QE2!

To QE2's Owners / Captain - Please - are you still keeping up the time-honoured tradition of testing/sounding her Whistles and Foghorn daily at noon?
Many Thanks,
Rosie

[cunardqueen]

So which horn would be sounded and when... Could all three have been sounded at one time ? and would they ever have been.....

[Alan Snelson]

I am curious to know what the Decibel rating was for each of the horns and what would be their maximum audible range.

[Adam Hodson]

I've always wondered this but never asked. Good thinking!

I am curious to know what the Decibel rating was for each of the horns and what would be their maximum audible range.

Me too.

[Willum]

I was once working on the upper radar scanner when the magic button was pressed from the Stbd B/Wing. Its the loudest thing I've ever heard. Fortunately I heard the compressor motor start and just had enough time to drop tools and cover my ears. After that I used to take the fuses with me. I came down from the mast and had to have a bit of a lie down.

[Rod]

"7 or more short blasts, followed by one long blast on the ships whistle. The first blast will indicate the exact time of 12 noon."\
In fog I believe there were one second blasts...timing to be decided. The noon whistle...7 one second blasts followed by a 3 second.

[Willum]

Rodders far be it from me to correct the great man 'imself, but 7 short followed by 1 long is reserved for boat drill and genuine emergencies. At noon they tested the 3 whistles of which the first indicated the exact noon.

[skilly56]

Don't quote me, but I read somewhere that they could be heard from about 2 miles if you were upwind, and about 5-6 miles if you were downwind of the ship. The effects of weather, low cloud base, and humidity have a noticeable affect on the distance sound travels.
Last week in Auckland we had a series of sharp explosions and jolts that mystified people over the northern/Western areas of the city. Turns out the RNZAF were dropping 500 lb bombs from their P3K Orions, about 25 km from us, and the noise was heard up to 40 kms from the bombing range due to the low cloud base 'trapping' the sound and sending it further than normal in a lateral direction. Normally, this noise would only travel 10 km.

The QE2's mast whistles were both supposed to be 75 Hz, but one of them (I think the electric one) was closer to 74 Hz, which is what created the 'warble' effect.

As for loudness, I know that the noise level beside a fully wound-up turbo charger was 120-122 decibels, measured by the health department team (and was the same day we discovered how many deaf engineers we had on board).
120-122 decibels is the same as standing at the back end of an early Boeing 737 engine on take off, so the two mast whistles would be above that, maybe up to 130.

Skilly

[Rod]

Rodders far be it from me to correct the great man 'imself, but 7 short followed by 1 long is reserved for boat drill and genuine emergencies. At noon they tested the 3 whistles of which the first indicated the exact noon.

I bow to your lack of alcohol!

[jdl]

Great topic, a mixture of serious techy info and some funny suggestions!

I for one was completely under-whelmed by the QM2's horns.  Yes one came from the Queen Mary and the other is a replica but they were nothing like the boom of QE2.

I'll never forget the first time I heard that noise and that whatever I've travelled on since, it just hasn't felt the same.

jdl