Re: [Paddlewise] Nobody Home. . .

At 08:41 PM 2/28/98 -0800, Geo. Bergeron wrote:

>        VHF radios. . . 
>
>        On the other hand, I've been sitting at the dock of the Mult. County
>Sheriff River Patrol in downtown Portland (Willamette) and squawked just to
>see if the channel was open and got nothing. 
>
>        So, I'm skeptical that the radio I carry is going to bail me out
>when I need it. It's nice to have a weather report, and the option of
>calling for help rather than being without a radio altogether. But there's
>been too many days when no one is listening --despite the fact that bigger
>boats need to monitor the radio when underway. 

There was a newsletter article I saw maybe 3 or 4 years ago in, I think,
the MASK Club (New York City) publication (Ralph D might remember it).
They were discussing radios such as above vs. cell phones.  I remember it
as article contributors concluded that radios were broadband, but maybe no
one is listening, and cell phones were narrow band, but dial a number
(Coastguard, police, etc.) and there's almost always someone at the other
end.  If you aren't in cellrange carry the radio, but carry the cell phone
anyway unless you *know* you will never be in range.  

Hank Hays


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