At 10:23 PM 3/7/98 -0500, you wrote: > And, in reviewing the Defender Marine catalog, there is a new Apelco > 520 VHF that is waterproof <and> submersible --- compliant with JIS-7 > requiring survival at a depth of one meter for 30 minutes --- which > sounds pretty impressive. (Note: the newer handheld VHFs have a > "weather alert" feature which automatically indicates a severe weather > broadcast in your area, a definite advantage if you're within the NOAA > radio network.) > > Joq Not wanting to be a "wet blanket" here, but standard European minimal criteria for "water resistant" is submersion at one meter for 30 minutes. At one meter there's virtually no water pressure on the unit. Thirty minutes is not very long if you happen to be cast adrift in the ocean waiting for rescue. The Aquapac cases will keep your electronic gear waterproof for longer periods of time at greater depths. . . although neither depth nor time is specified in the Aquapac literature. The other item I'd be concerned about with a radio is resistance to salt water corrosion. A little bit of salt in the water really starts to mess up your equipment. Rust proof metals such as brass and stainless steel --standard marine equipment metals-- will begin to corrode through "bi-metalic electrolysis" when brought into contact with each other in a salt water environment. The metals literally form a battery and start moving electrons. I'd be concerned about exposing electronic gear to salt water. Just as a comparison . . . my basic marine watch (OK, it's a knock off of a Rolex Submariner) is water proof to 100 meters and safe in salt water. Any emergency equipment used in a marine environment should be waterproof for a lot longer than 30 minutes at one meter. The one meter for 30 minute standard may be fine for a flashlight used for backpacking in the rain, but I'd really like to see my marine radio survive being towed behind a freighter on a trans-Atlantic crossing. Waterproof cases will bring your gear more into line with this second criteria. ------------------------------------------------------- George Bergeron, Secretary OSWEGO HERITAGE COUNCIL P.O. Box 1041, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034 Web Site: http://www.europa.com/~heritage/welcome.html Email: heritage_at_europa.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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