Re: [Paddlewise] VHF radios/Cell phones

At 08:59 PM 12/2/98 EST, Johnlebl_at_aol.com wrote:
>Folks, "line of sight" with reference to VHF-Fm marine radios is not line of
>sight if mountains, ant hills or anything is in the way.  Line of sight is
>line of sight period.
>
>These radios are limited to almost line of sight, not line of sight.  Using
>25W radios adn 4' antennas on two boats I get a range of about 7-8 miles in
>our coastal marshes dotted with islands and trees, etc.  Move these onto open
>water adn the range jumps to about 12-15 niles.  This is with 25 W now, not
>hand held 5W.
>
>To "monitor" anything iwth a handheld is admitting you do not want to use it
>in an emergency.  You will not have enough battery power.  Transmitting
uses a
>lot more than listening.  If you want to use it in case, then turn it off and
>conserve battery power for that time when you need it.  If want your cake and
>eat it too, carry extra batteries.
>
>Cell phones.  Texas and Louisiana are infested with offshore oil and gas
rigs.
>There is a whole industry of offshore cells.  Many rigs have the cell
antennas
>on the rigs.  This network is rather expensive to roam on at about $3.00 per
>minute.  But!  with a cell phone you can call anywhere in the world.  The
>small boat world in our area carry VHF and cells.  While canoeing, I carry
>both also.  The cell can make the call and the VHF can pick up the NOAA
>weather radio almost 80 miles away.
>
>When not in use, I carry my VHF in my truck adn monitor ch 16.  I live right
>along the coast and have listened to about 5 or 6 live Coast Guard rescues on
>it.  Some have been tragis, some really a comedy of errors.
>
>The point is that it works.  The Coast Guard is serious about this stuff.
>They don't play around.  A good point made is that IF you can contact a boat
>close to you, they will server as a radio relay under direction of the Coast
>Guard.  And as mentioned a sailboat has a 40' antenna.  Your will also be in
>safe hands much quicker if you can locate another boat to help you.
>
>I listened to a late night winter rescue over a period of 5-6 hours on my
>scanner while surfing teh net one night.  The CG had teh vessel in trouble
>radio them every fifteen minutes to get a radio fix on their position.  Most
>CG vessels carry Rdio Direction Finders connected to their VHF to get a
fix on
>you, but you must be transmitting to do that.  This is a good case for GPS.
>If you can tell them your exact position, you stand a much better chance of
>receiving help, especially if your VHF becomes inoperable or the batteries
run
>down.  Most  boats today have some type of GPS unit onboard adn can use it to
>home in on you.
>
>All in all, it is going to help you a lot if you have done your homework
ahead
>of time.  If you know the features of your VHF and what it will and will not
>do, you are that much better off.
>
>As we were taught in scouts.  Be Prepared.
>
>John
>
>


Check out http://www.jacksonville.net/~dldecker/fska5.htm#Telephone
to see what the Coast Guard thinks.

Dana

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