Hi, Hope everyone is out enjoying the spring. How safe is my cel-phone in this little REI clear dry bag... other ideas? If you could only have one or the other would you go with a cell or go VHF... SF bay, lakes and rare ocean going... Thanks! CU Out There... Tom_at_digitaleditor.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/ ***************************************************************************
I have tried both during a weeklong trip in which I had a support team following me on land. The following are a summary of advantages and disadvantages that I have found on both. VHF: - Good for communication with nautical clubs to get the weather report were wx channels are not available. You have to be close to them, though. If they have a phone#, you can also call them directly, I guess. - In busy areas, ch. 9 and 16 are quite busy. Your signal gets easily overriden by stronger 25W transmissions from bigger boats. - Line of sight communication. If no one is around, it is useless. - If you want to be aware of Coast Guard and weather advisories, you have to keep it on. That means that you have to put up with all other junk that goes on ch. 16 and 9. - Weather wx channels with updated weather info are a rarity in the world. The alternative HF radios and radio fax, used intensively by offshore sailors, are unknown to the kayaking community (You can get a radiofax receiver from defender for $300, but then you have to learn about weather and how to interpret the information given). - Your signal can be traced by Search And Rescue personnel. - If no one is close, and listening to ch. 16, it is useless. Cell phone: - It does not work when you are very close a cliff. The signal goes through walls, but for some reason, not cliffs. - Limited to 1 mile offshore, were available (SF Bay area). - Service not available outside of highly populated areas. - You definitely get a faster response by calling the Coast Guard or 911 directly, some areas have a 3 digit number for the Coast Guard. - It is very difficult to dial the numbers with cold hands. You need both hands to dial, and you get sea sick in the process. - You can get weather reports were wx channels are not available - Your signal can not be traced. Your location is always the location of the cellular network antenna. In summary, for safety purposes in the SF Bay, a cell phone is superior to a VHF radio. In remote areas, a satellite phone, or HF radio are a better choice. Make sure you program the appropriate one-touch dial out numbers to get around the problem described above (numb fingers, sea sickness) - Julio in response to: > How safe is my cel-phone in this little REI clear dry bag... other ideas? > If you could only have one or the other would you go with a cell or go VHF... > SF bay, lakes and rare ocean going... Thanks! > CU Out There... > Tom_at_digitaleditor.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/ ***************************************************************************
Julio MacWilliams wrote: > SNIP..... > all other junk that goes on ch. 16 and 9. > > - Weather wx channels with updated weather info are a rarity in > the world. The alternative HF radios and radio fax, used > intensively by offshore sailors, are unknown to the kayaking > community (You can get a radiofax receiver from defender for $300, BIG SNIP************ Just a small note. There "is" a small HAM band HF HT available out there. It is a tri-band, on 6M, 15M, and 40M bands. Even if you are not a ham, you can monitor the marine nets, and get the local weather conditions. If anyone is interested I will post more information on where to get it.(you have to order direct from manufacturer in Japan) It's been around for awhile and mine goes about everywhere with me and has given me no problems. James *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I don't have an answer for your second question but re: the first, I try to *double bag* my cell phone. It's inside a clear radio/cell bag for use that's inside a small dry bag for storage. Have a friend who just had his cell phone in a radio bag -- he now has a new cell phone, the condensation got to it. I would think this would be a reason to get a *waterproof* VHF -- then you'd only need one bag. Eric -----Original Message----- From: Tom_P_McAuliffe_at_fastmultimedia.com [mailto:Tom_P_McAuliffe_at_fastmultimedia.com] Sent: Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:14 PM To: PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subject: [Paddlewise] Cel or VHF? Hi, Hope everyone is out enjoying the spring. How safe is my cel-phone in this little REI clear dry bag... other ideas? If you could only have one or the other would you go with a cell or go VHF... SF bay, lakes and rare ocean going... Thanks! CU Out There... Tom_at_digitaleditor.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/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Tom_P_McAuliffe_at_fastmultimedia.com wrote: > > Hi, > Hope everyone is out enjoying the spring. > How safe is my cel-phone in this little REI clear dry bag... other ideas? One barrier between cell-phone death and cell-phone life. > If you could only have one or the other would you go with a cell or go VHF... > SF bay, lakes and rare ocean going... Thanks! Someone else has already responded with an exhaustive (and accurate, I thought) comparison of the two communication links. I think the bottom line is where you paddle: Remote (non-urban): VHF. Nonremote (near-urban): cell phone. There is another characteristic of the VHF which makes it my tool of choice in the relatively remote areas I frequent: **leaving it on** allows me to keep tabs of the "pulse" of the maritime community around me. That's important when others may be broadcasting info helpful to me: sea conditions, locations of other vessels, etc. OTOH, in crowded maritime waters (e.g., SF Bay and the like), the damn thing is a marine version of CB -- and therefore precisely what I **do not** want battering my ears! If you leave the VHF off, you are making the selfish choice of being able to use it to summon help to save your own tush, but not participating in the "safety net" a bunch of electronically linked paddlers (and fishers/power boaters/sailers) provides. I leave mine on in remote areas. P.S. Folks who believe a hand-held VHF will summon help from a long ways off need to test their rig for its range. I've had good transmissions from the cockpit of my yak over a distance of three miles or so, and other times when my VHF would not give me anything at four miles or so. Three-four miles is a pretty good radius, but may be insufficient in most "remote" areas, -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
While I agree with the points Julio made, I disagree with the conclusion. In the SFBay area I find cell reception spotty in places where I might need it most, like Tomales Bay, Bolinas, Bodega, or west Marin in general. The newer small phones are also very hard to work through a vinyl bag. I am told, though I have no experience, that in an actual rescue the phone sucks, cuz you can only converse with one person at a time. Many maritime rescues involve other boats; if you're just counting on a Coastie rescue then maybe this wouldn't be a problem. I have worked with rescues on land and radios are easier to use there, IMHO. On the other hand, for casual talk, where privacy might be an issue, or for shore-to-boat conversations cells, when available, are great. -- Rob Gendreau Oakland, California gendreau_at_ccnet.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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