BaysideBob wrote: > > Fear of spouse will certainly make me take stupid risks so she won't "worry" > about me. If I spent the night on a beach waiting for safer conditions, > she'd call the Coast Guard, then tear into me when I got back. [snip] > > My question is: > What's the best device to contact home and tell her I haven't drowned and > I'll be late? Cell phone? [snip] VHF radio? [snip] > VHF radios have probably been discussed to death on this list. Some discussion here, for sure. Marine VHF's have the same characteristics as any VHF radio (ours are FM, not AM). You can look up the handbooks of the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) in your local public library for more than you want to know about VHF. A couple bottom lines: handheld marine VHF's are: 1. good for "line of sight" only -- they won't go around or over mountains; 2. their range if you are seated in your yak is somewhere around 3 - 5 miles (max), and about 8-10 miles (max) if you are standing on the beach or on a short knoll maybe 15 feet off the water [caveat: if the local CG has a repeater antenna on a high location, you might be able to reach them at greater distances]; 3. sometimes not usable due to jerks improperly broadcasting on 16 (the emergency channel); and, 4. what the CG recommends for marine users -- you can normally get a message through to them (maybe by relay off a power boat) so when your wife calls the CG, they can tell her your status. If your paddling is in a metro area (Bay area, yes, Bob?), a cell phone is probably quicker and more direct for reaching your wife. In addition, there is a direct dial routine in many areas on a cell phone which gives you a direct linkup with the CG. I'm out of my expertise here, but I doubt there is anyplace near the SF Bay metro area from which a cell phone will not work. YMMV. Two disadvantages for using a cell phone (vs. VHF) in an *on-the-water* emergency: limited battery life, and the CG can not use its signal to "home in" on you. Oh, yeah, I forgot: don't think cell phones come in a truly waterproof version, unlike some VHF's (Ralph D. knows the models which are, also what the "best buy" is these days). I paddle in remote areas, mainly, and a VHF works best there. If I paddled in the Bay area, I suspect a cell phone might be the better choice. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Feb 29 2000 - 17:34:01 PST
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