Peter O writes "...in Australia, the government has just started shutting down its VHF repeater stations. Seems as though shortwave radio and digital selective calling, are becoming standard for larger boats, but VHF or mobile phones are the only practical survival communications for kayakers. (Or is there an alternative?)" Peter: Some thoughts on alternatives 1. CDMA network mobile phones have a much wider range than the GSM network, e.g. from much of Wilson's Promontory, and from the higher points on islands in the Nuyts Archipelago, South Australia. 2. Satellite phones. Although they cost $2,000 for the phone, and calls are expensive, they apparently operate anywhere in Oz. 3. VHF seems to operate to other vessels OK. 4. In Tasmania, Lionel Whish-Wilson operates Mersey Radio, a weather and fishing vessel service relayed through repeater stations, which has been used by Bass Strait crossers. This service will apparently relay via Maatsuyker Island, and other remote places. Broadcasts at 0720, 1910 on 4535 KHz. 5. Marine and Safety Tasmania website reports that VHF radio scheds are operated privately: "VHF Radio Warnings and forecasts are broadcast by a number of volunteer groups in Tasmania. The following information indicates the volunteer organisation and the sked times when weather forecasts are broadcast on Channels 16 and 67. Volunteer Organisation Weather Sked Times St Helens Coastal Patrol 0810 hours and on request Lady Barron Coastal Patrol 0840 hours King Island Coastal Patrol 0810 and 1710 hours Tasmar Radio (Hobart) 0745, 1345 and 1903 hours Mersey Radio (Devonport) 0710 and 1910 hours Tamar Coastal Patrol 0750, 1150, 1350, 1850 hours (weekdays) 0820, 1220, 1620, 1850 hours (weekends) 6. In Victoria, Marine Safety website claims: "VHF distress monitoring >From July 2002, vessels in and around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays can continue to make distress calls on VHF channel 16. Arrangements in place across the rest of Victoria will be unaffected. Distress calls made from VHF radios in and around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays will be monitored by communications officers at Point Lonsdale." 7. The EPIRB. Where did you learn that VHF repeaters are to be closed down? VHF seems to be uncertain, and relies on line of sight or suitable transmission conditions. The recent Bass Strait rescue is a case in point. The two paddlers were lucky to have a naval vessel nearby which relayed communications. Read all about it in the next VSKC newsletter (and join up, we need the subscription fee!). I think a write up is to appear in the NSW newsletter as well. Cheers, PT. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter Treby wrote: - >Where did you learn that VHF repeaters are to >be closed down? VHF seems to be uncertain, and >relies on line of sight or suitable transmission >conditions. The recent Bass Strait rescue is a >case in point. The two paddlers were lucky to >have a naval vessel nearby which relayed >communications. Read all about it in the next >VSKC newsletter (and join up, we need the >subscription fee!). I think a write up is to >appear in the NSW newsletter as well. G'day Peter Treby & Paddlewise, Four of us have just finished a beautiful trip from Disaster Bay to Eden. Seems every trip is closer to Victoria so maybe I should subscribe to the VSKC newsletter as well as NSWSKC! Re the repeater stations: - A few months ago on travelling further and further south from Sydney (Australia), it became obvious that VHF was not always available for weather reports and contacting the Coast guard. Also there were reports at our local yacht clubs that VHF repeater stations were being shut down along the NSW coast. As you would appreciate it was important for us to have at least two day weather forecasts for going around Green Cape to Bitangabee and Mowarry point. The VHF radios fared poorly around Green Cape, there was no reception of coast guard stations until we got close to Eden. This suprised me as Green Cape Lighthouse is such a logical place for a repeater. It projects about 5km out to sea and shipping/boating fatalities have been occurring regularly in this area for the last 100 years; there was one last month. Mobile phones were also out of range. Likewise on the one or two occasions we tried to use VHF to contact clearly visible fishing vessels, we had no success. However, the shortwave radios gave us 100% reliable reception of weather reports. There was not much difference between the Sangean and Sony radios on this stretch of coast, they both performed very well. Although hopeless for weather reports the VHF radios were useful for maintaining contact within the group. Peter Rattenbury, was with us on this trip and knows much more about the communications situation than I do if you wanted more detail. All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
PeterO: Hope you had a great trip, it's a fantastic piece of coast from the parts I have paddled there. I have still to paddle the section from Bittangabee to Eden. Green Cape can be a bouncy place. I keep wondering about VHF, but thus far I have hung on to my money. The shortwave radio weather schedules are invaluable, though. At this point, I think in Australia an Epirb and an SSB shortwave radio is a good combination. VHF, UHF and 27MHz radios less useful for communication outside the paddling group. The less dead weight in the boat the better, particularly failure-prone electronics. Cheers, PT. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter Treby wrote: - >At this point, I think in Australia an >Epirb and an SSB shortwave radio is a >good combination. VHF, UHF and 27MHz >radios less useful for communication >outside the paddling group. G'Day Peter & Paddlewise, I'm curious about 27MHz. Its probably more widely used and monitored by recreational craft. The down side is presumably no repeater stations and a fair bit of interference from informal chatter. But it should have a longer range than VHF for the same power. Is that the case in practice? All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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