Outfitting a kayak with a ham radio: http://www.n0lx.com/kayak.html As well I'll bet it would be easy to pick up wireless internet signals when I'm kayaking on Lake Washington. Having lost one phone to the water though, I think I could wait until I get home to check my email :) Paul Montgomery paul_at_paddleandoar.com http://paddleandoar.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Paul, Um.... so how do you roll with that antenna up? <laugh> I have long thought that it would be fun to do field day from a kayak but never thought much of operating while kayaking. I'm afraid I get too single-minded about paddling to chat while moving but a QRP rig would be fun at a campsite if there is any energy left. I also lean towards CW for simplicity. Nice photos and an amazing transformation from one day to the next. :) Craig Jungers Royal City, WA K7EXJ On 10/23/06, Paul Montgomery <paul_at_paddleandoar.com> wrote: > > Outfitting a kayak with a ham radio: > http://www.n0lx.com/kayak.html > > As well I'll bet it would be easy to pick up wireless internet > signals when I'm kayaking on Lake Washington. Having lost one phone > to the water though, I think I could wait until I get home to check > my email :) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Wednesday 25 October 2006 12:35, Paul wrote: > Outfitting a kayak with a ham radio: > http://www.n0lx.com/kayak.html Seems to be the ultimate for the modern man: Where no mobile phone internet can reach you you'd use your ham radio .... My, my! I'd never ... Would think staying away from things like that is what makes paddling worth while ... But if it is just an emergency communication thing ... Well, VHFs, nor cellular phones, can't be used everywhere ... "This is BJ24XT calling all stations, I am south of Tasmania, what is your QTH?" Still weird and for that space and weight I'd prefer to carry more food, or fuel for my stove, or a fishing rod! :-)! Tord *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
There is always the challenge of communicating from a remote or isolated location with a low-power transceiver using CW. And then there is always the safety aspect. When we were cruising on our sailboat (Kibitka) we used amateur radio to participate in several rescues at sea; one of which included a very low-powered amateur radio transceiver. And the size and weight of some of these systems is not much of a factor. Sometimes a tree to throw an antenna over is. Craig Jungers Royal City, WA On 10/27/06, Tord Eriksson <tord_at_tord.nu> wrote: > > On Wednesday 25 October 2006 12:35, Paul wrote: > > > Outfitting a kayak with a ham radio: > > http://www.n0lx.com/kayak.html > > Seems to be the ultimate for the modern > man: Where no mobile phone internet can > reach you you'd use your ham radio .... > > My, my! I'd never ... > > Would think staying away from things like > that is what makes paddling worth while ... > > But if it is just an emergency communication thing ... > Well, VHFs, nor cellular phones, can't be used everywhere ... > > "This is BJ24XT calling all stations, > I am south of Tasmania, what is your QTH?" > > Still weird and for that space and weight I'd prefer > to carry more food, or fuel for my stove, or a fishing rod! :-)! > > Tord *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Saturday 28 October 2006 02:40, you wrote: > There is always the challenge of communicating from a remote or isolated > location with a low-power transceiver using CW. And then there is always > the safety aspect. When we were cruising on our sailboat (Kibitka) we > used amateur radio to participate in several rescues at sea; one of > which included a very low-powered amateur radio transceiver. Having lugged around a CB radio as a safety feature on my first trip in a Klepper, ages ago, in the days before cellular phones, I found the most objectional part the weight and size of the battery pack, and that the frequency range allowed in Sweden also was used by Italian fishermen, using transmitters at least 200 times stronger than the internationally agreed upon, and thus totally swamped the range. Up in the Scandinavian mountains I've also used CBs, communicating the Samis (aka Lapps) in the area, but today a tiny cellular works much better - you just need a way to recharge it after a while (or bring spare batteries). I guess CB radios are still used by truckers ... Ten-four! > And the size and weight of some of these systems is not much of a > factor. Sometimes a tree to throw an antenna over is. As usual, a good antenna is worth millions! But this guy's set up is not an emergency set-up, as I can't see him paddling and transmitting at the same time in an emergency, one hand on the paddle and one on the mike?! If it's for communication off the water during breaks, or for daily reports back to Mum and Dad, why buildsuch an elaborate antenna set-up? If you have to abandon your kayak that fishing-pole thing will get lost, period! And probably the tx, too, unless you carry it on your person, as it seems permanently fixed to the deck, and/or the antenna?! I might be totally wrong, of course: Maybe this guy is going to paddle the far north of Siberia, or North America (say west of Hudson Bay), which are often perfectly flat, thus ideal for ham radio communication, but I would feel easier if he got himself a pair of BOSS amas to keep his vessel right side up while chatting with his buddies back in Florida, or where-ever they are :_)! Tord PS That pole could also carry a small sail ... hmmm ... *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Speaking as a ham and a paddler, he intended to operator his radio from his boat just to do it, not for any practical reason. Using HF radio while underway in a kayak is not very practical mainly because any antenna that works well is going to be on the large size. But carrying HF ham radio for use on shore is entirely practical. I have an elecraft KX1 transceiver that weighs two pounds complete with batteries and antenna. The catch is that it is a CW-only rig which means you have to know Morse code. On the other hand, plenty of hams still use Morse because it is the most effective mode with weak signals and lower power (and it's fun). The KX1 runs on 6 AA lithium batteries that are internal to the paperback book-sized case. I use a wire antenna that is about 50 feet long. The radio works on 4 ham bands, which means that good radio conditions are likely to exist on at least one band all the time. If you're curious, you can see pictures of the KX1 on elecraft's web site, www.elecraft.com. 73 (hamspeak for "best regards"), Bruce N7CEE Flagstaff, Arizona *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
The Elecraft KX-1 would be my choice too. Small, inexpensive, offered in kit form and built in keyer (and key) for CW. No voice. Four bands is a plus, too. There are even smaller ham transceivers but this seems to offer some versatility. I plan on trying this next summer. And, of course, doing something just to do it is a perfectly valid reason. Not many of us can point to the practicality of our kayaking in our modern lives. Although we did see a couple of seals Saturday. And supposedly there is a female harbor seal in the Anacortes area that likes to climb onto kayaks just for the social occasion. A picture on the wall of the outfitters there attests to her visits. Craig Jungers K7EXJ (a ham for almost 50 eyars) Royal City, WA On 10/28/06, Bruce Grubbs <mail_at_brucegrubbs.com> wrote: > > Speaking as a ham and a paddler, he intended to operator his radio from > his boat just to do it, not for any practical reason. Using HF radio while > underway in a kayak is not very practical mainly because any antenna that > works well is going to be on the large size. > > But carrying HF ham radio for use on shore is entirely practical. I have > an elecraft KX1 transceiver that weighs two pounds complete with batteries > and antenna. The catch is that it is a CW-only rig which means you have to > know Morse code. On the other hand, plenty of hams still use Morse because > it is the most effective mode with weak signals and lower power (and it's > fun). > > The KX1 runs on 6 AA lithium batteries that are internal to the paperback > book-sized case. I use a wire antenna that is about 50 feet long. The > radio works on 4 ham bands, which means that good radio conditions are > likely to exist on at least one band all the time. > > If you're curious, you can see pictures of the KX1 on elecraft's web site, > www.elecraft.com. > > 73 (hamspeak for "best regards"), > Bruce > N7CEE > Flagstaff, Arizona *************************************************************************** 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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