> From: "alex" <al.m_at_3web.net> > Subject: [Paddlewise] Weather radio in Baja (ham and AM) > I've read an old article by Ed Gillet and now wondering, - may be I do need a > weather radio. More toys, you know... SNIP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Alex, I have used a Kaito 1103 in Baja California or the Sea of Cortez a lot, in recent years. The 1103 uses a single knob for tuning and volume-which some find tricky. Other models may be available now. Previously I tried the AM stations, but finding useful WX discussion in the midst of the fading in and out was not easy, and took listening to a lot of baseball. With AM you can sometimes get the bigger picture to figure out when a high is crossing the great basin above the SOC. To use the Kaito, I set up a simple long wire antenna oriented east-west on sticks or the tent frame upon making camp. Some cruiser nets are on early (8-9AM) when you should be paddling before sunrise-so not as useful. Others however are on in the evening (6-8PM) when you can listen in camp while cooking dinner. The ham nets often have forecasters who enjoy WX, sometimes are retired forecasters, and have access to hi tech satellite tools. They know what fellow cruisers want to know and usually know the micro land effects of the Baja peninsula, such as the saddle above Bahia de los Angeles, which funnels wind. Most will answer local questions from cruisers during the forecast period and exchange current WX observations from boats on both sides of the peninsula. When planning a crossing to and going around one of the islands it is good to know what is likely to be in the works for days ahead re crossings and time spent away from water sources. Likewise, when approaching a point, is is helpful to plan your timing for better conditions. Much of the 3000 N. miles of paddling I've done in Baja were in the winter when Northers can tie you down for some time. Back then, I hesitated taking a portable SSB because they were so big and would go through batteries. I would sometimes hail sailboats on the VHF to ask re the Net forecasts, but many times they were busy sailing and didn't pay much attention to the radio. It is easier to contact them at anchor in coves. I now believe it is better to carry the small radio to hear the WX first hand and draw your own conclusions for planning. The nets work on varying Freqs, and some change times depending on winter or summer for better propagation. It is best to track times in Zulu time versus Pacific or Mountain time. The 1103 has presets which can be set to the Net freqs for quickly locating nets. There is generally a station who will be the net controller or moderator. They will have a time to pass messages between boats, and then call the net forecaster at a certain time to give a forecast and answer questions. With satellite internet available on boats, there is speculation about how long the ham nets will survive. You may not have much in common with the RV mentality that some cruisers using the nets share, ie a lot of chit-chat about social gatherings. There are no NOAA -type forecasts available on the VHF WX channels in the SOC. For useful VHF communication you may have to climb a hill. Try the La Paz Yacht Club's site for a list of net times: http://www.clubcruceros.org/Radio.html Of course, You should also look around and use the other WX clues such as local winds, cloud patterns, chats with pangeros, etc. A book, _Mex WX_ by John Rains has a useful Sea of Cortez section. Tide tables are useful to anticipate the interaction of wind and tides, especially when going around points. The northern SOC has tides of over 20 feet. Hope this helps, email me if I can answer questions. Cheers, Jay *************************************************************************** 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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