RE: [Paddlewise] SPOT - A few observations

From: Steve Holtzman <sh_at_actglobal.net>
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 09:23:24 -0700
Over the past decade there have been several radios (some of them modified
amateur radio hand helds) that can communicate all over the VHF bands and,
in particular, the aviation and maritime emergency channels. Some will also
do SSB (single sideband). Steve Holtzman said he found several by Icom.

I do think that there are more people likely to be listening to marine VHF
channel 16 that are likely to come to your rescue than there are people
likely to be listening to aviation VHF 121.5mHz. 

[Steve Holtzman] 

The radios we used in the Grand Canyon were strictly aircraft frequency
radios. VHF Ch 16 was not monitored in the canyon in those days (probably
still) because radio communication from the floor of the valley or the river
to the top of the canyon was impossible.

 

The reason for the aircraft radios was because it's a straight line shot
from the floor to an aircraft that you can see passing overhead. Unless a
plane circled back, your communication window was very short.

 

Steve Holtzman
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Received on Wed Oct 01 2008 - 09:23:32 PDT

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