Jens wrote on 9 November 2009 > anyone has a practical solution for the antenna problem. It seems to me (with no vestige of authority ;-), that EPIRBs and PLBs must be expected - by their makers and by their certifying authorities - to be intended to be used very, very near to the surface of the sea. Presumably, many will be used from a dinghy, a life raft or perhaps while sitting on a semi-submerged hull (of that which used to keep you dry). Any significant wave activity is going to interfere somewhat with antenna orientation and line-of sight to low-azimuth satellites. If the satellite is overhead, it should be OK for line-of-sight. I don't know enough about the satellites in question - and I imagine your location on the globe will be quite significant - as it is for GPS reception. Anyway - there won't be a hell of a lot you can do about any of that... If you have the antenna out of the water - you must be nearly as good as a 'standard man in a life-raft'. If you have the antenna in the water, I suspect you are nowhere. So, I would aim to carry the PLB as high up on my PFD as I could - in a pocket of some sort - which allowed (God forbid !) good access for activation and a safe place to secure it while it did its job. At the moment, I carry my small VHF in a mesh-fronted pocket, high on the right shoulder-strap of my PFD. That puts it very close to my (better) ear - so that I can hear it in all but extreme wind and it's a one-handed job to grab it and transmit when I need to. The pocket actually opens to the side (Velcro flap) and is a snug, 'push-fit' for the radio - which makes it very easy to get it out (to talk) & then positively return it. I made this 'pocket' (easily on a home sewing machine) to wrap round the PFD strap like an armband. It is held on extremely securely - wrapped onto itself with an 75 x 120 mm area of Velcro. I cannot separate the Velcro until I remove the PFD - but then it easily comes undone and leaves the PFD completely un-modified. If the VHF should fall out of the pocket, it is also tied round the strap of the PFD on a short lanyard. Forces required to separate me from the VHF are obviously possible - but might leave me uninterested in subsequent events. If & when I take the plunge with a PLB - I am thinking that the other shoulder strap will be sporting a similar pouch. Best Regards Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Nov 09 2009 - 05:18:45 PST
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