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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 5:04 pm 
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Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:07 pm
Posts: 169
Chris
Yes you are correct. Something to think about.


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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 7:28 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
In fact fellas, I've just been working on a new communication design. It's a 2 cans connected by 200 meters of string. Simple, cost effective, no battery issues and you always know where your mate is.

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 8:26 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
Posts: 3068
Location: Kailua 96734
davew wrote:
"Love all, trust few, and always paddle your own canoe".


Cool. That fits nicely on a headstone. :lol:

But not really an option for us. CG requires PFD and VHF when more than 1 mile from shore. $100 fine a piece, each and every time.

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 8:46 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
Posts: 3323
Location: South Florida
$100 fine is the price of a VHF radio. Hummmm....

Keith

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:29 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
Posts: 3068
Location: Kailua 96734
Chekika wrote:
NOHUHU,

I'm surprised that you say you cannot hear your radios--maybe it IS the wind. I don't think I've been out in winds over about 20-25 mph, but we have always been able to hear one another on our VHF radios even when we were separated by a couple km. You use your volume/squelch control, right? Maybe it is the swell that is causing a problem. We seldom have swell of the size you encounter here in SFL.
Keith


Chekika, It IS mostly the wind, from what I can tell. And only a problem when conditions exceed our "typical" Hawaiian 15-20 mph day. That's happened a LOT this year.

A 20+ MPH wind will overpower any microphone when hit directly, so half the signal being sent is usually windage. Even if that unit has noise canceling features, like mine. Or a burp function that clears water from the speaker, like mine.

If you are listening to that broadcast in a quiet environment, you can still usually make out what's being said. But if the wind is howling on your end too (sailing upwind), the noise becomes excessive. Even with a strong signal.

Throw in weaker, staticy broadcasts, flapping sails (right by your ear) and waterlogged speakers then reception quality goes quickly downhill.

It's difficult to judge all this on the water at the time, but I have a radio that actually records the last 30 seconds of communications (like the coast guard does) so I have the luxury of analyzing our club communications while sitting here at my desk.

(Once we reached calm waters, my friend and I sat on the beach, played back his messages and were laughing our Okoles off at how ridiculous things had become. He could not make out some of his own broadcasts).

In the open ocean, on days like that, I think all you can do is try your best to shield the mic from wind when speaking and keep the radio close to your ear with the volume low. Then repeat- repeat- repeat. :)

I'm considering wearing foam earplugs on highwind days, to mitigate the roaring of the wind in my ears. I think that might help.

I said: "I-think-that-might-help!!" :wink:

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:02 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:21 pm
Posts: 2498
Location: Central Florida
I find keeping mine in a waterproof bag, mounted to my shoulder helps keep the wind on the mic down.

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:20 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
Posts: 3068
Location: Kailua 96734
It's an excellent point Bob.

How do you secure the radio while inside the bag? A biner?

Believe I would have to give up my quick release clip to put the VHF in a dry bag. Correct?

And how is the mic quality through the membrane? Speakers usually have no issues with this.

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 12:01 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:21 pm
Posts: 2498
Location: Central Florida
Not the best pic, but here it is:
Image
We sewed a small loop of 1" strapping on the edge of the vest's shoulder to hold a stainless steel carabiner which clips through a hole in the bag:
Image
The bottom loop is tied to a plastic "D" ring on the vest.

It's an old PFD, but I've yet to find one I like better.

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 3:18 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 6:29 am
Posts: 121
Location: Sydney, Australia
Hi Slaughter,

When are you looking at doing the Stockton Beach to Shoal Bay trip?

I'm still waiting for my TI to arrive in Australia (ordered the Ivory Dune and none are in the country yet). When it arrives (early Dec), I'll be sailing my TI mostly @ Port Stephens (hometown), so I'm happy to catch up with everyone for a group sail. Just keep me posted.

Also looking at taking the TI up Myall River (all the way to Broadwater & Myall Lakes) for some kayak/camping trips. But I remember the river getting narrow in a lot of places which could mean windless. So not sure if I'll tackle that all the way from the bay. Or simply drive to Mungo Brush and start from there. It also looks like a good base to start a sail to Broughton Island which Stringy mentioned takes only 30mins from there (as opposed to 2hrs from the bay) – one way. I just need to make sure my 4WD can handle the sand there, as it tends to be softer than Stockton Beach.

On a different note, 12-16 months ago I bought a pair of Uniden weatherproof UHF radios on sale for about $70. They're only weatherproof, not waterproof. The radios can handle splashes but cannot be submerged under water.

I got them for my canyonning/hiking trips and 4WDriving. Uniden claims the units have 3kms (line of sight) range which seems to be accurate. They work well under canyonning/hiking/4WD applications – though not sure if they'll survive a kayak/sailing trip. Might be more water than they can handle. What Bob posted looks like the go.

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 3:39 am 
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Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 5:02 am
Posts: 817
Location: Sydney - Parramatta
Dave, that Pittwater to Sydney trip sounded good.
A decent VHF radio is on my to-do list. At the moment I've got a UHF for yak to yak comms. From the last trip to Jerusalem Bay I'm glad I got the higher power jobbie. I think I had a bit more power and memebers of the northern amarda could hear me before I could hear them. We were a good distance away where we could just make out the sails but under very flat conditions. Add a bit of decent swell and I expect the range would have dropped off.

After drowning one UHF radio I keep the new one in a proper dry pack.

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 Post subject: Re: East Coast Adventure
PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 5:41 am 
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Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
For any electronic device being taken out on the AI, I think what Bob has done with the radio is spot on . Work on the philosophy to buy waterproof gear and then treat it as though it isn't.

Hammer - You've gotta love the Bay. So many trip to do both inside and outside the heads. It also has a fair amount of accessable land to camp without being hit with a fine. You may not have seen this thread. viewtopic.php?f=74&t=21470
( p.s. the catch phrase has been done :wink: )

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