A Ham on a boat

[Douglas Pollard]

First sorry for the cross post but maybe someone will find this of
interest in each group.
I am planing some single handed voyaging at least to the Bahamas from
Virginia, maybe to Bermuda and maybe to Europe. I am almost 80 years old
and of course my family will be concerned.I wanted to be able to make
contact. I thought about buying a ssb marine transceiver at a cost of
well over $1500.oo plus antenna and more for an antenna tuner etc. Lot
of money! I started looking into ham radio. There is now a ham mobile
transceiver that sells for less than $900 that is legal to use on marine
ssb with out an illegal modification. That is a big improvement. I
bought an Alinco dx-sr8 Am, Fm transceiver new for $519.00 on line. IT
will not transmit Vhf or UHF or marine SSB but only the am bands which
is fine for my purposes. To keep costs down I bought an automobile whip
antenna that can be tuned for all the different bands. This means that
an antenna tuner is not needed saving a lot of money it is made from
stainless and cost $75.00. It does mean I will have to go into the
cockpit to switch a wire on the side of the antenna which is a minor
inconvenience. This is a wire on the side that can be plugged in at
different positions and that tunes the antenna for different radio
bands. Works really well! So with with wire and fittings, antenna, SWR
meter and mounting bracket I have a total of about $670 invested. Not a
fortune. My transceiver has a 1 watt setting and a 10 watt setting I
talked to a ham in Spain on 10 watts the other night. You can get out on
very little power this is called QRP communication and is a very big
hobby now. You can buy a 4 band transceiver kit for $125.00 and build
it your self which is not hard with all kinds on on line help now. You
just need to learn to solder a good fjoint and follow directions. So
likely you can be up and operating about $250.00 antenna and all. If you
don't want to build, a ham on line will build it for you for $100.00 so
you will have a little more money in your rig. You can get out all over
the world on 5 watts and now days there are a lot of hams listening for
you. Modern transceivers can pick up your weak signals very well. You
can buy a single band transciver kit for about $65.00. IF you build one
for ten meters you can operate it with a Technion ham license which is
the lowest class. The Technion license is easy to get and there is a
site on line that teaches it for about $25.00 and I highly recommend
it. It takes about 10 hrs to learn it and you don't have to take code
anymore so it really is easy. I did it and I am a terrible student and I
am now ready to take a General class exam. I will take it the second
week in April I have taken some sample tests on line and am passing with
over 90 % grade and only need 70%. I will then be able to talk or send
code on most of the ham bands rather than the one I can now use for
speech transmission. I will likely learn code on quit nights anchored
in some back waters someplace. I learned it as a boyscout so it should
not be that hard. I am sure it is hiding someplace in my head right now.
This long distance radio thing is so easy and cheap now I can't see
any reason for a long distance voyager not to have one, unless he is an
absolute minimalist.
I have some Ham friends that will patch me through to my family on the
telephone. They send the message on to a ham local to my home and then
it's a local phone call. No cost! I even have a doctor that is a ham so
there could be valuable advice there if I need it. I have a little net
book with Navigatrix on it so this will make a good hook up for weather
fax etc. I am happy to have this ability and it's a nice new hobby for
when anchored in the Bahamas to chat with hams. I would suggest you guys
get a license it is really cheap and it's a nice little challenge on
cold winter nights. beats the rocking chair.-- Doug Pollard Albin Vega Sea Legs 2225 KK4YGO

 

[n4lbl]

Doug:

I don't know the laws about operating on one's own boat in territorial waters, e.g. anchored in the Bahamas. If you don't know either the ARRL can answer questions. See: International
I am planing to operate APRS in Spain and they informed me that for reciprocity I'd need an extra class license. I'm waiting on the Q & A book on upgrading. My issue is definitely different from yours so please don't generalize from it.
Alan,,, n4lbl

 

[jbergman888]

Doug,don't know about the cell phone coverage where you'll be, but even in other countries with the application "Viber" you can call for free. What do satellite phones run these days?Fair winds,BruceTo: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.comFrom: alan.schulman@...Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 13:47:23 -0600Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] A Ham on a boat
Doug:

I don't know the laws about operating on one's own boat in territorial waters, e.g. anchored in the Bahamas. If you don't know either the ARRL can answer questions. See: International
I am planing to operate APRS in Spain and they informed me that for reciprocity I'd need an extra class license. I'm waiting on the Q & A book on upgrading. My issue is definitely different from yours so please don't generalize from it.
Alan,,, n4lbl

 

[9558345ad3d32553d67b49254fbbb61d]

Hello Doug, groupFirst of all may I congratulate you on the sheer guts on your expedition. I wish you all the best of luck on the enterprise.Now talking about your amateur radio. Now I understand that in the US of A it may be illegal to modify an amateur transceiver for use on other than amateur bands, however, once you are outside US territorial waters, you could get a licence from another country, perhaps Bermuda, and then modify away.
Now I am not condoning breaking any laws, but SOLAS allows you to use any means of communication in an emergency, including using an amateur transceiver on marine frequencies. If I were brave enough to cross the pond under sail, I would use something like a FT897 or IC706 and stick to the amateur bands except, heaven forbid, there was an emergency. I am sure that you know that there are several HF Amateur Yottie nets active and from what I understand, they keep a lookout for craft on passage. Another alternative is that I believe that there are mods for the Icom IC 701 marine radio that, when modified for amateur use, does not infringe its marine type approval.
HF aerials - One suggestion I have heard and tried is to use a spare halyard and hoist a wire not too near to the backstay. A bit of clever rigging would make a variable length dipole.
Certainly, if you do decide to go for it, let me know and I would put up an HF aerial and try to make a sked.73 Geoff#################################################
Geoff Blake, G8GNZ JO01fq: Chelmsford, Essex, UKgeoff@... or melecerties@...
Using Linux: Ubuntu 11.04 on Intel or Debian on UltraSparcand Apple OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion on my Macbook Pro. Avoiding Micro$oft like the plague.#################################################

 

[dougpol1]

The satellite phones are expensive. Time on the phone is too.
Radio is my pick as it works anyplace in the world. IF you are off
cruising the oceans you are going to want a receiver for Weather fax
so that is part of the cost of the transceiver. If I want to sentd a
picture back home that I have taken I can send it slowscan. Doug
--
Doug Pollard
Albin Vega Sea Legs 2225
KK4YGO



On 03/14/2014 03:57 PM, Bruce Bergman
wrote:

 

[dougpol1]

Yes I am aware that I can modify the ham and likely will. I just was
trying to keep from encouraging someone else from doing it. As a
ham it is legal for me to modify a radio but when I do it is no
longer legal to use it even as a ham on ham bands. I think?? I am
not sure of this but think it's so but like you say If I am sinking
it is legal to get help any way possible. I used to get weather
from Herb when offshore but he is no longer on the air. For that I
used ssb marine band on an old kenwood that was clipped.
--
Doug Pollard
Albin Vega Sea Legs 2225
KK4YGO

 

[9558345ad3d32553d67b49254fbbb61d]

Hello Doug, groupFirst of all may I congratulate you on the sheer guts on your expedition. I wish you all the best of luck on the enterprise.
Now talking about your amateur radio. Now I understand that in the US of A it may be illegal to modify an amateur transceiver for use on other than amateur bands, however, once you are outside US territorial waters, you could get a licence from another country, perhaps Bermuda, and then modify away.
Now I am not condoning breaking any laws, but SOLAS allows you to use any means of communication in an emergency, including using an amateur transceiver on marine frequencies. If I were brave enough to cross the pond under sail, I would use something like a FT897 or IC706 and stick to the amateur bands except, heaven forbid, there was an emergency. I am sure that you know that there are several HF Amateur Yottie nets active and from what I understand, they keep a lookout for craft on passage. Another alternative is that I believe that there are mods for the Icom IC 701 marine radio that, when modified for amateur use, does not infringe its marine type approval.
HF aerials - One suggestion I have heard and tried is to use a spare halyard and hoist a wire not too near to the backstay. A bit of clever rigging would make a variable length dipole.
Certainly, if you do decide to go for it, let me know and I would put up an HF aerial and try to make a sked.73 Geoff
#################################################Geoff Blake, G8GNZ JO01fq: Chelmsford, Essex, UKgeoff@... or melecerties@...
Using Linux: Ubuntu 11.04 on Intel or Debian on UltraSparcand Apple OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion on my Macbook Pro. Avoiding Micro$oft like the plague.#################################################

 

[9558345ad3d32553d67b49254fbbb61d]

Oops, there's a terrific echo in here - in otherwords what's Yahoo been up to now?Geoff #################################################
Geoff Blake, G8GNZ JO01fq: Chelmsford, Essex, UKgeoff@... or melecerties@...
Using Linux: Ubuntu 11.04 on Intel or Debian on UltraSparcand Apple OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion on my Macbook Pro. Avoiding Micro$oft like the plague.#################################################

 

[joe23948]

Great stuff Doug,i am also a ham radio operator. I have a Icom 718 installed on the vega with an vertical antenna made out of a fibreglass fishing rod. Works well but before that i just ran a wire up on an halyard and that worked equally good. I modified the 718 to be able to transmit on all frequencies should an emergency arise but really ham-networks are really much better in my opinion. Great networks in the Atlantic and Pacific and i also run a Pactor modem to receive emails over the winlink system. I know that Satellite Phones are cheap these days and many cruisers carry them for weather and email but i found the ability to hook into the daily ham-net for a chat just awesome and its great to make contacts with other cruisers and shore based ham's73 Joe KD0RRM

 

[don_keenan]

Great info thanks.Sent from my iPhoneKeenandoBoulder, CO

 

[dougpol1]

I agree Don and the hams on those nets are great. This week the
whole south of the country was covered with thunder storms and I
checked in with South cars. They couldn't read me at first and was
told that I was reading 5-5 but that was down in the interference.
The whole group was listening for me and each contributed what part
of my signal they could read. I was just looking to ragchew a
little but it would have been the same if it were an emergency. I
am using my Opek whip antenna that is ajustable for the different
bands and an antenna tuner is not needed. but I don't think I have
as much ground plane as I should. If I mount my antenna on my pickup
truck i am putting out a stronger signal. I guess the metal mass as
a ground plane is better. I am guessing I need to improve my ground
plane if I can. The stern rail and life lines may not be enough. I
am putting out 100 watts and don't believe my signal is as strong as
it could be. Anyway I am really impressed with the number of hams
trying to help with my weak signal. The result was I got my messages
out there. I likely wouldn't have had that kind of help on ssb
marine HF. Passed my General test last Saturday and am some happy
with that.
--
Doug Pollard
Albin Vega Sea Legs 2225
KK4YGO
--
Doug Pollard
Albin Vega Sea Legs 2225
KK4YGO



On 04/04/2014 07:07 PM, Don Keenan
wrote:

 

[9558345ad3d32553d67b49254fbbb61d]

Congratulations Doug on your General Class pass, I am sure that you must be pleased.Have you thought about using a trailing wire or two as a ground as well as the stern rail etc. I believe that the trailing wire would not be a problem as I presume that you will be using the radio only in open waters.
I would be inclined (read plan to use) either the back stay or a simple vertical, probably 24ft mounted on the stern rail and put up with a aerial tuner. Geoff
#################################################Geoff Blake, G8GNZ JO01fq: Chelmsford, Essex, UKgeoff@... or melecerties@...
Using Linux: Ubuntu 11.04 on Intel or Debian on UltraSparcand Apple OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion on my Macbook Pro. Avoiding Micro$oft like the plague.#################################################

 

[vegaboat]

Years ago when looking for ground plane material, copper foil was
recommended for the inside of the hull. Being somewhat cheap, I asked if
aluminum flashing would also work, the answer was yes, so I lined the area
below the berths with it, tied into the engine and lifelines. Any copper
to aluminum joint was protected with NoAlox. One interesting thing I found
was that the bow pulpit was d.c. grounded (it was the ground path for the
starboard running light), and thus the entire rig via the forestay, so
keeping the antenna (hoisted to the masthead) away from the rig was
important. This system tuned up using a manual tuner, down to 40 meters
with no problem; the new automatic tuners are far better. I'd still like
to have an insulated backstay.
Ric Eiserling, KD6TDJ, #935