*o I'm new to Amature Radio ( WD4TAB, Technician; passed the General written; code test to follow ) and would like to know what frequencies HAM operators use when sailing and is there an organization or web site devoted to sailing for HAMs? Presently my boat is equipped (came with ) an ICOM 710. Is this a good radio? Is there one better? Why? Also, I'd like to tap into the e-mail ability of HAM radio and need to know what equipment to purchase. Please give me your opinions. I'd like to get on the radio soon to improve my abilities operating same as in the near future I'm planning on heading offshore. Been coastal cruising too long and the far horizons beckon! Thanks,
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D
Don Magnus
I am taking my Technician exam this week and am also looking for information on what radio to get for my boat (eventually) and how the ham license can benefit a sailor.
G
Gregg
Congratulations
on passing your Tech and General written exams. Stay with the code practice - the Morse requirement hasn't gone away yet, and despite what some say, it might not. If it does, it may not be for another year or so. Besides, when the going gets tough, Morse will almost always get through. Anyway, listen to the Maritime Mobile Service net on 20 meters - 14.300 - that's the big one. There are others, depending on your location - I believe there's a net on 7267 for the east coast of the U.S. - I'm sure others will have some input here. Do a web search for ham maritime nets. For ham radio based e-mail, check out Winlink at the link below. Not really familiar with marine SSB. A popular ham HF radio is the ICOM 706 MKllG. Covers 160 meters through 70 CM, all modes. It's a 100 watt radio for HF, and it's compact. You can also separate the control panel from the radio for tight mounting locations. I have one that I bought for use in the car, and I will try some HF with it from the boat this season. Have fun...... Gregg KE2SX
on passing your Tech and General written exams. Stay with the code practice - the Morse requirement hasn't gone away yet, and despite what some say, it might not. If it does, it may not be for another year or so. Besides, when the going gets tough, Morse will almost always get through. Anyway, listen to the Maritime Mobile Service net on 20 meters - 14.300 - that's the big one. There are others, depending on your location - I believe there's a net on 7267 for the east coast of the U.S. - I'm sure others will have some input here. Do a web search for ham maritime nets. For ham radio based e-mail, check out Winlink at the link below. Not really familiar with marine SSB. A popular ham HF radio is the ICOM 706 MKllG. Covers 160 meters through 70 CM, all modes. It's a 100 watt radio for HF, and it's compact. You can also separate the control panel from the radio for tight mounting locations. I have one that I bought for use in the car, and I will try some HF with it from the boat this season. Have fun...... Gregg KE2SX
R
Ron
Good info from Gregg
I'll add, the Pacific Seafarer's Net is on 14.313 in the evenings..late. When the band is good you can hear boats crossing the Pacific as they check in. I've run many patches for people sailing across the Big P. Like Gregg says, stay with the code. Once you get past 10 or 12 WPM you'll get to like it. It's just another language. If you'd like to get together on the phone email me at KA5HZV@yahoo.com and we can set up a time. I've been a ham since 1981 and maybe I can give you a little insight... Ron/KA5HZV
I'll add, the Pacific Seafarer's Net is on 14.313 in the evenings..late. When the band is good you can hear boats crossing the Pacific as they check in. I've run many patches for people sailing across the Big P. Like Gregg says, stay with the code. Once you get past 10 or 12 WPM you'll get to like it. It's just another language. If you'd like to get together on the phone email me at KA5HZV@yahoo.com and we can set up a time. I've been a ham since 1981 and maybe I can give you a little insight... Ron/KA5HZV
T
Toger Mummah
ICOM IC-706MKIIg
We have an ICOM IC-706MKIIg and we think it is quite impressive. The freqs you listen to sort of depend on where you are. In the south east and US east coast there are a lot of cruisers who go to Florida and/or the Bahamas in the winter. We listen to (in order) BASRA weather on 4003 (Marine SSB) at 7am (all eastern time) and then on 7096 (ham) at 0720. The Waterway Net (ham) at 0745 on 7268 and then the Crusie Himer net (Marine SSB) at 0830 on 8152. A really cool thing is that we can get email over the radio. You must buy a modem thing (TNC) and hook it all up to a computer. So we can now send and receive emails when we are swinging on the hook anywhere in the anywhere in the world. Please email me directly if you want any more details. Congrats on your ham tickets. Roger and Susie Mummah remummah@worldnet.att.net
We have an ICOM IC-706MKIIg and we think it is quite impressive. The freqs you listen to sort of depend on where you are. In the south east and US east coast there are a lot of cruisers who go to Florida and/or the Bahamas in the winter. We listen to (in order) BASRA weather on 4003 (Marine SSB) at 7am (all eastern time) and then on 7096 (ham) at 0720. The Waterway Net (ham) at 0745 on 7268 and then the Crusie Himer net (Marine SSB) at 0830 on 8152. A really cool thing is that we can get email over the radio. You must buy a modem thing (TNC) and hook it all up to a computer. So we can now send and receive emails when we are swinging on the hook anywhere in the anywhere in the world. Please email me directly if you want any more details. Congrats on your ham tickets. Roger and Susie Mummah remummah@worldnet.att.net
Radio check???
Hey.. are you in the USVI? Is so I would love to try and get you on some of the marine bands to see how well my new SSB installation does over long distances.. (the folks at WLO are sick of hearing from me) Feel free to email me at FlyBri737@aol.com Brian s/v CREW REST
Hey.. are you in the USVI? Is so I would love to try and get you on some of the marine bands to see how well my new SSB installation does over long distances.. (the folks at WLO are sick of hearing from me) Feel free to email me at FlyBri737@aol.com Brian s/v CREW REST
J
Jack Tyler
Your 710, ham email and more...
T: Your 710 is a widely used, relatively powerful (150W) Marine SSB. Airmail (the 'client' software on your own laptop) was originally written by Jim Corenman with the 710 and 706 SSB's in mind and you'll find your radio quite compatible with the ham (the actual name is Winlink) system. I'd encourage you to visit www.airmail2000.com and download the Airmail software, install it (easily done) and begin looking it over, as there are several learning curves to climb and one of them is understanding how to get the most from the Winlink system by using Airmail effectively. (Don't overlook downloading Jim's Getfax and Viewfax software, as well; you'll find them very helpful for capturing wx fax products via your 710. All this is software is free due to Jim's selfless efforts and Airmail is elegant, simple and robust. The propagation prediction software helps you determine which bands to use for which distances at any given point in the day/night, it is much larger to download, and getting it when having access to broadband is recommended...but it too is free. IMO the best part about Winlink is not its email functionality but rather the huge catalog of wx f'cast products, all real-time and of digital quality when received, that are available to you 24/7. The availability of this info has increased safety aboard offshore boats in ways GPS never could. You will need a TNC (the 'radio modem' that makes an analog SSB work with a digital laptop) and a cable designed specifically to connect to your 710; you might visit Farallon Electronics at www.yachtwire.com to price the 2 basic TNC choices. They can also sell you the cable, as can HF Radio (www.hfradio.com). Offshore, I find it helpful to have the automatic PTC II-type TNC (no tuning of the radio required; the computer does it automatically) but it is more expensive. T, which nets you use will depend a lot on where you are. There are many listings of SSB Nets available on the web, probably all of them not quite uptodate; one that was updated not too long ago can be found at www.cruiser.co.za/radionet.asp Since you'll initially be cruising in the Caribbean, you might find the summary I wrote up on Caribbean WX F'cast info to be of help; you'll find it at www.southwindssailing.com/articles/0205/weathernet.html altho' please keep in mind that it was written in 2001-2002 and surely some info has now changed. You'll note that some of the wx nets also pass yacht traffic and provide other services...and include both Marine SSB and ham frequencies. Hope this helps, good luck on installing the rest of your (ham email) system, and on your coming cruising plans. Jack N3FYP
T: Your 710 is a widely used, relatively powerful (150W) Marine SSB. Airmail (the 'client' software on your own laptop) was originally written by Jim Corenman with the 710 and 706 SSB's in mind and you'll find your radio quite compatible with the ham (the actual name is Winlink) system. I'd encourage you to visit www.airmail2000.com and download the Airmail software, install it (easily done) and begin looking it over, as there are several learning curves to climb and one of them is understanding how to get the most from the Winlink system by using Airmail effectively. (Don't overlook downloading Jim's Getfax and Viewfax software, as well; you'll find them very helpful for capturing wx fax products via your 710. All this is software is free due to Jim's selfless efforts and Airmail is elegant, simple and robust. The propagation prediction software helps you determine which bands to use for which distances at any given point in the day/night, it is much larger to download, and getting it when having access to broadband is recommended...but it too is free. IMO the best part about Winlink is not its email functionality but rather the huge catalog of wx f'cast products, all real-time and of digital quality when received, that are available to you 24/7. The availability of this info has increased safety aboard offshore boats in ways GPS never could. You will need a TNC (the 'radio modem' that makes an analog SSB work with a digital laptop) and a cable designed specifically to connect to your 710; you might visit Farallon Electronics at www.yachtwire.com to price the 2 basic TNC choices. They can also sell you the cable, as can HF Radio (www.hfradio.com). Offshore, I find it helpful to have the automatic PTC II-type TNC (no tuning of the radio required; the computer does it automatically) but it is more expensive. T, which nets you use will depend a lot on where you are. There are many listings of SSB Nets available on the web, probably all of them not quite uptodate; one that was updated not too long ago can be found at www.cruiser.co.za/radionet.asp Since you'll initially be cruising in the Caribbean, you might find the summary I wrote up on Caribbean WX F'cast info to be of help; you'll find it at www.southwindssailing.com/articles/0205/weathernet.html altho' please keep in mind that it was written in 2001-2002 and surely some info has now changed. You'll note that some of the wx nets also pass yacht traffic and provide other services...and include both Marine SSB and ham frequencies. Hope this helps, good luck on installing the rest of your (ham email) system, and on your coming cruising plans. Jack N3FYP
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