This Will be Useful

Status
Not open for further replies.
Rick Webb

Rick Webb

.
Jun 2, 2004
3,655
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
Sea Tow Installs ARC Boating Safety Service
Monday, August 08, 2011, 11:30 AM

Sea Tow Services International, Inc. announced it has completed installation of its Automated Radio Check (ARC) boating safety service through its network of Sea Tow franchises, and will make the free public service available nationwide through additional marine outlets. Boaters can now obtain radio checks through the Sea Tow ARC service in major coastal boating markets across the U.S., including the East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and Southern California, as well as in select inland regions. The first boating safety program of its kind, Sea Tow ARC is made possible due to Sea Tow’s ongoing relationship with marine communications specialist MariTEL.

To conduct a radio check through the Sea Tow ARC service, boaters can simply tune their VHF radios to Channel 24, 26, 27, or 28 (depending on the region), key the mic, and ask for a radio check. The ARC system responds to each radio check with an automated reply, and also replays to the boater’s original radio transmission, allowing him or her to assess the strength of the signal and confirm the VHF radio is in good working order. To find the Sea Tow ARC service channel in a particular region, visit http://www.seatow.com/boating_safety/ARC.asp. The web page also links to an instructional video demonstrating how to use the service step by step.

“It’s the same procedure you would use to get a radio check on Channel 9, but it doesn’t require a fellow boater or watch-stander to answer your hail; it’s automated,” said Capt. Joe Frohnhoefer, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Sea Tow Services International. “A properly working VHF is essential safety equipment on every boat. Equally important to boater safety in general is the fact that the ARC system helps reduce unnecessary chatter on Channel 16.”

The next phase of the Sea Tow ARC program includes offering the service through additional marine outlets in areas throughout the Continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii where VHF communications are widely used by mariners. Sea Tow ARC will be available for hosting by marinas, boat dealerships, bait shops, and other on-water businesses. The name of each host location will be mentioned in the ARC system’s pre-check message in its area. In addition, post-check messages can be recorded to announce local events. Companies interested in hosting the Sea Tow ARC service can find more information at http://www.seatow.com/arc.
 
RAD

RAD

.
Jun 3, 2004
2,330
Catalina 30 Bay Shore, N.Y.
Its about time! great idea.....I don't mind radio checks on the chatter channels but the nautical nitwits that ask on channel 16 :naughty:
Now the trick is to get the word out.....I looked up what channel in my area so I would respond to others and let them know
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

.
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
My sailing club had a boat on the water over the weekend, and they report this system did not work! Others had the same observation back in May when we first mentioned the system. This would be in the Annapolis area of the Chesapeake Bay, MD, USA.
 
RobG

RobG

.
Jun 2, 2004
337
Ericson 28 Noank, Ct
I've been using it this season. It's really great and the playback feature is very assuring that you can be heard AND understood. My area is so cluttered by radio checks on 9 and 16 that people often just got tired of responding.
 
G

Gail R

.
Apr 22, 2009
261
Pearson 34 Freeport, ME
The service became available in Casco Bay Maine last year. Very slick. Because it records your transmission and plays it back, you can hear just exactly what you sound like at their location.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

.
Feb 26, 2004
23,362
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Why oh Why

...do people do radio checks at all these days, and how stupid are they for doing it on Ch16? (Very stupid??? or super stupid???)
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

.
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Stu, they are all new to boating folks who do not want to embarris themseves to the entire community with their amachure antics. So once one Muldoon does a radio check they get the idea it would be cool for them to do one (and look salty in the eyes of the crew) too. I've heard this many times, everything is calm and just a few folks trying to rasie their buddies then the radio check. next thing you know the channel is alive with folks doing radio checks. And they copy the first guys format. For an interesting twist on this try doing a radio check but ask for a specific location to report ie "Any boat in Harring Bay, Any boat in Harring Bay, the is the sailing vessel Bardi Sea, radio check, over. They will repeat that exact format cause they don't know what they are doing.
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

.
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Stu, they are all new to boating folks who do not want to embarrass themselves to the entire community with their armature antics. So once one Muldoon does a radio check they get the idea it would be cool for them to do one (and look salty in the eyes of the crew) too. I've heard this many times, everything is calm and just a few folks trying to raise their buddies then the radio check. Next thing you know the channel is alive with folks doing radio checks. And they copy the first guy’s format. For an interesting twist on this try doing a radio check but ask for a specific location to report ie "Any boat in Herring Bay, Any boat in Herring Bay, the is the sailing vessel Bardi Sea, radio check, over." They will repeat that exact format because they don't know what they are doing. It is pretty laughable in my opinion.
I suspect you can get them to do all sorts of odd things if you give it a few minutes thought. I'm thinking along the lines of "securitay securitay securitay this is Bardi Sea reporting a large red buoy numbered R3 in the vicinity of the dredged channel just outside Harrington Harbor North. Be advised this buoy appears to be anchored adjacent to the entrance channel to HHN”
 
RAD

RAD

.
Jun 3, 2004
2,330
Catalina 30 Bay Shore, N.Y.
Stu Jackson said:
...do people do radio checks at all these days, and how stupid are they for doing it on Ch16? (Very stupid??? or super stupid???)
Click to expand
And most of the time after a few of the copy cats start asking a coastie will chime in and say don't use 16 for radio checks
 
rpwillia

rpwillia

.
Sep 29, 2008
1,981
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
Heard this response one day to a radio check

"My radio is working fine, thanks for asking."

Was pretty quiet after that.
 
RobG

RobG

.
Jun 2, 2004
337
Ericson 28 Noank, Ct
Good answer Richard

I thought it was pretty obvious too. Stu, I am neither a lemming or new to boating. I have however spent thirty years in the electronics business and know not to ingnore the the ever increasing chances of failure as systems age in the marine environment. I didn't constantly check when the checking was "live" so I wouldn't annoy folks like you but now I can check more often. Go ahead and do as you like and not have the radio when you really need it. Do the rest of us a favor and stay out of a thread if you're going to insult the rest of us.
BTW I do agree there is no excuse for using CH16.
Best regards, Rob
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

.
Feb 6, 1998
11,760
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
It is actually ILLEGAL to use channel 16 for a radio check, not just bad manners but ILLEGAL....

As Gail said we've been using the Sea Tow system on CH 27 here in Casco Bay since last year. The antenna is at Port Harbor Marine in South Portland so when you do a radio check from say Sebasco or Boothbay and you get a good sounding response it means your system is working well. Radio checking another boat on VHF 16 means little unless you know where they are responding from because you may not have the reach you want if the boat responding was only an 1/8 of a mile from you.
 
S

Steve Kamp

.
May 7, 2004
252
Hunter 38 Little River, SC
System worked well in Hampton Roads area, Sea Tow Little Creek, Virginia, last summer, and also Sea Tow Moorehead City, North Carolina. Those of us who were using it last year made some posts about it, but thanks for the update and stirring renewed interest.
 
ifmdalvey

ifmdalvey

.
Feb 2, 2010
373
Island Packet 37 Hull #2 Harpswell Me
I wish someone would come up with a way to check the DSC message function of my radio. I have linked it to the chartplotter and hitting the red button for 5 seconds is my primary way of sending a distress message, it would be nice to know that it works before i need it for real.
 
G

Gary_H

.
Nov 5, 2007
469
Cal 2-25 Carolina Beach NC
Very cool I'll have to try the one at Wrightsville Beach. I guess it would be nice to know if my radio actually works.
 
FourPoints

FourPoints

.
Apr 8, 2010
1,606
Frers 33 41426 Westport, CT
Just tried it from my dock in Stamford using the ships radio, and got clear answers from both mamaraneck, and Huntington harbor. Both of which are about 10 Nm as the crow flys from me, as expected the handheld didn't get a response from either...
 
JVB

JVB

.
Jan 26, 2006
270
Schock Wavelength 24 Lake Murray, SC
ifmdalvey said:
I wish someone would come up with a way to check the DSC message function of my radio. I have linked it to the chartplotter and hitting the red button for 5 seconds is my primary way of sending a distress message, it would be nice to know that it works before i need it for real.
Click to expand
Check the manual for your VHF radio. You can send a NON-distress message to another DSC radio. The "addressee" can be a friend's known MMSI code or all DSC equipped boats within range. That's how I checked mine after installing it. Successfully sending a non-emergency message is a good indication that the Mayday switch will work. One DSC VHF can query another for its position too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom