VHF went kaplooie

Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
Half way to Catalina from LA light the VHF stopped working. The Admiral sez : " you planned this didn't you?"...I had been talking about getting a new fixed mount with a remote at the helm as part of the upgrades. I SWEAR I DIDN'T PLAN THIS..... One of the topics discussed at the Catalina owners rendezvous was DSC radio use. Lots of good information thank you Norm. I need to check my power and ground leads to the new radar. It wasn't connecting to the net. Grrr
 
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Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Yes, argh... I know what you mean. DSC might have more use if more people were like Norm.
 
Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
Half way to Catalina from LA light the VHF stopped working. The Admiral sez : " you planned this didn't you?"...I had been talking about getting a new fixed mount with a remote at the helm as part of the upgrades. I SWEAR I DIDN'T PLAN THIS..... One of the topics discussed at the Catalina owners rendezvous was DSC radio use. Lots of good information thank you Norm. I need to check my power and ground leads to the new radar. It wasn't connecting to the net. Grrr
Looking at one of these?
http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&DivisionID=3&ProdCatID=83&ProdID=1769
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
I put in what Richard posted. Good radio (and I am picky) which I tied into mu chartplotter for its AIS feed.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I replaced my VHF last year with the SH radio posted by Richard. Works great. Thumbs up!
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
I found a broken ground wire behind the panel today when I went in there to begin the process i.e. measuring depth width and height, I guess a new radio will have to wait. It's still on the list, just not the "gotta have now" list. Thanks for all the suggestions.
 
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Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
The radar problem was someone who shall remain un named didn't notice that the plastic retainer for the power and ground lead was installed on the plug backwards, the connector backed out and thus no power or ground to the dome. Since I didn't remove it to install the dome, it had to be the guy who checked out the unit before handing it over to me. hmmmmmmm
 
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Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
no...just incompetent people who hang a shingle out and pay the money to be a "factory trained installer". As soon as I tugged on the plug it came right out of the socket. I took off the retaining ring and found it had been installed on the plug backwards. I remembered it being difficult to get locked in place. My only bad was not double checking and finding out why in the first place before it turned into a problem. The first 'dealer' I was using was the one who hooked it all up in his shop and made sure it all worked. Guess he missed it as well.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I just installed a new B&G V50 AIS-enabled VHF, with the H50 wireless mic. Just tonight hooked up the NMEA2000 connection to my networked chartplotter, and everything seems be talking to each other. The GPS (Garmin) feeds the GPS coordinates to the VHF for distress signal information. The VHF provides AIS information for other transmitting boats in the area to my chartplotter.

I mounted the base unit at the Nav station, and keep the wireless mic's charging cradle at the nav station also. When sailing, I grab the wireless mic and keep it at the helm. Works really slick.

The only cables I had to run of any distance was the N2K cable to connect the radio at the Nav station to the N2K backbone in a box at the helm. Turned everything on and selected the AIS source on the chartplotter, and the GPS source on the new VHF, and started talking to each other.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Greg
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I installed my new radio this past spring. It was easy. Ran the wiring for the remote and drilled a hole in the cockpit to handle the remote connection. A little Butyl Tape and it was sealed. I did read that you need to turn the radio off before connecting or disconnecting the remote. Perhaps this is to protect the operator from incorrect microphone plug in.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
...turn the radio off before connecting or disconnecting the remote. Perhaps this is to protect the operator from incorrect microphone plug in.
Or maybe static discharge- like touching a light switch at home?
 

PGIJon

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Mar 3, 2012
856
Hunter 34 Punta Gorda
..... One of the topics discussed at the Catalina owners rendezvous was DSC radio use.
Could it be that Catalina owners need to be more concerned about DSC versus the rest of us??????? ;) or are they just smarter? :yikes:
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Could it be that Catalina owners need to be more concerned about DSC versus the rest of us?
Maybe not Catalina owners, but owners sailing to/from Catalina.... Those waters are some of the busiest (maybe rivaled by the Puget Sound waters) with large commercial traffic in limited channels on the West Coast.
DSC offers one more tool to help you, " a stay safe option" for your boat.
Just last week I was hailed by a fast moving tug, while under sail, wondering what my intentions were. There was plenty of water between us and I had been monitoring his progress while we were enjoying the tack doing 6 plus knots. The communication put the Skipper of the tug wanting to get to port and myself out for the enjoyment at ease as we now knew what each was planning. A passage leaving the other on port side. He proceeded on his way at 18 plus knots and I on mine. Not 15 minutes later he was hailing "Blue sail boat off Clinton ferry dock what are your intentions" on channel 16. No answer. So this working boat was forced to slow to deal with the confusion.
In my mind DSC helps with communication. Does it always work? Not in my experience. But this time it did.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
DSC definitely helps when you simply want to talk to somebody you know, who is in range without tying up a calling channel. Unlike the guy who walks the dock and sees who is out, then goes out and systematically calls each of them.