Sailing out beyond sight of land can be a lonely place and in distant times communication with the land whilst at sea was nonexistent. Nowadays with the introduction of VHF and SSB radios, Satellite phones, with the facility to send and receive emails, the world is a smaller place.
The safety aspect of long haul sailing have improved greatly due to the introduction of the new technology, this benefits all.
VHF Radio
A VHF radio set is both a transmitter and receiver and operates on a frequency range from 156 to 176 MHz.
VHF is used for communication purposes with marina's harbours and between other vessels. There are limiting factors for the distance you can communicate using VHF and that is the height of your antenna on you yacht from the sea level and the curvature of the earth, the converging point of the two is on a diminishing scale of your communicate zone. To gain further distance relays can be introduce with other vessels or relay stations if in your vicinity. The VHF's radio signal strength also plays a part in the quality of the radio's communication.
SSB Radio
Marine SSB (single side band) radios operate on MF (medium frequency, medium wave) and HF (high frequency, short wave). The former works as a ground wave which is suitable for ranges of 30 to 300 miles. Beyond that, HF is required as its signal bounces of the Ionosphere and back to the earth's surface, giving a world wide range in theory!
There are limiting factors to achieve a good radio signal where the operator has to tune the radio set to the time of day and conditions of the Ionosphere.
Emails can be sent but kept as small as possible due the slow connection speed as they will be received to base stations around the world.
Satellite Phone
Satellite phone communicate directly with orbital satellites. There are four satellite communication networks in existence
Inmarsat
Iridium
Globalstar
Thuraya
The most common one used by long haul yachtsman is the Iridium this uses a large network of 66 low-orbit satellites about 480 miles above earth to provide a global coverage. Many other networks do not work in the Polar Regions, Asia or Americas.
At 2.4 kbps the Iridium is not the quickest, but it's the only one that delivers reliable global coverage, hence it's popularity.
You can send or receive 10 to 20 emails in a minute and downloading a few days' weather charts takes around 1 to 6 minutes.
The latest Iridium OpenPort being released shortly has an improved 32 to 128 kbps, so look out for that!
EPIRB
An EPIRB (Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon) is used for communicating a distress signal when your yacht is in danger; it's not used for any other communication purpose as a standalone piece of safety equipment.
It will automatically on entree into the water transmit a distress signal and give your yacht's lat' and long' position to the nearest receiving base.
Safety services will then be alerted and come to your aid.
www.learntosailnow.com Article Source
©2009 Clive Peterson. All rights reserved.
In the full moon night, on a lovely morning you would like to take your craft, your boat where the cool wind blows. How it steers slowly along the fine film of transparent blue waters. It is very easily your reverie for you don’t own a boat yet. With boat loans, you can definitely own one. If a boat is your kind of carrier and money is not in your pocket then boat loans are fit for your selective choice for boats.
Some of the best boat loans are offered in UK at competitive rates and terms matched with personalized
Read this article in full
Isn’t it exciting to steal away for the afternoon in a motorboat for a cruise down the river? Or perhaps you prefer an old-fashioned rowboat ride. Maybe a paddleboat is your idea of fun. On the other hand, you might live for the weekends when you can take an all-day sailing trip across the lake and back.
Whatever your taste in water transportation, managing a boat can be exhilarating and challenging. But if you’re the one in charge of steering, renting, or navigating the vessel, it is important to follow a few basic safety rules and be sure that your passengers do likewise.
It seems obvious how a sailboat sails downwind: It is pushed along by the wind in its sails. Less obvious is how it can sail upwind or how some sailboats can sail faster than the wind.
Sir Isaac Newton formulated three basic laws that pertain to the motions and accelerations of all objects.
Let us have a look at the third law:
"For any force exerted on an object, an equal but opposite force must be exerted by that object onto whatever exerted the force."
A direct consequence of this law is the conservation of momentum (Momentum equals mass times velocity).
Read this article in full
The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing instructions are followed closely. Rips and holes larger than one inch in the air chambers, or those within two inches of a seam, should be repaired with internal and external patches by a professional repair technician at a certified repair facility. A quick patch repair by the user may solve the problem for a short period of time, but it is recommended to have it redone by a professional.
It is also recommended that major inflatable boat repair, and the addition of large accessories such as oar locks, seating or towing
Read this article in full
Boat insurance is necessary for all boat owners who live on or really value their boats. If it is something that you feel you must replace then you need to insure it. If you live on your boat it is absolutely necessary that it be insured. Who would want to lose their home?
Also most boats are financed in the beginning. The lending company will insist on insurance in those cases just as they would with a house or a car. This is not unreasonable; they have as much to lose in the financial sense as you do if anything
Read this article in full
We support this site using affiliate marketing as a way to earn revenue. All the ads, and many of the links mentioning other products, services, or websites are special links that earn us a commission when you use or pay for their product/service.
Please do not use our site if this alarms you.
