Classic AquaSport

General Aquasport Forums => Electronics => Topic started by: seabob4 on September 19, 2012, 10:50:10 PM

Title: Atmospheric conditions and VHFs...
Post by: seabob4 on September 19, 2012, 10:50:10 PM
So I mounted Bryan's VHF in the shop with my makeshift antenna going up to the roof.  Normal reception on WX chan 2 for our area is excellent, 5 is a bit raspy (we're on the cusp between Tampa Bay and points N).

Tonight, can barely get 2, no dice on 5...but chan 3, for the EAST coast, is coming in pretty good!  Volusia, Brevard, St. Lucie...BTW Pete, the west wall of the stream is 21 NM out of Sebastian!  Peanuts!  Tunny!  Sails!
Title: Re: Atmospheric conditions and VHFs...
Post by: John Jones on September 20, 2012, 10:11:06 AM
Yep, pretty common.  Mostly caused by sunspots and very upper atmospheric conditions in the troposphere and ionosphere.  The weather we see has some bearing on it but mostly it's the very upper atmosphere.  In CB and Ham slang it's "skip".   When I had a radio in the garage Palmetto sometimes CG Sectors Mobile and New Orleans would boom in when I could barely hear St. Pete.
Title: Re: Atmospheric conditions and VHFs...
Post by: pete on September 20, 2012, 05:40:54 PM
Thanks Bob,who needs NOAA anyway! :salut:
Title: Re: Atmospheric conditions and VHFs...
Post by: pigbike on September 21, 2012, 04:29:43 PM
Is a hand held VHF radio any good. A Raytheon heldheld came along with the boat I bought. It turns on but i didn't hear anything on the channels. I only played with it for a minutes and lost interest. Maybe I need to try it again.
Title: Re: Atmospheric conditions and VHFs...
Post by: pete on September 21, 2012, 10:25:50 PM
hand held is a good backup,will have more range over open water as they are line of sight. :salut:
Title: Re: Atmospheric conditions and VHFs...
Post by: RickK on September 21, 2012, 10:37:44 PM
Quote from: "pigbike"
Is a hand held VHF radio any good. A Raytheon heldheld came along with the boat I bought. It turns on but i didn't hear anything on the channels. I only played with it for a minutes and lost interest. Maybe I need to try it again.
Seatow has an automated response for radio tests on Ch 26 & 27 - try them out.
Title: Re: Atmospheric conditions and VHFs...
Post by: seabob4 on September 21, 2012, 10:47:12 PM
Quote from: "RickK"
Quote from: "pigbike"
Is a hand held VHF radio any good. A Raytheon heldheld came along with the boat I bought. It turns on but i didn't hear anything on the channels. I only played with it for a minutes and lost interest. Maybe I need to try it again.
Seatow has an automated response for radio tests on Ch 26 & 27 - try them out.

I use 27. Turn your squelch so it's just on the edge...static in and out.  And stand on the gunwale!
Title: Re: Atmospheric conditions and VHFs...
Post by: GoneFission on September 22, 2012, 11:58:50 AM
Quote from: "pigbike"
Is a hand held VHF radio any good. A Raytheon heldheld came along with the boat I bought. It turns on but i didn't hear anything on the channels. I only played with it for a minutes and lost interest. Maybe I need to try it again.

A 5 or 6 watt handheld can save your life!  It's amazing sometimes the range you get on one of those.  And the newer ones are waterproof and float if you drop them overboard.   :thumleft:  That could be very useful if you have a really bad boating day sometime...   :shock:
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal