I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I have.
I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 for cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have the range. Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a boat unit, a battery and a charger?
Unfortunately there is no cellphone coverage in the area. At least not with our carrier.
"Del Cecchi" <dcecchi.nospam@att.net> wrote in message news:3dsm68FjvsU1@individual.net...>I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over >distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I >have.>
I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 > for cabin use.
Not legal either.
I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have the range.
Not legal either.
Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?
Two or three miles over open water. .> Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin?
Even FRS is only good for 5 miles max. If you are up to taking a pretty simple test then a Tech class ham license will allow you to use radios that will work. Handhelds if you have a repeater nearby. Good ole CBs may be a solution. Cheap and can generally do 10 miles.
Doug, k3qt
Or do I just get a boat unit, a> battery and a charger?>
Unfortunately there is no cellphone coverage in the area. At least not > with our carrier.>
Rodney Myrvaagnes 5 May 2005 09:36:02 [ permanent link ]
On Wed, 4 May 2005 14:30:19 -0500, "Del Cecchi" <dcecchi.nospam@att.net> wrote:
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over >distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I >have.>
I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 for >cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have >the range. Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?>
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a boat unit, a >battery and a charger?
Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.
Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a
The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry. - Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"
Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock> offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.
Marinas, radio repair shops and other businesses engaged in servicing boats on the water can apply for a land based marine VHF station license but individuals can't. It is illegal for a private individual to transmit on marine VHF frequencies while ashore, period. The penalties are pretty serious and as with the self appointed newsgroup police we have recently been infected with here, there are plenty of self appointed airways police out there just itching to turn you in.
So to summarize, with the possible exception of CB there is no legal way for me to keep in contact while out fishing that is affordable and likely to work. However, since I am pretty well off in the boonies with no Coast Guard and few federal officials I could likely get away with VHF, since it would really be difficult to distinguish my "base station" from another boat, and boat to boat communication is perfectly all right. Besides by the time they tracked me down summer would be over.
In article <3e1cj8Fmid2U1@individual.net>, "Del Cecchi" <dcecchi.nospam@att.net> wrote:
So to summarize, with the possible exception of CB there is no legal way for > me to keep in contact while out fishing that is affordable and likely to > work. However, since I am pretty well off in the boonies with no Coast > Guard and few federal officials I could likely get away with VHF, since it > would really be difficult to distinguish my "base station" from another > boat, and boat to boat communication is perfectly all right. Besides by > the time they tracked me down summer would be over.> >
Well Yes, all that you state is true, but a Person with an Ounce of PERSONAL INTEGRITY, wouldn't violate the Law just for convience. Actually you could very easily just get yourself a Business Radio Service License, and use Land Mobile VHF Radios and be perfectly LEGAL, in all respects. I am suprised no one else came up with that option. It is what Business Radio Service is all about. You will not get your own Private Frequency, but a shared frequency with PL would do you just spiffy.....
Bruce in alaska once an FCC Field Agent......... -- add a <2> before @
"Bruce in Alaska" <bruceg@btpost.net> wrote in message news:bruceg-D87843.14035706052005@netnews.worldnet.att.net...> In article <3e1cj8Fmid2U1@individual.net>,> "Del Cecchi" <dcecchi.nospam@att.net> wrote:>
So to summarize, with the possible exception of CB there is no legal way >> for>> me to keep in contact while out fishing that is affordable and likely to>> work. However, since I am pretty well off in the boonies with no Coast>> Guard and few federal officials I could likely get away with VHF, since >> it>> would really be difficult to distinguish my "base station" from another>> boat, and boat to boat communication is perfectly all right. Besides by>> the time they tracked me down summer would be over.>> >>
Well Yes, all that you state is true, but a Person with an Ounce of> PERSONAL INTEGRITY, wouldn't violate the Law just for convience.> Actually you could very easily just get yourself a Business Radio> Service License, and use Land Mobile VHF Radios and be perfectly> LEGAL, in all respects. I am suprised no one else came up with that> option. It is what Business Radio Service is all about. You will not> get your own Private Frequency, but a shared frequency with PL would do> you just spiffy.....>
Bruce in alaska once an FCC Field Agent.........> -- > add a <2> before @
Well Bruce, did you ever drive faster than 55 between 1980 and a few years ago? Anyway, I was just summarizing options. So where does one buy those business radios, and what does the license cost?
Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock>> offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.>
Marinas, radio repair shops and other businesses engaged in servicing boats >on the water can apply for a land based marine VHF station license but >individuals can't. It is illegal for a private individual to transmit on >marine VHF frequencies while ashore, period. The penalties are pretty >serious and as with the self appointed newsgroup police we have recently >been infected with here, there are plenty of self appointed airways police >out there just itching to turn you in.
I was not engaged in legal advice, just practical.
But I wonder just how many people are sitting listening to all channels in Northern Minnesota, just hoping to hear a violation? And, on hearing some heinous act, such as speaking French, calling the nearest USCG station hoping they will send a helicopter to chase down the culprit?
I have overheard some hilarious conversations on Channel 06 within range of Station Jonesport. Often it sounded as if a fisherman's wife was calling him from home about some household matter. If they had used 16 the CG would have told them to take it to a working frequency, but on 06 they wouldn't hear it ordinarily, nor care if they did.
But of course, I had no way of knowing where the actual transmission took place.
I have also heard fishermen in New Hampshire waters conversing in French on a [shudder] international channel. The unspeakable crimes that go unpunished every day!!
Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a
The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry. - Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"
Since Ch 06 is a safety channel, you generally get chased off pretty quickly if engaging in idle chitchat. We used to use Ch 6 while traveling in a group and one of our group is retired CG.
"Rodney Myrvaagnes" <rodneym@attglobal.net> wrote in message news:qb3o71tck10idfm97l26fqbr9da4ngd7ls@4ax.com...> On Thu, 5 May 2005 10:01:06 -0400, "Glenn Ashmore" <gashmore@cox.net>> wrote:>
Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock>>> offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.>>
Marinas, radio repair shops and other businesses engaged in servicing >>boats>>on the water can apply for a land based marine VHF station license but>>individuals can't. It is illegal for a private individual to transmit on>>marine VHF frequencies while ashore, period. The penalties are pretty>>serious and as with the self appointed newsgroup police we have recently>>been infected with here, there are plenty of self appointed airways police>>out there just itching to turn you in.>
I was not engaged in legal advice, just practical.>
But I wonder just how many people are sitting listening to all> channels in Northern Minnesota, just hoping to hear a violation? And,> on hearing some heinous act, such as speaking French, calling the> nearest USCG station hoping they will send a helicopter to chase down> the culprit?>
I have overheard some hilarious conversations on Channel 06 within> range of Station Jonesport. Often it sounded as if a fisherman's wife> was calling him from home about some household matter. If they had> used 16 the CG would have told them to take it to a working frequency,> but on 06 they wouldn't hear it ordinarily, nor care if they did.>
But of course, I had no way of knowing where the actual transmission> took place.>
I have also heard fishermen in New Hampshire waters conversing in> French on a [shudder] international channel. The unspeakable crimes> that go unpunished every day!!>
Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a>
The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the> simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.> - Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"
Rodney Myrvaagnes 7 May 2005 23:59:52 [ permanent link ]
On Fri, 6 May 2005 21:34:12 -0400, "Doug Dotson" <dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom> wrote:
Since Ch 06 is a safety channel, you generally get chased off pretty>quickly if engaging in idle chitchat. We used to use Ch 6 while traveling>in a group and one of our group is retired CG.>
In eastern Maine, it is a chit-chat channel for the commercial fishermen, full time. Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a
The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry. - Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"
"Rodney Myrvaagnes" <rodneym@attglobal.net> wrote in message news:qa7q71ll8um4n4lv9sar699skehv44cfl7@4ax.com...> On Fri, 6 May 2005 21:34:12 -0400, "Doug Dotson"> <dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom> wrote:>
Since Ch 06 is a safety channel, you generally get chased off pretty>>quickly if engaging in idle chitchat. We used to use Ch 6 while traveling>>in a group and one of our group is retired CG.>>
In eastern Maine, it is a chit-chat channel for the commercial> fishermen, full time.
I suppose that such chit-chat can be considered safety related. Not so around here.
Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a>
The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the> simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.> - Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"
In article <GvidnXlMptqmhuHfRVn-1A@cablespeedmd.com>, "Doug Dotson" <dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom> wrote:
Since Ch 06 is a safety channel, you generally get chased off pretty> quickly if engaging in idle chitchat. We used to use Ch 6 while traveling> in a group and one of our group is retired CG.
The problem with Marine Channel 06, is that it is a "Ship to Ship Only" Channel and the USCG Coast stations don't monitor it like they do Marine Ch. 16 and Marine Ch 22A, so really no one is "Official" is monitoring Ch. 06 anymore since the FCC closed all the Fixed Base Monitoring Stations that had VHf Capability in the Field Offices. the USCG keeps Ch. 16 cleaned up and the Big boys keep Ch. 13 fairly clean, but Ch. 06 is kindof like "NoMans Land" these days.
In article <iU8fe.11694$RG2.7567@bignews5.bellsouth.net>, 0junk4me@bellsouth.net wrote:
True enough, and he could use the same antenna for marine channels,> albeit with another radio.> THis is the same reason I suggested Murs. Only problem is I'm not> hearing of that much equipment available for murs yet. I think> Popular COmmunications did a review of one unit for the Murs freqs a> couple months back but that's the first I"ve seen.> FOr the original poster, check with reputable two-way radio shops in> your area regarding business band equipment for vhf. IF all else> fails ask your plumber heating contractor or other businessmen you> deal with who use two-way radio equipment in their endeavors to steer> you to their provider of services. YOu might find some used> equipment at a reasonable price.> IF you buy new often an application is included for the license.> FOr Murs equipment I think good ol' radio slack is selling murs> equipment these days, those are the "color dot" channels in the vhf> range around 154-155 mhz. NO license required and with a decent> antenna at the cabin you could conceivably achieve ten mile range.
All the Land Mobile OEM's make a MURS version of their low cost handhelds. They sell them to Constuction Outfits that need Nationwide Coverage, and Licensing for fairly short distance communications. All the MURS Frequencies came from the Intinerant VHF Frequencies out of the bBsiness Radio Service block of allocations. These are the old "Color Dot Frequencies". Same stuff, new Name.....
"Doug Dotson" <dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom> wrote in news:coWdnWuwArzWE-TfRVn-uA@cablespeedmd.com:
And the fact that there is a big fine if you get caught isn;t a factor?>
Hee hee....I knew someone who ran a pest control business in Greenville, SC, up in the SC mountains on marine channel 10 for many years. He had a 70' tower at his office quite high in altitude running 25W to the 25W mobiles. I guess FCC doesn't listen to marine radio much in the mountains....(c;
