VHF Radio Check requests

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fireball

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Just an idle thought (well I thought about it a little while ago, but didn't say just incase I thought I could make some money out of it, but I don't think I can/could so I'll post on here instead!)

It isn't beyond the whit of some electronics chappy to come up with a device that listens to a designated channel (other than 16 - probably a duplex channel) and broadcasts back what it heard - possibly with a 'signal strength' indication too.

You (as a member of public) could then just tune into the specified frequency - run a transmission test and it would broadcast it back to you - thereby testing your vhf ....
 
fireball said:
Just an idle thought (well I thought about it a little while ago, but didn't say just incase I thought I could make some money out of it, but I don't think I can/could so I'll post on here instead!)

It isn't beyond the whit of some electronics chappy to come up with a device that listens to a designated channel (other than 16 - probably a duplex channel) and broadcasts back what it heard - possibly with a 'signal strength' indication too.

You (as a member of public) could then just tune into the specified frequency - run a transmission test and it would broadcast it back to you - thereby testing your vhf ....
Click to expand...

my vhf has always worked after the last time i turned it off :cool:
wots yer point :confused:
 
a) it would require a dedicated channel
b) it would reqire lots of base stations and who would pay for them
c) overlapping areas would have to be on different channels

Or were you thinking of just one in the middle of the Solent?
 
One in the middle of the solent would resolve a lot of 'problems' !!

As I said - it was just idle thought and no money to be made hence happy to share here ..
 
fireball said:
Just an idle thought (well I thought about it a little while ago, but didn't say just incase I thought I could make some money out of it, but I don't think I can/could so I'll post on here instead!)

It isn't beyond the whit of some electronics chappy to come up with a device that listens to a designated channel (other than 16 - probably a duplex channel) and broadcasts back what it heard - possibly with a 'signal strength' indication too.

You (as a member of public) could then just tune into the specified frequency - run a transmission test and it would broadcast it back to you - thereby testing your vhf ....
Click to expand...

What pay for a bit more gagetry when I can check with CG for free
 
Please don't use the CG to check your VHF - they have much more important things to do. Also, they have fantastic equipment located at sufficient altitude that they can hear even the most compromised transmission, so not a good test anyway.
Call another yacht. you know it makes sense.
Calling the CG for a radio check is illegal in the USA (although a couple of states may now allow it) - I wish it were in the UK.
 
Salty John said:
Please don't use the CG to check your VHF - they have much more important things to do. Also, they have fantastic equipment located at sufficient altitude that they can hear even the most compromised transmission, so not a good test anyway.
Call another yacht. you know it makes sense.
Calling the CG for a radio check is illegal in the USA (although a couple of states may now allow it) - I wish it were in the UK.
Click to expand...

It was tongue in cheek
 
Why?

.
If your VHF was working last time you were out and the aerial is still on the mast then it is probably still working. Why do people worry about it? Is it neurotic behaviour, like checking the bilge every ten minutes?

- W
 
Call a friend if you need to check.

But of course talking to the CG is far more exciting, anyone else think they sound just like the Mysterons? :D

Chris
 
Salty John said:
Please don't use the CG to check your VHF ... they have fantastic equipment located at sufficient altitude that they can hear even the most compromised transmission, so not a good test anyway....
Click to expand...

I should coco! :o - Piracy in N. Wales - see post #9

Actually, I do use the CG when I want a radio check (once a year), and would offer the defence that they are regular radio operators, so will give you a professional opinion on your signal. Other than high days and holidays, I don't think radio checks are the problem up here that they seem to be in the tempestuous Solent - certainly the VHF is silent most of the time (yeah, it's working!).

If you're going boat-boat, you need to find someone a good distance away for a fair test (10 miles??)- you could probably transmit for 1/2 a mile with no aerial at all :D.

Andy
 
I'm gonna reply to myself here as I don't know which of the rest of you to reply too ...

As I said - it was just an idle thought, brought about by the constant radio check requests carried out in the area where I sail ... and the thing that annoys me most is that the buggers rarely say please or thankyou !!

Anyway - we ain't gonna stop the sheer quantity of radio checks - there are just so many boats out in the area that, especially at a weekend - it is quite feasible that the checkers have had done some radio work.... so if it was easy to check with an automated source - what would be wrong with that? Especially if it was off 16 and freed up the CG to do their jobs....

As for checking with another boat - that's fine if you can find one far enough away to do a sensible check ... it just dont work out like that ...
And yes - the VHF antenna is still there - but doesn't mean that there isn't something wrong - our last antenna looked fine, but it didn't receive transmissions (other than CG) from more than 2 miles away ... despite being 40' up in the air!!
 
What's really needed is something like a premium rate telephone number (could you do that with DSC?). Then people who worry about the strength of their transmissions could set their minds at rest (or not) for a fee without annoying everyone else.
 
hmmm - reallly helpful ... do you not think it is important to confirm a vital piece of safety kit actually works? I'm not suggesting this should be done every time you go out - but perhaps just when you make a significant alteration to the set up.
 
I have a suspicion that "radio checks" started as tick in the box for charter boats' risk procedures and has been taken up by the copycats. Similarly, logging passage plans with the CG for minor coastal trips seems to be becoming more common.

What, I wonder, do the callers intend to do if there is no answer or if they are told the quality is poor and/or broken? Do they abandon their sail, whip out their VSWR meter and check the aerial, or what? Perhaps those who regularly call for radio checks could tell us what "plan B" is.

Incidently, I am full of admiration for the CG patience and forbearance with the radio checkers, specially those who seem to need one every single time they use their boat.

edit: My "plan B" is a spare pulpit mounted aerial with easy to swap connection and a handheld.
 
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Perhaps those who regularly call for radio checks could tell us what "plan B" is.
Click to expand...
I don't regularly call for checks - but Plan B is to investigate the problem, if cannot be rectified then evaluate where we're going and what weather is likely to do. Most of the areas we go have good mobile coverage - but it would be prudent to evaluate where you're going and perhaps if on a longer passage away from shore then delay the trip.

The situation in the Solent is a tad rediculous - however, I seriously doubt if there will be significant change in the volume of checks - the amount H&S is being shuved down our throats it's a wonder how come anyone gets an arm out of the bubblewrap to pick up the mike to start with!!

I can't see anything wrong with an automated radio check procedure (in theory - in practice as has been pointed out, you've got to think about crosstalk and the areas and dedicated channels) ...
Perhaps that is something that could be programmed into DSC - new function to do a radio check - then the whole thing is digital - it can broadcast your position and give you a signal strength over distance ....
 
I never ask the CG for a radio check. I sometimes self-check by switching on the handheld also to the same channel as the ship radio and press transmit. If the speaker clicks, then I assume all is well.

This procedure if widely adopted would save many frayed nerves.
 
EdWingfield said:
I never ask the CG for a radio check. I sometimes self-check by switching on the handheld also to the same channel as the ship radio and press transmit. If the speaker clicks, then I assume all is well.

This procedure if widely adopted would save many frayed nerves.
Click to expand...

Er - no ... it wouldn't - it isn't quite worthless as it shows if the equipment is operating - but it doesn't indicate range or power.
Earlier on in this thread I said that our VHF would not receive anything more than a few miles away - despite being at the top of our mast.
I had done an operation test with another unit close to us - hence establishing that the equipment was working - just not as sensitive as it should be.
Now - I assume an SWR meter would've shown problems - but I didn't have it to test.
The audio test with the CG (when we first bought the boat) indicated no issues - but then I believe the distance we transmitted was quite short!
 
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