[MHml] ARC

[Peter Gelinas]

G'day all

In an ongoing discussion of watchkeeping on an other forum I read, the 
subject of active / passive warning devices came up. There does not seem to 
be any device that can be relied upon to help the solo voyager avoid those 
other 'ships passing in the night' (Except for the 'Screaming Meanie' to 
wake you up every 15 minutes)


(your vessel = YV)
Active
(YV) Radar drains the batteries, might not have a loud audible alarm. (Do 
any?)
(YV) AIS radar .. same problem  +  are the ship's transmitter always on when 
they are away from the coast?

Active/passive
(YV) The great little C.A.R.D. depends on the ship's radar being turned on.

Passive
The radar is turned on, the watch person is awake, and he actually sees the 
miniscule blob of your glass fibre vessel?  Yeah right!

The idea of an allert through VHF came up. (YV) radio can be set at a very 
loud level but squelched so it is inaudible on 'standby' The trick is to 
have the other vessel call you when they are within VHF range .... well ..

One of the forum's members is willing ti work on an ARC

An  'Automatic Radio Calling' device. Plugged into (YV) radio, it sends out 
an "All ships, all ships .... requesting radio check" at pre determined 
intervals (10 minutes?) The resulting response from the ship, which almost 
certainly has it's radio functioning, would allert (awake) the singlehander 
to the immident danger.

Any of you who have comments, would like to work with the person putting 
this together, would like to try a jury rigged device, ?   Please let me 
know, I'll put you in contact.

Peter

_________________________________________________________________
Download now! Visit http://www.telusmobility.com/msnxbox/ to enter and see 
how cool it is to get Messenger with you on your cell phone.  
http://www.telusmobility.com/msnxbox/