Transcript Bay and Coastal Communications

An Introduction to…
Electronic Communications &
Entertainment Afloat
Curtis Morris
K7KNM
[email protected]
s/v Smooth Operator
WARNING
Attendance at this seminar is at your own
risk. The instructor is not responsible for
what you think you learned, or think you
want at the conclusion of the seminar. Any
urges to dump your transistor radio and
hand-cranked victrola overboard for more
modern gear is up to you. Any lust for new
systems should be discussed with your
spouse or significant other since what you
want may not be what you need. Violators of
this policy could be severely punished.
OVERVIEW
• Why electronic communications and
entertainment afloat are important
• Shortwave, satellites and cyberspace for
non-rocket scientists
• What systems are right for you?
– Communication: Bay/Coastal vs. Offshore “Blue
Water”
– Electronic entertainment options
This OPCYC “U” presentation is rated “G” suitable for audiences
of sailors and power boaters
Why Are Electronic Communications
& Entertainment Afloat Important ?
COMMUNICATIONS
• Safety
• Weather, navigation, and information for mariners
• Coordination of personal activities on the water
• Stay connected to family, friends, and even one’s
business …unless you want to run away
ENTERTAINMENT
• Music, TV, DVD,I-POD, MP3,CD/Stereo, or other radio
for enjoyment and relaxation; changes a simple boat
into a yacht …a haven with amenities
– Offers the variety of talk and music while underway
– Helps enjoyably fill the hours at anchor, or in a marina
– Pleasant accompaniment to drinks or a meal aboard
Shortwave, Satellites & Cyberspace
for Non-Rocket Scientists
• Shortwave… what it is and how it works
– Ionospheric propagation vs. line of sight communications
– Low & Medium Frequency, High Frequency (HF), Very High
Frequency (VHF), Ultra-High Frequency (UHF)
– Key modes for communication & entertainment…voice (AM,
FM, FM Stereo, SSB), continuous wave (CW), data (Fax),
digital (e-mail), video (TV/DVD)
• Satellites for sailors & boaters…Man-made, earth
orbit moons for communications, navigation,
weather & entertainment broadcasts (e.g., XM, Sirius,
XM WX, Direct TV)
Shortwave, Satellites &
Cyberspace…continued
• Cyberspace…computers for everything
– Word processing and data to e-mail plus
graphics
– Control systems for radio, TV, GPS,
Chartplotters, DVD entertainment, etc.
– Typical uses afloat… records keeping,
wireless e-mail, navigation, and weather
Bottom Line: Computers can be stand alone devices,
but are increasingly tied to other devices to serve
many uses
What System is right for you?
Bay and Coastal
Communications
Bay and Coastal Communications
System
Marine VHF Radio
Digital Selective
Calling (DSC)
•FM Voice
Marine VHF Radio
•FM Voice
Pocket Mail
System
•E-mail
Advantages
Disadvantages
$ ACQ/Ops
•Selective calling shipto-ship, ship-to-shore
•GPS positioning
•Single button May Day
distress to ships/USCG
•Less interference in
DSC
•Requires GPS/chart
plotter interface to use
positioning feature
•Line of sight
$180-500
Free
•Local calling ship-toship, ship-to-shore
•USCG emergency
•Sea tow, medical
•Often busy channels
•Line of sight
$150-500
Free
•Totally mobile,
compact
•Low cost
•Unlimited worldwide coverage
•Requires cell or
land-line telephone
to transmit/receive
messages
•Small qwerty key
board & screen
$100
$ 12-17
month
Bay and Coastal Communications
System
Wireless
Laptop
•E-mail
•Web access
•XM satellite music
talk radio & WX
•Video (cam
corder)
Wi-FI for
Laptop
•E-mail
•Web access
Advantages
Disadvantages
$Acq / Ops
•Inexpensive assuming
you own a laptop
•Real-time Doppler radar
images & WX from the
web…poor man’s radar?
•Can use an air card or a
cell phone connected to
laptop for wireless
operation
•World-wide e-mail afloat
•Must be in range of cell
tower
•Not all cell providers
provide adequate
wireless service for your
wireless computer
•Some zones on Bay lack
coverage
•Limited coastal
application
•Must have XM
subscription for satellite
music & talk
Less
than
$100
$3570
mo
• Free WI-FI net access at
many marinas
•WI-FI included in slip fees of
some marinas; e.g., Fishing
Bay
•Wi-FI access is limited to a
specific location, but worldwide e-mail/web access
•Expensive if you don’t own a
laptop
Less
than
$100
Free
Bay and Coastal Communications
System
Cell Phone
•Voice
•Text messaging
•Photos
GMRS or
Family Radio
Walki-Talkies
•FM voice
Advantages
Disadvantages
•Private communication
•Local, national, &
international coverage if
in range of a cell tower
•Verizon network covers
Chesapeake & many
costal areas
• Emergency backup only; USCG has
no direction finding
capability for cell
phones
•Line of sight to cell
tower is necessary
•Multi-channel with
distinctive telephone ring
•No license required
•Up to 3+ mile range
•Great for anchoring,
dingy activities, nautical
coordination
•For personal use;
not connected to a
wide audience like
Marine VHF
•No marine vhf
capability
•Cannot contact
USCG
Costs
ACQ
Ops
$40200
Calling
plan
dependent
$ 40100 a
pair
Free
Bay and Coastal Communications
System
Advantages
Disadvantages
Costs
Acq
Ops
Ham Radio HF
•SSB Voice
•E-mail
•CW
Ham Radio
VHF/UHF
•FM Voice
•SSB Voice
•World-wide (DX) &
local
communications
•Phone patches
•Ham radio fraternity
•Ham nets
•Back-up for other
communications
•Depends on
propagation
•No business
communications
•Requires backstay or whip
antenna
•Requires FCC
operator test &
small fee to get
license “ticket”
•Modem needed for
e-mail
$1000
-2,000
Free
•Clear local
communications
•Very small antenna
•Line of sight
•Must be in range
of repeater
•Need operator test
& license
$200400
Free
What system is right for you?
Offshore “Blue Water”
Communications
Offshore “Blue Water” Communications
System
Ham Radio
HF
•SSB Voice
•E-mail
•CW
Advantages
Disadvantages
•World-wide (DX) & local
communications
•Phone patches
•Ham radio fraternity
•Ham nets
•Back-up for other
communications
•Depends on propagation
•No business
communications
•Requires back-stay, or
whip antenna
•Requires FCC operator
test & small fee to get
license “ticket”
•Modem needed for email
$Acq / Ops
$10003000
Free
Offshore “Blue Water” Communications
System
Advantages
Disadvantages $ Acq/Ops
•SSB Voice
•E-mail
•Fax
•CW
•DSC distress optional
•World-wide
communications
•Ship-to-ship
•USCG emergency
•Business commo
allowed
•No FCC operator
test
•Depends on
propagation
•Requires backstay or whip
antenna
•Requires fee to
get station license
•Requires
modems for Email and Fax
$18003000
Free
Satellite Phone
•World-wide
coverage (Iridium)
•Coverage (N. A,
Carib, N. Atlantic)
(Global Star)
•24x7x 365 days a
year availability
•Telephone, WX,
emergency USCG
•Small antenna
•2400BPS data
rate (Iridium)
$1500
(Iridium)
$20 per
month/
$1.50 min.
•9600BPS data
rate (Global Star)
$500
(Global
Star)
$20 per
month/
$.99 min.
Marine Radio HF
•Voice
•Data
•E-Mail
•Needs
laptop/cable for
Offshore “Blue Water” Communications
System
Sky Mate
Satellite
Communicator
•E-mail
•Nexrad Radar, WX
images
•NOAA Charts
Inmarsat “C”
and Mini “M”
satellite
systems
•Voice
•Fax
•Data
Advantages
Disadvantages
$Acq / Ops
•Affordable; can change
use plans at anytime
•Small antenna
•Can also be used as a
remote monitor for yacht
when no one is aboard
•Auto-position reports
•Requires use of laptop
•No voice
$1100+
$50 to
start &
$16-70
mo
•“Cadillac” systems
•7x24x365 days a year
availability
•Text messaging
•Free WX four times
daily
•Emergency position
reporting
•600BPS data rate
$3000
6000
$70
page
in font
size 6
$1.59
min
for
voice
Offshore “Blue Water” Communications
System
Advantages
Marine VHF
Radio with
or without
DSC
•Ship-to-ship
•Line of sight range
•USCG contact onscene in an emergency
such as abandoning
ship (vhf on yacht and
one or more hand-held
vhf units a must for offshore passage makers)
•DSC auto-positioning a
safety feature near sea
lanes
•FM voice
Disadvantages
$Acq / Ops
$200600
Free
What system is right for you?
Electronic Entertainment
Afloat
Electronic Entertainment Afloat
System
Advantages
Disadvantages
$Acq / Ops
Shortwave
Radio
Receiver
•Covers commercial
broadcast (BBC, VOA,
world capitals, etc.)
•World-wide broadcasts of
music and talk available
everywhere in English or
other world languages
•FAX transmission
valuable for WX offshore
•Excellent coverage of
world events & cultures
•Reception to specific
world areas depends on
time of day, frequency
selected, and
propagation
•Subject to fade, or
interference especially, if
signal is weak
•Good music sound , but
not FM or digital sound
quality
•Need modem for FAX
$40800
•Excellent sound quality
for music, talk, and news
from national outlets
(FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC,
NPR, etc.)
•Local area WX
•Listen to favorite CDs
•Lots of poor to no
reception areas on Bay
and coast; southern Bay
ok
•Station range normally
limited; music genre may
not be your preference
•Voice (AM,SSB)
•Music (AM)
•Data (FAX)
•CW
AM/FM
Stereo
Receiver
w/CD Player
$125400
Free
Free
Electronic Entertainment Afloat
System
Advantages
Disadvantages
$Acq / Ops
XM, Sirius, &
World Space
(WS)…direct
broadcast
satellite
radio
•Digital quality stereo
broadcasts of all music
preferences; commercial
free
•In excess of 120 channels
(XM); Sirius and WS
somewhat less
•No fade, No
interference…24x7x365
days a year
•Most cable news & talk
plus BBC, WX channel,
and some programming in
Spanish and French
•All US pro baseball, NFL
football, NHL games &
most NASCAR races, NBA,
plus ESPN talk
•Small, transportable
receiver for yacht, house,
& car, or reception at your
computer/laptop
•Subscription required
$40300
•Must move receiver to
different cradles on
yacht, house, or car to
avoid multiple
subscriptions if reception
at all locations is desired
• Reception area is US
plus 200 miles offshore;
World Space needed for
Asia, Europe, African
regions
•Small antenna generally
works below deck;
otherwise must be
installed above deck
$7 to
start
$13 mo
Electronic Entertainment Afloat
System
Advantages
Disadvantages
$Acq / Ops
Satellite TV
direct
broadcast
•Hundreds of digital
quality TV channels
•Reception better than
with average boat TV
installation using an
antenna on a mast or fly
bridge
•Video game and DVD can
be connected to TV
•Requires expensive,
somewhat large gyro
stabilized tracking
antenna to use TV
underway
•Requires subscription,
special receiver attached
to TV
•Fixed use pier side
requires dish antenna on
piling
•You spend so much time
surfing the channels that
you never get underway
Same
as
shore
based
set up
for TV
Etc.
$35 ? mo
LCD or
Plasma
TV/DVD
•Can be used with simple
passive or amplified
antenna in rigging or fly
bridge
•DVD is alternative in poor
reception areas
•Video game hook-up
•Reception quality
depends on antenna and
boat location…poor
reception in various parts
of the Bay
$200how
much
do you
want to
spend?
Free
Electronic Entertainment Afloat
• Other systems exist
– I-Pod Digital Recorders …hundreds of
songs and some video down-loaded from
the net use earphones or small amplified
speakers for listening…$200-450
– MP3 Players …more digital recordings
from the net with earphones or amplified
speakers…$80-250
– Walkman Players for CDs …going the way
of the dinosaur
Some Useful Web Sites for More
Information
•
Ham Radio www.arrl.org
•
Federal Communications Commission (licensing) www.fcc.gov
•
Registering VHF and SSB DSC equipped Radios www.boatus.com
•
Antennas, marine radios, and electronic entertainment devices
www.shakespeare-marine.com
www.icomamerica.com
www.westmarine.com
www.defender.com
www.boatersworld.com
www.circuitcity.com
www.bestbuy.com
Note: no endorsement of any business is implied
What Have You Learned?
• The mysteries of shortwave, satellites
and cyberspace
• Options available for:
– Communications both Bay/Coastal and
Offshore “Blue Water”
– Electronic Entertainment afloat
Bottom Line
You have earned 2 credits at Old Point
Comfort “U”, gotten out of a morning’s
worth of “honey do tasks”……and are
now armed with enough knowledge to
do serious damage to your bank
account
I