Re: On-the-water communications

From: Ken Poulton (poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis)
Date: Mon Apr 13 1998 - 12:47:28 PDT


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Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 12:47:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ken Poulton <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis>
Message-Id: <199804131947.MAA04783@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis>
To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
Subject: Re: On-the-water communications
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> This winter I purchased a couple "Motorola Talkabouts" (retail $100 to $150
> each) for snowboarding and mountain biking.

I have long wished for a way to talk with my fellow windsurfers
without having to be down in the water. My ideal: a helmet-mounted
VHF radio with a voice-activated boom mike.

It seems to me that a hold-to-talk system is difficult to use in
windsurfing since we pretty much have all four limbs occupied while
sailing. Motorola does offer a voice-activated mike, but it seems
unlikely to survive immersion. I'd sure be interested in hearing how
the Talkabouts seem to work for you.

> Motorola sells an optional waterproof bag plus
> there's others. Any opinions on waterproof bags?

The best small ones seem to be the ones West Marine sells for handheld
VHF radios, but I have not seen the Motorola ones. Beware "waterproof"
labels - windsurfing is much harsher than these companies plan for.

Waterproof bags always fail eventually. You have to have two levels of
protection (two bags, or a "waterproof" radio in a bag) to have any hope
of saving your radio when the first bag leaks.

But I agree with Jim, that these are *not* a solution to the safety
issue until there are so many around that you can count on there being
*several* at the same site, turned on and on the same channel.
Even then, your message must be relayed through several people and
there is no direct communication with the CG boat when it is searching.

Ken Poulton
poulton@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis

"... and let's be careful out there!" -- Hill Street Blues



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