Coast Guard radio call

Bait O' Eggs · 07-31-2006, 09:32 AM

All this talk of fishing beyond the limits of our VHF radios has had me wondering if I could get ahold of the CG from way out there.

Saturday when fishing out near the 125.04 line (about 57 statute miles) I called the CG for a bar report

I wait for what seems like forever and the radio is silent

I do a quick double check on channel and hail again

I was sorta questioning what I was doing in that short moment.

The operator was immediately on the return call the second time. It seemed like forever between hails, but it reality it was probably 15 seconds :tongue: My heart kinda sped up a little after the first few seconds of silence and each second started to seem like minutes.

I wanted to ask how the operator could hear me, if I was getting out clear, but she reported back with the boat name when she answered, so I assume she could hear me well.

After the bar report, it gave me warm fuzzy feelings as we continued West some more

CAPT KUJO · 07-31-2006, 10:41 AM

Roy,

The Coast Guard can hear you (CH 16) in an emergency....but don't count on anybody else hearing you on any other channels (outside of 8-10 miles.

CAPT KUJO

wak'm&stak'm · 07-31-2006, 02:20 PM

Roy, I called for a check at 68 mile due west last year...and they came booming back. Astoria took the call.

I wouldn't worry about it anymore....from my listen only radio at the house I can hear and send outside tuna town (50 miles)with no problem.
Those towers on Otter crest most reach a Loooonnnnggg ways. They are at 1000 ft., not my 100ft.

Bait O' Eggs · 07-31-2006, 02:30 PM

I have never tried from way out there and figured it would be a good test, actually its the only "real" test I could think of to see if I was transmitting well to who I may need to call. Any other radio chatter is just BS'ing

On the way in I had the thought I should have used the handheld in the ditch bag

I think its 1 and 5 watt (low/high) not 25 watts like the dash mount unit.

I hope the USCG doesnt mind my checking out my equipment for the day I need it

I was told this weekend I have thought out the sinking thing way to much when I told him about how I taped flares to a float in the ditch bag so if they get dumped in the drink they dont go away :tongue:

StickFish · 07-31-2006, 02:46 PM

Those antennas are way up here are the plots for Depoe and Newport and others.

Here are the plots for Group Astoria

The colored archs are where they have tested receiption to a 1 watt hand held at water level - 8 feet above the water and you get a whole new ball game.

The radio horizon for an antenna at 1000' elevation to another antenna 8 feet off the water - line of site is 49 miles

1000 elevation to an antenna 12 feet is 50 miles

1200 elevation to an antenna 12 feet is 54 miles

Chesapeake · 07-31-2006, 02:50 PM

Dont quote me on any of this but:

Ive always thought that VHF signals travel line of sight. The curve of the earth, terain gets in the way of the signal. The Coastguard antennas are way up on a hill so they have a very long line of sight before the curve of the earth gets in the way. Boat antennas are short so there line of sight is also short.

extremely simplified: You can see along ways from a high elevation, VHF transmission is the same.

StickFish · 07-31-2006, 02:58 PM

Formula is Square Root of Height (in feet) above water x 1.42 = Range in miles do that for each station - boat and CG tower and add them together

Shakespeare FAQ

Horizon is further as you get higher

Coastalfisherman · 07-31-2006, 05:40 PM

There is other equations that make a VHF transmitt past line of site. One instance that I can think of is low cloud cover. Last summer I heard the CG from Neah Bay talking to a vessel in distress. I could also hear the boat talking to the CG. It was a cloudy overcast day, but not raining. Newport to Neah Bay is something like 300+ miles. :shocked:

StickFish · 07-31-2006, 06:25 PM

It really isn't cloud cover that causes that it is caused by tropospheric ducting and allows VHF and above to travel great distances - mostly related to high pressure inversion layers. There is no formula that I know of for that as it isn't predictable enough. Snip

I just got carried away and decided to delete about 2 pages - way too radio.

Anyhow will be looking at Maverick Maxcat's SSB setup Thursday and maybe doing some Marine Mobile on 20 if the band is open.

I personally think it is a good idea to ask for long range bar reports - your way out there conditions are different it would suck to get caught up in getting the last fish to run into bad near shore conditions - Roy good on you - I think everyone should

73's and to all a good night