VHF Radiotelephone calls

ve7ggj said:
Hi Dex

Can you forward me the info on antennas in kayaks.
By the way, I am VE7AQ here in Victoria. ve7aq@rac.ca

Gary

Hi Gary. As you know stock rubbers on any handheld radio aren't very good . Two ways I have used with successful results are using the stock antenna and making a counterpoise or using a magmount with a 5/8 wave 3 - 5 db gain antenna with a piece of 12 inch by 12 inch metal flashing strapped to the deck.

The counterpoise is simple (very portable) and can be made to use with pretty much any radio, even a marine. For a 2 metre radio cut a piece of 14 gage insulated wire about 19.5 inches long and connect it to the ground portion of the antenna . If you have a SMA antenna connector on your radio (you screw the antenna on the radio; threaded) you can crimp your piece of wire to a vinyl insulated terminal ring and slide it over the thread and screw on the antenna. If you have another connector you can use other means to connect like adding another half inch to the wire and wrap it arounf the metal base of the antenna connector. Bring the wire out about an inch (so it wont touch your hand) then bend it toward the bottom of the radio. Presto! now you have a dipole antenna. The results should be quite noticable if everything went well. Another alternative is to buy a commercial version like the rattail. http://rattailantenna.com/
If you have a friend a few miles away with another radio you can play with the length of the counterpoise and learn the best way to point the radio for best results. Its very portable and easy to keep with your gear if the need arises.

Another portable/non permanent solution is to use a 5/8 wave magmount antenna with a piece of flashing attached to your deck. You just slap the magmount onto the piece of flashing (groundplane) and you have a very good antenna system. Feel free to place other stuff on top of the flashing. If you were after even better capability you could attach or clip a piece of wire to the flashing and run it for a few feet or more on the floor of the kayak (preferably along the center as it is below water level) making a capacitive coupling to the ocean. The results are amazing if done right and you can always save battery power by lowering to 1 watt or less and still outperform the stock rubber on 5 watts. Dielectric grease on the connections is prudent.

Good Luck
Dex
 
see http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/communi ... =telephone

and from the 2009 Radio Aids:

MARINE TELEPHONE SERVICE
General
This service enables a person aboard a ship to speak directly to any person ashore, or vice versa, as in ordinary long distance telephone calls. The service is an extension of the public telephone system to ships at sea through MCTS Centres. For procedures in establishing contact with MCTS Centres refer to “Radiotelephone Procedures”. No distinction is made
in regard to day, night or Sunday calls. Collect calls are admissible in either direction, ship to shore or shore to ship. This service applies only to Inuvik MCTS Centre as this service has been discontinued entirely at the Comox, Prince Rupert, Tofino, Vancouver and Victoria MCTS Centres.
 
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