Capt. JG wrote:
"Marty" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
I don't have a chartplotter (and an AIS), sadly. It's not in my budget
until 2011 at least.

You've got a laptop; there's no reason not to have a chartplotter.

You can get Bluetooth GPS puck, or even a USB puck for about 40 bucks,
SeaClear II is free, raster charts (BSB) are free from NOAA.

I have an articulated monitor arm bolted to the inside of the aft saloon
bulkhead beside the companionway that lets me extend a slave LCD display
into the companionway visible from the cockpit. I also I a Bluetooth
trackball that I can use from the cockpit, so the lap stays inside high
and dry. If things start to get wet it's simple to push the slave screen
back into the cockpit out of the weather.

Cheers
Martin


I know, I know. I have a laptop, but it's a beast... 17" monitor, which I
use for work-stuff and another laptop, also for work. I would actually have
to buy another laptop, which would put me in the techno-geek-nerd category
(well, higher up in the category). (I also have three base systems, one of
which is a Mac.)

I already have SeaClear on the 17" laptop, along with a bunch of rasters.
I'm just loath to haul it around and can't leave it on the boat.



Something wrong with being a techno-geek-nerd? Thank God for Obama,
maybe it'll be good to be smart rather than a close minded jerk who
thinks pro wrestling is real.

I've got much the same, less the Mac. I haul one of my laptops around
all the time, that's the idea behind them, portability, computing
anywhere.... I'm really bad, I have a good enough antenna system on my
wireless router that I can get a connection in the boat before I get to
my dock... gotta love it.

Remember, the next time you think you're a techno geek, Ham operators
make us look normal...

Cheers
Martin

Wilbur Hubbard wrote:
"Capt. JG" wrote in message
tions...
Just picked up my new handheld.. HX850S. Very cool - DSC/GPS/6-watts.
Registed the MMSI number.

Now I have three handhelds, that one plus the HX350S and HX270S.... all
submersible.

http://picasaweb.google.com/SailNOW....20498028943010

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com



I bet he doesn't have a license for them.

I'll bet not also, but, I suspect my doubts are for different reasons
than yours.

Cheers
Martin

"Marty" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
"Marty" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
I don't have a chartplotter (and an AIS), sadly. It's not in my budget
until 2011 at least.

You've got a laptop; there's no reason not to have a chartplotter.

You can get Bluetooth GPS puck, or even a USB puck for about 40 bucks,
SeaClear II is free, raster charts (BSB) are free from NOAA.

I have an articulated monitor arm bolted to the inside of the aft saloon
bulkhead beside the companionway that lets me extend a slave LCD display
into the companionway visible from the cockpit. I also I a Bluetooth
trackball that I can use from the cockpit, so the lap stays inside high
and dry. If things start to get wet it's simple to push the slave screen
back into the cockpit out of the weather.

Cheers
Martin


I know, I know. I have a laptop, but it's a beast... 17" monitor, which I
use for work-stuff and another laptop, also for work. I would actually
have to buy another laptop, which would put me in the techno-geek-nerd
category (well, higher up in the category). (I also have three base
systems, one of which is a Mac.)

I already have SeaClear on the 17" laptop, along with a bunch of rasters.
I'm just loath to haul it around and can't leave it on the boat.



Something wrong with being a techno-geek-nerd? Thank God for Obama, maybe
it'll be good to be smart rather than a close minded jerk who thinks pro
wrestling is real.

I've got much the same, less the Mac. I haul one of my laptops around all
the time, that's the idea behind them, portability, computing anywhere....
I'm really bad, I have a good enough antenna system on my wireless router
that I can get a connection in the boat before I get to my dock... gotta
love it.

Remember, the next time you think you're a techno geek, Ham operators
make us look normal...

Cheers
Martin


I've been thinking about getting a HAM... no time lately. It looks pretty
simple, especially since they've dropped the morse requirements.

I'm going to get an iPhone or a Crackberry in the next month or so (probably
iPhone). Do you know if something similar is available for either of those?
That would be cool.

Yeah, Obama insisted they let him use the Blackberry... the White House was,
apparently, stuck in the dark ages for the last eight.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Marty" wrote in message
...
Wilbur Hubbard wrote:
"Capt. JG" wrote in message
tions...
Just picked up my new handheld.. HX850S. Very cool - DSC/GPS/6-watts.
Registed the MMSI number.

Now I have three handhelds, that one plus the HX350S and HX270S.... all
submersible.

http://picasaweb.google.com/SailNOW....20498028943010

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com



I bet he doesn't have a license for them.

I'll bet not also, but, I suspect my doubts are for different reasons than
yours.

Cheers
Martin


Neal is a stalker, not too bright, and without any money, so I wouldn't take
the bet if I were you.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:46:22 -0800, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

I don't have a chartplotter (and an AIS), sadly. It's not in my budget until
2011 at least.

If you own a laptop computer you already have a chart plotter with AIS
capability. The software, Seaclear II, is basically free, as are the
electronic charts. Just add an inexpensive GPS with a data cable and
an inexpensive AIS receiver.

Capt. JG wrote:
....
I've been thinking about getting a HAM... no time lately. It looks pretty
simple, especially since they've dropped the morse requirements....

A ham test prep book: a little application with the practice tests
on-line and you are good to go. You CAN rip through several tests on a
test day - to hop from Technician to Extra in one bound.

Brian W

"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
...
I've been thinking about getting a HAM... no time lately. It looks pretty
simple, especially since they've dropped the morse requirements....

A ham test prep book: a little application with the practice tests on-line
and you are good to go. You CAN rip through several tests on a test day -
to hop from Technician to Extra in one bound.

Brian W


Last I looked it seemed straight up.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:46:22 -0800, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

I don't have a chartplotter (and an AIS), sadly. It's not in my budget
until
2011 at least.

If you own a laptop computer you already have a chart plotter with AIS
capability. The software, Seaclear II, is basically free, as are the
electronic charts. Just add an inexpensive GPS with a data cable and
an inexpensive AIS receiver.


Yeah, see my response to Marty...

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Marty" wrote in message
...
Wilbur Hubbard wrote:
"Capt. JG" wrote in message
tions...
Just picked up my new handheld.. HX850S. Very cool - DSC/GPS/6-watts.
Registed the MMSI number.

Now I have three handhelds, that one plus the HX350S and HX270S.... all
submersible.

http://picasaweb.google.com/SailNOW....20498028943010

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com



I bet he doesn't have a license for them.

I'll bet not also, but, I suspect my doubts are for different reasons than
yours.

Cheers
Martin


He claims to sail to Baja from time to time. If he travels internationally
he is required by law to have them licensed. I doubt he has them licensed
because he has always had a shirklaw attitude. Typical liberal. The laws
exist for *other* people only.

Wilbur Hubbard

Brian Whatcott wrote:
Capt. JG wrote:
....
I've been thinking about getting a HAM... no time lately. It looks
pretty simple, especially since they've dropped the morse
requirements....

A ham test prep book: a little application with the practice tests
on-line and you are good to go. You CAN rip through several tests on a
test day - to hop from Technician to Extra in one bound.

Brian W
Are you referring to Ham TestOnline http://www.hamtestonline.com/ or to
a different one?