Testing SSB Installation
 

I just completed the installation of a SEA-235 radiotelephone with a 1635 automatic tuner coupled to a Shakepeare Galaxy Style 5390 17.5’ whip on my aluminum hull boat. I'd like to do a radio check, but I haven't had any luck getting WLO to respond to my requests. Is anyone out there on the US east coast available to help me out with this? We could set up a time and channels to try it on and exchange cell phone #s in case we can't contact on the radio.

Testing SSB Installation
 

bradleyj wrote in
:


I just completed the installation of a SEA-235 radiotelephone with a
1635 automatic tuner coupled to a Shakepeare Galaxy Style 5390 17.5’
whip on my aluminum hull boat. I'd like to do a radio check, but I
haven't had any luck getting WLO to respond to my requests. Is anyone
out there on the US east coast available to help me out with this? We
could set up a time and channels to try it on and exchange cell phone
#s in case we can't contact on the radio.



Try calling KLB. WLO's website wloradio.com lists KLB on:

Hf Radiotelephone now available through KLB located in Seattle WA . ITU
417, 805, 1209 and 1624.

They're monitoring those channels 24/7 like WLO is on channels
http://www.shipcom.com/frequencies.html

Checking over at:
http://www.spaceweather.com/
it looks like there is a major solar storm underway that will just tear
up HF comms for a while. Here's a story from NASA about the current
solar minimum making HF radio comms so poor:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2...larminimum.htm

Propagation forecasts for HF are available from many locations in
realtime:
http://hfradio.org/propagation.html
http://hfradio.org/lastminute_propagation.html
he rates the 14th and 15th as the worst days of the month but
improving rapidly.

A near-realtime propagation chart of the maximum usable frequency (MUF)
for the entire planet is always running on the net at:
http://www.spacew.com/www/realtime.php
Find your location and the nearest line through it at various times in
the day and night. Follow the line until you bump into a number. That
number is the highest HF frequency (in Mhz) that's usable at this moment
in your location, calculated by a rather intense propagation program that
uses realtime solar data, 24/7. Right now, 15 Mhz is the MUF at
Charleston, SC, at 8PM just at sunset. The marine bands in the 5-12 Mhz
range would give you the best range so you should use those channels.

Another propagation chart that's running is the F2 layer critical
frequency on:
http://www.spacew.com/www/fof2.html
This is the frequency from your location that will always return to
earth. Read the text under the chart to tell you how it works and what
it means. It's a very useful chart to figure out which marine band you
should call on at this very moment. At this moment, the 5 Mhz line
passes just South of Charleston, SC. Other layers than F2 will reflect
lower frequencies at this time of day....unless some solar flare blows
them away.

Learn something about HF radio propagation to go with your new HF radio.
It's very important you know which band, as well as which channel, you
should be calling on at the various times per day and what range each
band would have at what time. It takes some learning to figure it out,
but becomes automatic in a short time.

The next solar maximum is about 6 years away. It's supposed to be a
biggie! HF will just rock if it does what's predicted. The cycle is in
11 year increments, as you can see from the charts over time on these
webpages.

News of HF's demise are greatly exaggerated....(c;

Testing SSB Installation
 

bradleyj wrote:
I just completed the installation of a SEA-235 radiotelephone with a
1635 automatic tuner coupled to a Shakepeare Galaxy Style 5390 17.5’
whip on my aluminum hull boat. I'd like to do a radio check, but I
haven't had any luck getting WLO to respond to my requests. Is anyone
out there on the US east coast available to help me out with this? We
could set up a time and channels to try it on and exchange cell phone
#s in case we can't contact on the radio.



You might try checking into the Cruiseheimers net at 0830 EST on 8152
kHz. They use relays and cover a lot of the East Coast. If fact, while
cruising, it is good to check in to a net like that regularly to ensure
the equipment is working OK. After listening for a few weeks, you'll
develop a good feel for typical signal strengths and propagation
anomalies. Also get to know some other cruisers.

Good luck.

Chuck

"You might try checking into the Cruiseheimers net at 0830 EST on 8152
kHz."


Is that 0830 eastern standard time or daylight savings time?

Brad

Testing SSB Installation
 

bradleyj wrote:
"You might try checking into the Cruiseheimers net at 0830 EST on 8152
kHz."


Is that 0830 eastern standard time or daylight savings time?

Brad



Here's a link to basic info on a number of cruiser nets:

http://www.ssca.org/Net/Net.htm
Manana Net Maritime Cruising Ham Radio Net

.. . . and another:

http://www.cruiser.co.za/radionet.asp
Marine and amateur radio net details, times and frequencies on SSB, Ham,
HF and VHF for cruising yachts.

In answer to your question, the Cruiseheimer check-in is at 1330 Zulu,
so it will change with changes in local time on the East Coast. You'll
hear some chatting on 8152 before and after the net.

Good luck.

Chuck