The Waterway Radio and Cruising Club is an association of amateur radio operators who also share an interest in recreational boating.
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The Waterway Net, which is sponsored by the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club, meets on the air every morning of the year for about an hour starting at 0745 ET on a frequency of 7.268 MHz LSB. The main purpose of the Waterway Net is to encourage amateur radio communications to and from boats with an emphasis on safety and weather information. Position Reports help keep live-aboards and cruising boats in touch with families and friends and Float Plans provide a strong measure of safety for off-shore passage makers.
Begun in the early sixties, the Waterway Net is one of the oldest, continuously operating nets in amateur radio. Today the WRCC has around eight hundred dues paying members and anyone holding an Amateur Radio License of any class is eligible to join. Membership in the WRCC is not a prerequisite for participation in the Waterway Net, but a general class or higher license is required.
The Waterway Net is a controlled net. It is recommended that one listen for a while to learn the Net Procedures, but anyone with a general class license or above is invited to check in at the appropriate time or to join in on the special interest nets that often follow.
In an emergency, FCC rules permit anyone, licensed or not, to use any frequency to summon help. All boaters with high frequency SSB radios aboard should know that the 20 meter amateur frequency of 14.300 MHz is active for about eighteen hours a day and is always available for emergency assistance.
Announcements
SEE NEWS &
EVENTS PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL NEWS AND INFORMATION
- New 2012 Officers! Congratulations go out to our new officers for 2012.
- Commodore: Earl Quick - WD0ETL
- Vice-Commodore: Craig Turner - W4CST
- Rear-Commodore: Ed Napoleon - KC4JKW
- Fly your WRCC Burgees! WRCC
members should fly the club's burgees whenever possible. This
lets other members know if you're in their anchorage, marina,
etc. Flying the burgee also is a means of showing others that
you are a member of a very special group of boaters/ham radio
operators.
Burgees and other club merchandise can be found on our WRCC Store page. - Astronomy/Satellite Tracking Software: A couple of free computer programs that should be of interest to boaters is Orbitron and Stellarium. Orbitron is strictly a satellite tracker, while Stellarium does this and shows all the heavenly bodies in the sky. Orbitron has a "Predict" mode that will tell you when and where a particular satellite will be visible. With Stellarium, you can set the time window ahead to any time you wish to see if any satellites will be visible at that time. With both programs, once installed, you will first need to set your current location so that the program will know what to display for your area. For those of you who own smartphones, there are many apps that have similar features, most are free.
- Hudson River, Dismal Swamp, Okeechobee Waterway Info and other Storm Related Closures: The Okeechobee Waterway will remain open until at least next summer. Planned closure dates will be announced at a later date. The Erie Canal is closed only between locks E-8 and E-17. N.Y. Gov. Cuomo says that those locks will open for a short time, starting around Thanksgiving. According to recent reports, the Great Dismal Swamp canal and the Champlain Canal have all re-opened. To check for up-to-date Champlain Canal, Oswego Canal and Cayuga-Seneca Canal lock closure information, try NYS Canals. The U.S. Coast Guard is strongly advising recreational boaters to carefully consider any recreational voyage on the Hudson River, especially its upper reaches and waterways north of the Troy Locks, until further notice. The Troy Lock has re-opened for marine traffic. For other closures due to Irene, Lee, etc., check Cruisers Net.
- BoatUS Offers Updated 2011 Anchoring Information Sheet (pdf):
ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 26, 2011 -- The 2009 passage of Florida House Bill 1423 meant that boaters across the Sunshine State no longer had to fear a visit from law enforcement advising that their boat had "overstayed" its visit and needed to move on. This law, strongly supported by a coalition of boating interests including BoatUS, was designed to study where mooring fields should be created and how to provide for anchoring outside of those mooring fields. To help boaters understand their rights under this law, BoatUS has updated its "Florida Anchoring Information Sheet," a pdf file available at no cost at this site.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has already chosen four of the five locations for the pilot project. They are: Monroe County, which has mooring fields in Key West and Marathon; the City of St. Petersburg; the City of Sarasota and the City of St. Augustine. During the Commission's June meeting either the City of Miami/Dinner Key or the City of Stuart will be selected as the fifth participant.
Local governments, with the exception of the five test locations, still cannot restrict anchoring outside a mooring field. This prohibition against restricting anchoring will be in effect until at least 2014.
- How and Where to Check in to Customs: For those of you who are returning to the states from the Bahamas, etc., here's information of how and where to check in if you're returning to Florida.
- (Update 9-1-2010) Bahamas Reciprocal License Info: Anyone planning a trip to the Bahamas should check out the URCA website. The most recent ruling states that you will be required to get a Bahamas Reciprocal License each year you visit the Bahamas. Annual license renewals are no longer available. URCA, Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority, require all to complete and submit a "Full Details Form" with a $10 application fee as well as the $25 license fee. URCA is encouraging all to file an application for a new license at the same time as returning the 'Full Details Form". Both, the 'Full Details Form' and license application form can be downloaded from the link, above. Also, check out our Bahamas Reciprocal info on this page.
- BoatUS Foundation's Top Picks For On-the-Water Weather Services:
A Look at Cell Phone, Smart Phone, Chartplotter, and Computer-based Weather Service
ANNAPOLIS, Md., August 12, 2010 - On the afternoon of July 25th, a fast moving storm packing 70 mph winds, rain and lighting swept across the Chesapeake Bay. Over the next two hours, US Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, MD, received 37 calls from mariners in distress. Unfortunately many boaters and anglers, unaware of the supercell's fury, were caught unprepared. But it didn't have to be this way.
Today there are dozens of hi-tech ways to receive up-to-the-minute weather information aboard your boat. The BoatUS Foundation recently reviewed 28 products and services to see which provided mariners with the best information and has issued its recommendations for its top "picks."
"Sometimes bad weather can approach with few visual signs," said Program Manager David Carter. "Having these resources available can complement your VHF radio's weather broadcast."
The review, which covered satellite and phone-based weather services for the coastal inshore and inland boater, included free cellular phone text messaging services to fee-based subscription services that display weather information on a chartplotter. Each weather service includes hardware, such as a standard flip phone, smart phone, computer or chartplotter, as well as the software designed to present the information.
Foundation staff limited their focus to the actual content and depth of weather information provided. This included the ability to deliver local, land-based weather information (current conditions such as temperature, wind or barometric readings), hazardous weather warnings, radar imagery, land and marine forecasts, and NOAA buoy reports.
The BoatUS Foundation's weather service "picks" are:
To view the full report and details on each pick's features, Foundation Findings #49 - Weather to Go, go to BoatUS.com/foundation/Findings/49.
- Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning: A person who is drowning doesn't usually look like the typical 'drowning victim' that you see on TV. A crew member who falls overboard and appears to be OK, could actually be drowning! An excellent article by Mario Vittone that explains this can be found here.
Now this just isn't right!
- USCG CFL Lamp Warning: The US Coast Guard has issued a Marine Safety Alert on the newer CFL fluorescent lamps, saying that they could cause RF interference with certain communication and navigation equipment. The USCG alert is not clear, whether it refers to the AC or 12v DC type of lamp (or both). The type of lamp in question should have the following statement printed somewhere on the packaging: "This product may cause interference to radio communications and should not be installed near maritime safety communications equipment or other critical navigation or communication equipment operating between 0.45-30 MHz."
- New Florida Anchoring Provision Is Now Law!: House Bill #1423 and other related information can be found HERE.
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- Thank you for your kind donations:
We would also like to thank those who have donated funds, in addition to their annual dues, in order to help with our club's finances. Donations are always welcome and should be addressed to Sec/Treas (Club address on Club Info page).
In Memory of Bob Thompson, KD3DV:
In Memory of Jean Freeman, KC4BGQ
In Memory of Bill Marsh, K9SGH
The Waterway Radio & Cruising Club
- Lake Okeechobee Water Levels:
You may still want to check with lockmasters, etc., to determine local conditions.
Latest info (Oct, 2009) is that the "rim" route is open.
- Masses of Sting Rays Found!: Dr. Jim, K4TCV, sent these photos of sting rays during their migration near the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, took these amazing photos. The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to Yucatan.
- Switlik Life Raft Recall: Marti, KF4TRG sends notice that the Switlik Parachute company has a recall for it's marine life rafts. For more information, visit this website.
- WRCC Recruitment Flyer: Download this flyer (right), print it out, and post it at your nearest marina, marine supply store (West Marine, Boat U.S., etc.,) even Radio Shack. You could also use it as a handout at your local ham radio club. The Waterway Radio & Cruising Club is conducting a recruitment campaign for new members and this flyer is just another way to get the word out. With the recent dropping of the morse code requirement, more and more boaters will be getting their licenses; we need to let them know what services the Club provides. You will need Acrobat Reader to view and print this flyer. Download pdf flyer (236kb).
- Join the fun! The Waterway Radio & Cruising Club is holding a membership recruitment campaign. If you, or someone you know, would like to become a member, please go to the Club Info page and download a membership form. Only requirement is that you hold a valid amateur radio operator's license. Of course, to participate on the Net, you must have a General class or above, license. Owning a boat is not required; only the love of boating. Waterway Net members are known for their love of the water, boating and ham radio. For the cruising boater, the Net is also a great way of keeping in touch with other boaters while offering a safer transit, through our daily weather reporting and position reports. Also, every fall, we hold a combination picnic/flea market in Melbourne, FL.
- Maine in the fall: Jay, AE4MZ, has some beautiful photos from his recent Maine trip. This one is sunset over Eggemoggin Reach from Wooden Boat School anchorage. Check them all out on his web site.
- Notes from the Webmaster -
N4UMS
Members: Your input is necessary to keep our web site current and interesting - please feel free to send news items, articles for the Technical Corner, corrections, updates, suggestions, problems and complaints to the73, Bill - N4UMS
