Excerpts from the latest Scuttlebutt issue.

Greetings from N1GYX

Spring is right around the corner and by now we have all caught up with the time change. Hopefully the propagation will improve even more as the summer comes back, maybe without hurricanes this year. Keep your fingers crossed.

The first thing I want to do in this issue is thank our Scuttlebutt Editor, Don Watson W5TNA. Don is doing this as his final issue. Don has done a great job as a volunteer for some years and has decided it is time to go cruising. Thanks Don and Fair Winds!

However, we now need a new Scuttlebutt Editor. By the time you read this I hope to have one in place, but . . . check and see, if you are interested. We can always use the help.

Thanks also are due to Marti KF4TRG for her new Weather Reports Guide. Full color with lots of information and very specific examples. Reporting the weather is a great way to get involved in the net and Marti, as Weather Reporter Coordinator can get you the info and slot you into the schedule, either as a substitute, or perhaps a more permanent position as they open up.

Speaking of volunteering, please let us all volunteer to fly our burgees anytime we are out and about. Be proud to be a member of this great net. Seeing that burgee in an anchorage is an invitation to other hams, both members and nonmembers (many recognize the burgee even though they may not be members) to get acquainted. By the way, we need new members, as our numbers are decreasing slightly year to year lately, so pass on those old rosters or make the application in your roster available to interested hams. Only qualification is to have a ham call sign. We welcome novices, techs and tech plus.

I would like to thank all of those that participated and those that listened to our Round Table discussion we had in late January. As is normal, we spent a lot of time on weather reporting, and our Officers have concluded not to change our current practice. Cruisers are always needing as much weather as they can get and we are a cornerstone of the daily input. Granted there are a lot more sources for weather than ever before, but reliability is the major reason for our existence in this field and we need to continue to provide that service. Another outcome of the roundtable was to increase the instructions in the preamble each day concerning the notice to operators about using reciprocal licenses. We will probably have another roundtable in the early summer. Stay tuned.

If you have not listened or participated in the tech net each Sunday make sure to give a listen. We are using four different members as net control, each with a different field of expertise and it seems to be working quite well. Nice to have the tech net back to fill in the schedule and cover those non computer related topics we all face, albeit reluctantly.

By the time this is issued and read many of us will be changing locations from our winter cruising grounds to locations "up north". I will be looking for more north relays, so please let me know if you can help out.

Finally, we have lots of volunteers working hard on a new Net Guide. We are hoping to publish in the early sum mer. If you have any ideas, suggestions or input for the new edition please let me know as soon as you can so we can consider your thoughts in time to incorporate the best ones.

Everyone has become aware of all the publicity concerning the Automatic Identification System, better known as AIS. I became interested in this system several years back and, since I had participated in both the Havana Cup and then 2 years ago in the Isla Mujeres Race, I had become sharply aware of the large number of cargo vessels plying the Gulf Stream between the Gulf of Mexico and Cuba. As a result I started copying the AIS data being transmitted by these commercial vessels some 3 years ago.

I found very quickly that the data signa could be "decoded" with just about am software program capable of AX-2: Packet style detection. Now when I say, "decoded" that means the digital signal could be transformed into number, and letters, but the key was the data separators.

It turns out that the maximun number of data fields is 72. Very obviously not all vessels transmit the entire data field, but they do all provide some very important data such as Lat/Lon position, speed, heading, MMSI to name a few. But what perhaps is the most interesting point of all is ANYONE can look at all the data fields and within minutes they can pick out the LATITUDE FIELD, (which comes first) such as N or S followed by 5 digits. The first two are the degrees, followed by the UNITS OF DEGREES. Of Course the same is true of the LONGITUDE FIELD E or W which is followed by 6 digits. The first three being the whole degrees while the second three are the units of degrees.

The other two major data fields are the 3 digit course and 3 digit speed fields. Watching vessels come up Tampa Bay, I could see the 3 digit speed fields did not change rapidly and the 3 digit heading fields did change where the channel

With the advent of AIS coming into the picture it was quite simple to key in the two AIS Marine VHF frequencies into the PCR 1000 and let it scan both frequencies for signals. The frequencies are: AIS 1 -161.975 MHz, AIS 2 - 162.025 MHz. The PCR 1000 also has a Packet output connector which I ran to a KAM+ and then into the computer. So basically I memorized where to look and read the three most important data fields.

In the 2004 Isla Mujeres race, I had the system set up this way on the boat and during the course of the race I was able to track 11 freighters and one Cruise liner during the 4 days of the race to Isla Mujeres. I found the ability to know precisely the course and speed of those vessels gave me the assurance we were not on any crossing track that could cause problems later. As a general rule the system was picking up the AIS data while the vessels were as much as 20 miles away and not even in sight!

I ran across a sound card program that is capable of detecting the AIS signals and plotting them on a chart! The URL to see this information is:
http:// www.coaa.co.uk/dscdecoder.htm
Of course, I purchased the program and discovered it worked perfectly with the inline demodulator supplied with the WeFax 2000 program. The bottom line here is that this is a relatively simple integration to obtain AIS data and display it on your navigation screen without the need to purchase a separate transponder.

Fair Winds-Jim WB4GOK

Propagation has been very good for the CW net lately due to the low number of sunspots and time of the year. Conditions may not be so good immediately after the switch to Daylight Savings Time but will improve as the summer solstice draws nearer. We had one station, K3ESE check in from Maryland running one Watt and his signal was quite readable from Marathon in the Florida Keys !

To change the subject, I thought I'd tell a short story of my experiences operating CW from a boat.

I learned CW while in the US Army back in the early 60's. After getting out of the army, got my first ham license but let it expire after getting busy building a career and a family. After I retired I decided to get back into ham radio and was re-licensed in 2001. Didn't operate CW much, just Winlink, PSK31 and some SSB.

While visiting Marathon and enjoying one of the fine lunches with the WRCC bunch at the Marathon Yacht Club, the subject of CW cane up. I related as to how operating CW is a lot like riding a bicycle. Once you learn it, you never forget. Chuck, ND7K, challenged me to check into the CW net and I told him I would do that someday soon.

The ham rig on my boat is an Elecraft K2/100 but I didn't have a paddle, just an old cheap straight key. I listened to the CW net for a few mornings and finally took the plunge using the straight key and K2. It was fun! I'd forgotten how much fun CW could be. I was a little rusty, after all, it had been over 30 years since I'd operated CW but it came back pretty fast. Since then, I've been a regular on the CW net and enjoy it quite a bit.

Anyone out there who is hesitant about trying out the CW net, just listen for a bit and jump in. The water is always warm on the CW net and we'll be glad to have you.

The net is on 7050.0 kHz, starts at 07:00 Eastern Time and runs for about 45 minutes. Slow day is Friday and fast day is Sunday.

73, Forrest Myers/AG4ND

(We received a note from Dr. Jim Hirschman and believe all WRCC members will be interested-Ed.)

I propose to do a study, an epidemiologic study, with volunteers from our ranks. I'd like to enlist 25, 50 or even 100 of our boaters, our gunkholers and blue water sailors and follow them for a year, to determine the incidence and severity of illnesses and injuries.

This study would help us to learn how to better prepare for the first-aid and management of illnesses and injuries we encounter in our cruising lives. The study will involve reporting to me any injuries or illnesses you, your crew and guests encounter over a twelve month period.

I am looking for volunteers, who would list with me, their boat and location and any/all illnesses or injuries you encounter on board, during the one year study time.

Personal privacy would be 100% guarded-absolutely!

If you are interested in having your boat in the study, e-mail me at this address: jimhir@bellsouth.net

I will return e-mail to you with more information and a simple data form. If I see enough interest to do the study, I will run the project for a year and let you know what I find.

The whole idea is help us make improvements to our medicine and equipment boxes . That way we can be better prepared for on-board medical emergencies.

For now, if you are interested, e-mail me with the following:
1. Your name and call letters.
2. Your boat's name and general location.
3. The method you use to keep in touch with shore people ( Waterway Net, Winlink, Sail Mail etc.)
4. The average number of souls you have on board, excluding pets.

I'll take it from there, get back to you and, once we get started up, I'll give you regular reports and findings.

73's...Dr. Jim Hirschman-K4TCV (WRCC Fleet Surgeon)

(The following was received from Terry Palmer/K1LCH)

A CAUTIONARY TALE

Recently, a 23-foot T-top boat made a trip from Florida to Green Turtle Cay, Abacos. The crew aboard had a rental cottage and planned to stay ashore. Since they arrived late in the day, they waited until the next day to clear Customs. When asked by the Customs Officer, the captain of the vessel replied that he had just arrived. The officer contradicted him, saying he had seen the boat the night before.

The captain was put in jail, had to get a lawyer, pay a stiff fine, and fly out of the Bahamas, leaving the boat. The captain had taken the advice of a friend who told him that things were rather casual in the Bahamas and he could wait till morning to clear.

Another issue was that the captain was carrying a firearm on the boat and took it to the cottage. The Customs Officers searched the cottage and found the gun. This information comes as a caution to Bahamas cruisers to take the clearing-in process and its rules very seriously.

Monty and Sara Lewis

The following members or their families have received cards or flowers from the Sunshine Fund during the past three months.

January 2006:

   N4QIW - Naoma Lowe - Eye Surgery

February:

   KD4FQM - Howard Gould - Silent Key
   KG4YSK - Ken Park and KG4YUE Roberta Park - Loss of boat (sent card)

March:

   NU4P - Bob Rader - Hospitalized
   N4VIV - Al Schwager - Hospitalized
   N4QIW - Naoma Lowe - Eye Surgery

If you are aware of a club member you think has need of some Sunshine, you may contact me via phone or email (the information is in the current roster) or sunshine@waterwayradio.net.

Please provide me with as much information as possible and a point of contact. This especially holds true if someone is in the hospital. I would appreciate you letting me know when you receive flowers so I can confirm they were received. The Sunshine Fund is not funded through your dues, but is supported by donations collected over the year, and is a part of the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club.

It should also be noted that long time WRCC member, sailor and author, Hal Sutphen passed away December 5, 2005. Hal sailed his Pearson 42 ketch "Sea Duty"

He served in the U.S. Navy and authored "Advanced Bluewater Cruising".

Jean Freeman, KC4BGQ

(Con't from last issue . . .)

Vinny then raced back to the crash scene and found more victims, still on the sinking boat. Two had significant injuries and one was practically uninjured. Vinny asked if there were any more and was told, "No ! That's all." but during their transport one victim looked up and said, "No, no, 'Carlos' is missing !" Vinny's heart sank.

Only 15 - 20 minutes had passed and U.S. Coast Guard already had two boats and a helicopter on scene. They began a systematic search. There are a couple of useful points here. Coast Guard drops a data transmitting buoy (DTB), into the water at the moment they arrive on the scene. This helps them mark the spot, but its drift helps them to learn which way bodies and debris are drifting. This helps to design the rest of the search.

The Coast Guard spokesman told me their attitude is that "there are people missing and need to be searched for" right from the start, until they are told by some knowledgeable person that all victims have been accounted for. Thus the Coast guard began searching for missing bodies from the very first minute.

The story has a gloomy ending. "Carlos" was not found until one hour had passed. He was found, about one hour after the crash, by the Coast Guard search team, was given CPR for the moment he was brought aboard their boat, and a full advanced life resuscitation was carried out by the paramedics on the Cocoplum Marina Dock. He did not respond and was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was probably the victim of both multiple injuries and drowning.

From our boater's angle there are several lessons to be learned. 1.) Always wear some personal flotation gear when on the water, especially on dark nights. 2.) When you are out on the water have marine VHF radio ready to use. 3.) When you call in a boating emergency use your marine VHF radio as first choice. 4.) ALWAYS use your running lights when running at night. 5.) Especially in the dark of the moon, keep your boat lighted at anchor, and when under way and keep your on-board music low so you can hear any other approaching craft.

In the incident described we don't yet know the role alcohol may have played in the accident. We don't yet know the details of the dead person's injuries. We do know that an accurate Lat/Long helped tremendously in the rescue effort.

73's & Safe Sailing!

Dr. Jim Hirschman K4TCV

Bahamas Weather Forecasting

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is now publishing and updating their weather forecasts on the Internet. Here's the WEB address:
http://www.bahamasweather.org.bs/forecast/marine/

Bahamas Reciprocal License

When you transmit in foreign waters you are required to obtain what is called a reciprocal license. In the Bahamas this is a C6A call that is tacked onto the end of your call sign. For example, my call sign with the Bahamian reciprocal would be KF4TRG/C6A. The cost of this license for the Bahamas is $25 per year. Although they now take credit cards, the process usually takes about three months so plan accordingly. The new WRCC roster will have information about how and where to get reciprocal licenses from the Bahamas, Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. Stay tuned! To find out more about reciprocal licenses see: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/requlations/io/recipcountry.html

Chub Cay, Bahamas

I haven't heard any news about Chub Cay-when the marina, fuel and customs will open. If anyone has info about this, please send me an email.

Florida Keys Marina News

Faro Blanco Marinas, Marathon, Florida - A grand scale construction project is planned for both Faro Blanco marinas. Boats at the marina on the Florida Bay side will have to vacate the slips by April 2006 and boats at the Faro Blanco Oceanside marina will have to vacate their slips by July 2006.

Boot Key Harbor City Marina, Marathon, Florida - The City Marina is now offering slippage at the floating docks on the East side of the fairway. There is no water or electric available with these slips.

Miami Beach, Florida Anchoring Ordinance - In 2005, the City of Miami Beach passed a one week anchoring limit ordinance. Some amendments were also passed that would allow the one week limit to be waived in the event of illness, repairs or hazardous weather. My friends Greg and Linda on S/V Flirt had been anchored in Miami Beach near the Yacht Club and left due to near constant harassment and threats from the police. It appears the community is doing its best to make the area unfriendly to boaters.

Morse Code Requirement for General Class Ham License

As of March 24th, the FCC has not changed the five words per minute Morse code requirement for the General and Extra class Ham licenses. I've made it a point to mention this as I keep hearing the opposite on some of the VHF nets. Canada has dropped the Morse requirement.

Rescue 21 Implementation Schedule Pushed Back - The timeline for the US Coast Guard's 21st century communication system, called Rescue 21, has been pushed back to 2006-2011. This comprehensive system will include digital selective calling (DSC). Currently, Atlantic City, NJ and Eastern Shore, VA are the only two test stations up and running. Boaters in the US should not rely on DSC for emergency hailing as the US Coast Guard is not monitoring channel 70 on VHF. See the January 2006 issue of BoatU.S. Magazine for an informative article on this topic. Note that commercial ships are required to monitor both VHF and SSB Digital Selective Calling.

The use of DSC for both VHF and Marine SSB radios requires a nine digit MMSI number. US flagged boats over 65 feet and/or those heading to international waters are required to obtain a Ship Stations License from the FCC. The MMSI number for these vessels should be obtained through the Ship Station License from the FCC and NOT Boat US or Sea-Tow.

Webster Changes Spelling of the word "BOAT"

The spelling of the acronym B.O.A.T. has been changed to B.O.A.T.T. In keeping with the price increases we're seeing, B.O.A.T.T. stands for, "Break Out Another Ten Thousand!"

Wi-Fi Hot Spots

A number of folks have suggested that we publish a list of WiFi hot spots. There are several that I'm aware of. In Boot Key Harbor, Marathon there is Maricoms and in Marsh Harbor, Abaco, Bahamas there is Troy and Tara's Out Island Internet. Both of these hot spots are fee for service. Marsh Harbor Marina and Jib Room has WiFi. The cost of this service is included in your slip fees.

Please feel free to send me information on Wi-Fi hot spots and other things of interest to the members and I'll post it in this column.

See you out on the big blue!

Best 73's . . .

Vice Commodore - Marti Brown, KF4TRG

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