Archive for September, 2010
Quality means a lot when talking sound…
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems the older I get, the harder it is to understand what is being said through the speaker system on our television set or through any speaker system. Granted, as your hearing ebbs, it presents problems of it’s own, but why not stack the cards on our side of the table and at least set the stage for being about to hear as good as the next person. Upgrade your speakers!! Simple solution. When listening to music through your marine radio receiver (whether it’s on the water or simply in your back yard), take the time to hook up proper speakers to your receiver. It can mean the difference of having an OK time or having a GREAT time with you friends. Happy Boater.
Going in circles…
Now, with all the modern equipment we have available to us, it really isn’t logical that someone could actually go in circles when outfitted with all the latest equipment, is it? Well I heard kind of a humorous story this weekend about a friend of mine who took his GPS out bow hunting for deer this past week. He neglected to do one thing – push the button on his GPS to tell the unit where his starting point was. So, as fate would have it, he got turned around while hunting and took out his GPS to find his way home which he found out, only led him in circles since it didn’t know where it was supposed to go. Now, in this case it would have been awfully nice if he had had a back up plan like a hand held VHF Radio or a hand held CB Radio in his pocket so he could have radioed for help. But, alas, he didn’t. Happy ending is that he found his way out of the woods and got his deer!! I like happy endings. Make sure your endings are all happy by making sure you have the right equipment along and know how to use it. Happy Boater.
Who’d ever think a kayaker may require a VHF Radio?
Everyone can picture a large watercraft with a radio mounted to it’s dash, but for some of us, it’s a bit of a stretch to imagine a kayak with a VHF radio on board. Well, that’s just what a lot of kayakers are doing. With the onslaught of hand held VHF Marine Radios in the marketplace, more and more kayakers are including a VHF Radio as part of their standard equipment – and why not??? They are small, easy to store, waterproof to 1 meter, and an incredible life line if you should happen to capsize. Just last week, I was told by my friend who was on a trip into the boundary waters wilderness that he encountered a female capsized in her kayak and blowing a whistle for help. They were able to help this person, but with more and more kayaks hitting the larger bodies of water like Lake Superior, it would sure be a smart thing to have along so at any given moment, you could be in contact with someone who could assist you. Happy Boater.
Fall doesn’t mean putting away your CB…
Yes – it’s that fall season again and a lot of our summertime toys are being put neatly away for the winter. Among those things which are not seasonal is your hand held CB Radio. What a hunting buddy that little piece of equipment can be. It sure comes in handy if you need any assistance while out on your ATV traveling down an old logging trail bird hunting. Now for most of us, bird hunting is a bonus – the real enjoyment is just enjoying the great out of doors and fresh air while surrounded by the incredibly beautiful fall colors all around you. It’s as if the forest were all lit up. CB Radios for sure are not a “put away” item in the fall. Happy Boater.
It really takes so little to get quality sound…
I’m reminded of how poor sound quality we were able to produce in our cars in the 60′s (yes, I know I dated myself!). We thought we really were a hot ticket item if we had an 8-track tape player in our car. Then, if you had a “reverb” in your car besides – well, it just didn’t get any better than that! I’ll bet there are a lot of readers that have never even heard of a reverberator! It allowed your radio or tape player to play through it and as a result would make the sound seem like it was coming from the bottom of a barrel (kind of a hollow sound). They can do that with synthesizers nowadays. Well – that was fun to think of those good times, but we don’t have to put up with that horrible sound that we actually liked anymore. We have digital playback through MP3 players as well as extremely high quality speakers. Many of you I know have found that marine speakers work remarkably well as they are moisture proof as well as durable in just about any situation – and they are very affordable!! Why not check them out! Happy Boater.
Music makes the world go around…
I really don’t think there are many folks that can honestly say that they don’t enjoy music. Yes – everyone has their own style of music that they prefer, but in general I think we are safe to say that just about everyone likes music. Now – what if you are playing your favorite music through a receiver and it just doesn’t sound any good anymore to you?? Could it be that your old speakers just aren’t doing the job anymore? They fizzle out just like we do sometimes. If now is the time for you to upgrade – you can find some really good deals out there in the line of waterproof marine speakers that are flexible to the point of being able to be used outside on your patio, on the pontoon boat or just about anywhere you want to listen to music. And – they sound incredible!! Sound reproduction has reached new heights with these little wonders and your favorite tunes take on a whole new dimension as you enjoy listening to them. Happy Boater.
Music Marvels to enjoy…
I never cease to be amazed how electronics has made things possible that I never even dreamed about during even my high school years. Just the other day, my grandson saw me working on my computer saving my old vinyl LP albums into a digital format that could be saved and reproduced into an MP3 format for use at some later date. Now – remember that my grandson was only 12 years old at this time. He looked at my vinyl LP and said “Wow – that’s that biggest CD I’ve ever seen!!” We all had a good laugh over it but he just had never encountered someone working with old records like what I had. (Wonder what he’d have thought of my old 45′s??) Anyway, technology has sure made great strides in just the past 20 years! We now have the capability of recording our music (MUCH more than we ever dreamed of) on a small memory stick the size of your little finger and much thinner. More that that – we now have radios into which we can plug in our MP3 formatted music and enjoy our own music – even when out on the water on your pontoon boat or speed boat. Most marine radio receivers now have that capability so why not enjoy what technology has made available!! Happy Boater.
Ever buy something you hope you’ll never need?
Some things in life just are hard to swallow. One of those things is insurance and another of those things are safety items. When a person is about to make an expenditure for a safety item like a vhf marine radio, it really isn’t the cost that causes any hesitation because they really are quite reasonably priced. The hesitation comes from the person’s inner being which says “why spend money on that – you probably will never need it”! That’s just the kind of thinking that causes problems. Nothing is more important than to be prepared with communication devices that can become invaluable in the event of a crisis on the water. VHF can carry over the water 20 plus miles and the United States Coast Guard monitors channel 16 24/7 for your well being. Don’t underestimate the power of a small communication device like your hand held VHF marine radio. Happy Boater.
CB’s come to the aid of leaf watchers!
It’s nearly peak time for the leaf watchers in our area of Minnesota. The maple trees are showing their true glorious reds and oranges making the forests appear ablaze with color. For sure there are a lot of leaf watchers traveling up here for the next few weeks and many are discovering that the time for CB radios has arrived. You see them talking to each other as they travel in sort of a caravan on the winding roads. Hand held CB Radios are ideal for this application – plus they’re affordable. It’s always fun when you can share your observations with someone while the idea is still fresh in your mind – or while you’re passing by something so you can draw their attention to a thing of beauty that they may have missed. Hope your days allow you time to enjoy this season. Happy Boater.
Got fumble fingers? …you need a VHF floating Radio!
Imagine this – you are in high seas, the waves are pounding and the wind & rain are doing their best to keep you off your plotted course. You grab for your hand held VHF Marine Radio (always strapping it around your wrist) and just about that time, a wave slams into your bow your radio is doused with a deluge of water. No problem because your hand held VHF Marine Radio is waterproof! Just a few years ago, that incident could have spelled disaster for the radio (and maybe those on board). Thanks to technology, these fantastic little radios fair very well in this type of situation and boast a waterproof status to approximately a meter under water. That’s a real nice piece of comfort information! Always prepare and take advantage of the technology of the day! Happy Boater.