Archive for October, 2011
Planning a backyard fall cookout?
I just had a backyard cookout at our cabin. We had a wonderful time with family and friends and enjoyed fresh baby back ribs and corn on the cob. YUMMM!! At the end of this blog, I’ll share the recipe with you so you can also enjoy this. I can’t say I had outdoor speakers set in place so as to enjoy fine dining music outside, but the thought was sure there. There are some GREAT marine speakers available which are waterproof and therefore “weatherproof” when installed in your back yard or on your deck. …and they are simple to install. Simply make a box of wood, cover it in some outdoor carpet, cut a hole the size of the speaker, and voila – you have a speaker that will give you hours of listening pleasure – right there in your own back yard. Now, that recipe I promised you…..
Buy yourself a couple of fresh baby back ribs (extra meaty are the best). Rub them with a pork seasoning rub (both sides). Wrap the ribs (completely sealed) with aluminum foil in a jelly roll pan or something with sides on it so the juices won’t run all over your oven. Cook the ribs at 325 degrees for 2 hours. Take them out and place them on the outside grill – bone side down first. Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce generously and turn over several times over a 15 minute period – re-applying the BBQ sauce at every turning of the ribs (both sides). Take off and serve. I guarantee they will be a hit!! …and sooo simple. Happy Boater.
Speakers are the key to good listening…
Usually, when all you hear is crackling when you are trying to enjoy your favorite tune over a speaker system, the fault isn’t usually from the receiver but the fault lies with the speakers you are using. Good speakers (up to a very real limit) can even make a poor radio receiver sound pretty good. Now, I did say “up to a very real limit”. That’s because even good speakers can’t put more sound out than it receives from the receiver unit, but it can enhance the sound quality so at least you can hear what is being played. To take it to the next level where you “feel” the sound in your gut, you will have to get a new receiver as well. Then, listening to your favorite tunes will be just plain pleasure. Take care of your self today. Start with new marine speakers – just made for that special day on the water with your favorite people. Happy Boater.
Sure is nice today – but what about tomorrow???
The lake is calm, the temperature is very mild, the leaves are beautiful – but that’s today. This time of the year things can change very rapidly. It seems like when November comes close, the gales of November come with it and let me tell you, there’s nothing worse than getting caught in a fast moving storm front which can kick up white caps in a matter of minutes and all of a sudden you have waves coming over the bow. Not fun. It’s about that time that you wish you had had a VHF marine radio installed into your boat. You know – the kind that give you 24/7 communication with the USCG. Also they allow you to obtain up to the minute weather updates from the US Weather Service (NOAA). Who knows with these weather updates you would probably never be in that situation you found yourself in because you would have received the warning early enough to be able to make the proper decisions to get to a safe harbor or something. Always be safe when on the waters. Happy Boater.
Traveling with another party? CB’s the way to go.
As I watch all the folks traveling up and down the shore of Lake Superior viewing the vibrant leaves, I have to wonder just how many of them are traveling together – even though they are in different vehicles. I’m quite sure there are a lot of them. I know I’ve done that – just because sometimes you just plain don’t all fit into one vehicle. Sure is nice to be able to communicate to the other vehicle of their needs – say, where they want to stop for lunch – and when. Maybe you want to take a short “bunny trail” to show them something special. How are you going to do that unless you stop the car and with all the traffic, it’s hard to get into the mix again. It’s better to start off being “road smart” and have your hand held cb radios all charged up and ready to go – then the rest of the day things will definitely go your way. Have a great trip and a pleasant leaf-watching experience. Happy Boater.
VHF and hunting are a good fit….
With hunting season coming up on us so quickly, now is the time to start thinking about getting that little hand held VHF marine radio you’ve been thinking about – you know – the one that will just fit into that empty vest pocket you have in your hunting garb. These little radios have quite a range when unobstructed so you could realistically reach another person within a 6 mile radius of where you are. Talk about a nice tidy insurance package if you need it! Every year someone gets lost or has some problem in the woods that requires medical attention. What a blessing it would be if you were able to reach someone for help – somewhere where your cell phone won’t work…and up here there’s a lot of those places!! Think long an hard this hunting season as you’re packing your hunting clothes full of all those “must haves”, preparing for that first morning of the hunt. Who knows – maybe you’ll be the one that gets the big one and then you’d be real glad to be able to call someone to come and help drag it out of the woods! Always be safe. Happy Boater.
Sometimes a good old fashioned CB Radio is just the ticket!
We all know that when we’re out hunting, we don’t want a CB Radio calling us when we’re just about to get the hairs of the scope perfectly positioned on Ol’ Mossy and you trigger finger is just in motion. But, let’s suppose for a minute that you DID just bag the prize of your life and now you have to drag it out by yourself. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone were in calling distance to come and help?? …or better yet – maybe bring out an ATV to load it on and drive it out of the woods? I know that would be my preference! Why not make it easier on yourself and tuck a hand held CB Radio into your vest this year! Besides that, it’s sure a lot safer for everyone concerned. You always have a communication line to you buddies and that way, everyone stays safe and doesn’t get turned around in the woods. If you did, you could call someone and they could come to your assistance. …you’d not be so alone out there. Something to consider…. Happy Boater.
October and November can bring some inclement weather – be ready…..
The song writer didn’t just make up the phrase “the gales of November” – they really happen. I can’t imagine going out fishing or something in October or November without a VHF marine radio on board – one that has the capability of receiving regular weather updates. These are so important because these storm fronts really close in fast and end up being in charge. You always want to allow yourself enough time to get to shore with your passengers and these radios will provide you with that convenience. The USCG will always broadcast over channel 16 any important or critical information they feel is needed to keep you and those you have on board safe. Listen to them and heed their words – they know what they are talking about – that’s their business. Take time to be safe. Happy Boater.
Speakers crackling?? …time to update those tired speakers….
We’ve all heard them – crackly sounds coming out of speakers that you trying to understand. …or maybe your favorite song being played and you have all you can do to even recognize it because of the poor sound quality. Maybe it never occurred to you, but there really is a better way to listen to your favorite song! In today’s market, marine speakers are taking over the center ring because of the general sound improvement and the durability of them. They are actually waterproof so you can use them on your deck in the back yard, on your boat, on your pontoon, or anywhere else you little heart can imagine putting them. …and you can put them there without worry of weather. What’s better than that?? Besides that, then you can enjoy your favorite song through a quality system. These little speakers can even make a poor receiver sound good. Your boat or pontoon has to come out of the water anyway pretty soon (especially of you live where I live – where the lakes freeze in the winter) so why not take advantage of this and install new speakers on your boat so you can be “party ready” when the birds of the spring hit the air and the ice goes out on the lake. Happy Boater.
Is there yet time for another party on the pontoon??
Sure – the fall season is closing in on us rapidly and I can remember all to well that ugly Halloween storm of 1991. We went to bed that evening with a bit of slush on the ground (kind of miserable taking the kids trick-or-treating) and woke up the next morning with 36 inches of new snow on the ground that never went away the rest of the winter. From the wind blowing the snow around, there was a 6 foot drift the width of the entire street in front of my house and nothing was moving around. Even the slow plows were stuck in the middle of the street and abandoned. In a way it was kind of neat, but it sure made for a real long winter. I hope that doesn’t happen again!! Today was just beautiful and if we have more of these days yet this fall with the fall colors at peak in the forests, there most certainly would be time for a party of the pontoon, but I’d suggest that you have it during a sunny afternoon, because after dark this time of the year, it can get pretty chilly out there. Plug in your favorite tunes into your marine radio receiver and enjoy an entire afternoon of great listening with your friends. Most of the new marine radio receivers allow you to plug in your MP3 players into the unit directly and this allows you to have constant “favorite music” all day. Enjoy. Happy Boater.
Big things definitely come in small packages…
One of the best kept secrets of the modern world we live in just how much progress has been made recently with the mandatory digital transmissions now required on all new production of VHF marine radios. It is my understanding that BOTH hand held VHF marine radios as well as fixed VHF marine radios are required to have this quality on a “go forward” basis. You, the user come out the winner in a situation like this because there is really no comparison between digital quality and what we used to accept as normal radio communication. That’s not to say that there are still a lot of “old stock” items out there being sold in “online auctions” etc which were purchased at a real low price on closeout and they are sold as new items. Are they good – sure. They just may not have the digital sound quality that you want. Ask questions when purchasing these items. Don’t be fooled. Above all, take a moment and assess you needs for your “emergency kit” on board your boat or in your hunting equipment. Yes – I said hunting equipment. A hand held VHF marine radio tucked into the vest pocket of your hunting jacket just may be the little item that saves your life or the life of someone in your hunting party because it likely will allow you call for help in areas where you may not have any cell service. Always be safe. Happy Boater.