Posts Tagged ‘Marine’
Are you on Santa’s “good” list?
Speaker 3 for the week that we are discussing is a waterproof (or marine) component speaker. These are actually more than one marine speaker rolled into one. Yes, these speakers actually separate the frequencies electronically so that each of the separate components within the speaker is required to produce its own quota of frequencies. Although this definitely improves your sound quality, they typically are larger and require more room for installation.
A couple of years ago, I got a gift from my daughter for Christmas that was a pillow with a picture of Santa on it. The picture depicted Santa checking over his list and the caption said “Yep – you were nice! …..oh what a minute – that wasn’t you!” I got a chuckle out of it and it still gets put out on the chair every Christmas season. Well, let’s hope that this year you can be found on the ‘nice’ list!! Haha!!
Don’t have your party ruined by bad weather!
If you are using the proper equipment, you will be able to bring your onboard guests to safety in plenty of time. The marine radio, when properly tuned to bring in the NOAA Channel will always give you a warning signal when it’s about to issue an alert – much like your carbon monoxide or smoke detectors would at home. The time lapsing between the “watch” and the “warning” will often be adequate to get to safety. NOAA Weather Radio also broadcasts alerts of non-weather emergencies such as national security, natural, environmental, and public safety (such as “AMBER” Alerts). These are broadcast through the Emergency Alert System making it an “All Hazards” warning system. All too often the most inexpensive equipment is what has been overlooked and those inexpensive Marine Radios can save your life.
Thinking out of the box….or boat…
It occurred to me that just because you happen to be holding something termed marine speakers in your hands, does that mean that you’re limited to using them only on your boat? No. True, they are designed for use around water and true, they can easily withstand a dunk into salt water without any ill effects, but why limit your thinking to what they were designed for??
Really the only basic difference between a normal speaker and a marine speaker is that marine speakers have cones made from Mylar instead
of paper. Some manufacturers use polypropylene in their manufacturing process and other key features like a rubber skirting over the screws that hold the drivers in, but basically we have a standard speaker that is much more durable than a normal speaker.
Because of the way marine speakers are built, why not s t r e t c h our thinking to include other possibilities for using marine speakers. Since the very nature of a marine speaker puts them into a special “more durable” category, why not cash in on this idea and install them on your 4-wheeler or open ATV? Take a cruise on the trails or mud! Listen to music near your hot tub or pool! We just opened up a whole new world, didn’t we?
How do I know if my radio is really working??
Radio checks for your VHF marine radio or hand held VHF Marine Radio are now being answered by the Coast Guard on channel 16 in the Coast Guard First District (New England, south to northern New Jersey). However, the Coast Guard will not answer radio checks when the Coast Guard is busy handling distress communications from another boater.
The purpose of this ruling is to hopefully reduce hoax MAYDAY calls. Believe it or not, a growing number of boaters are resorting to a MAYDAY call if they can’t get the CG to answer a Channel 16 VHF radio check on their marine radios. If caught doing this, a boater would be subject to a $5,000 fine plus CG costs incurred as a result of the boater’s actions. So, as you can see, it’s wise to reduce your radio checks on your VHF Marine Radio to working channels only. Always be aware of the laws applicable to the area in which you are boating.
What Does NOAA Stand for on my VHF Marine Radio?
Nowadays, most marine radios are equipped to receive NOAA severe weather alerts automatically. Now, I suppose I should pause and remind you what NOAA stands for. It stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These folks are the ones that can answer the question for you if you’re wondering if you can expect a good day at the beach, whether or not you need to reach for your umbrella today, and also do environmentally oriented studies related to such things as whales, sea lions, etc.
Maybe you want to check out your boating forecast on one of the seven designated weather channels. All of this is possible on most Marine Radios available at very affordable prices. One note of caution, though – VHF Radios are for marine use ONLY! Never use a VHF Radio for communication on land.
Wondering if you need a Radio Permit or License?
The answer to this dates back to the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This act simply states that recreational boaters are permitted to have and to use a VHF Marine Radio, EPIRB, and marine radar without having an FCC ship station license.
An FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit is required for boaters having an HF radiotelephone, a VHF transceiver and traveling in foreign waters, or where fitting of a marine radio is required by law (in the case where your boat is 20m or longer). Yes, there’s a fee for this permit, but it’s a lifetime permit and no tests are required in applying for this license.
If in doubt, you can always contact the FCC and ask. FCC forms are available by writing to the FCC, P.O. Box 1050, Gettysburg, PA 17326 or by calling the FCC Forms Distribution center at (202) 418-3676 (toll free number is 1-800-418-FORM).
Why Not Host a Boat Party?
Viral Internet videos are a distinctly 21st century phenomenon. It seems that once a few dozen people view such a video and deem it funny or thought-provoking enough to pass to others, it catches on like wildfire. Such was the case with the Saturday Night Live digital short “I’m on a Boat,” which featured T-Pain and was performed in that artist’s usual Auto-Tuned style.
The video wasn’t just a hit because of its humor, however. The general sentiment spoke to people on a basic level. Being on a boat really is more fun than staying on land. Having a good time on a boat is often as easy as installing a marine subwoofer, cranking up the tunes and packing some tasty food and beverages. The choice between a regular party and a boat party is really no choice at all.
Let’s plan for tomorrow with safety equipment on board today!
Safety always seems to always hit amongst the top ranking reasons for outfitting your boat with what you may consider “necessary equipment”. There are many “extras” now available for boating – particularly in the electronics area.
Hi-tech items are now available to make your day on the water more enjoyable and safer. Some of those items that are considered popular extras include fish finders, waterproof equipment, GPS systems, VHF Radio, and maybe one of the newest design marine radios` which offer MP3 adaptable plug-ins to allow you to have your favorite recorded music play through your speaker system, or even a CB Radio. These items may be fun and may entice the best of “button-pushers”, but they actually can help save your life as well. Don’t take this information lightly!
CB Radio
A citizens’ band radio is better known by its shortened name cb radio. It is a communications radio which allows individuals to communicate over short distances on a selection of 40 channels all within the 27MHz band.
CB does not require a license and it may be used for business as well as personal communications. Like many other two-way radio services, cb radios are shared by multiple users. Only one station may transmit at a time. The party on the other station must listen and wait for the shared channel to be available.