New Video, showing HF comms to multiple stations within minutes of walking on-board!

[ka4wja]

Hello to all,

Although I still vehemently disagree with them, some of my fellow sailors have commented that there is some "magic art" to using HF radio....however, I do agree that with close to 5 decades of experience in radio communications sometimes what I perceive as "easy-peasy" can be daunting to novices....and this is the reason I decided to post my videos on Youtube over the years...


I made these videos myself....no director, no script, etc....all done LIVE in the real-world, as it happens (including some "opps" moments, just like real people make...), onboard a real offshore cruising boat, no "laboratory simulations"...

Also, over the years, I have said that if your HF radio is installed, commissioned, and programmed properly (and you've mitigated any on-board RFI), anyone with even a cursory knowledge of HF communications should be able to walk on-board at any random day and time, turn on the radio and be able to contact others within a minute or two...

I've also mentioned that if you know when/what times weather forecasts are transmitted for your area(s), you should be able to easily hear/receive them in no time at all...

I received some push-back from this as well....with some folks still saying that there is some "black art" involved....

Please note that while many see the "programming" as something that has little importance, in actuality with most non-tech / layperson folks, having the radio programmed and set-up properly (for their specific applications and their proposed cruising areas) can be of great importance!! Please do not just use the radio "as-is", program it and set-it-up correctly for your application(s) and your cruising area(s)....and things will be much easier!

I never wanted to argue the point, as this might just turn people off the whole process and they'd never get around to learning about HF radio.....but, I still stood by my opinion that if your HF radio is installed, commissioned, and programmed properly, a layperson-sailor with just a cursory knowledge of HF communications, should be able to walk on-board at any random day and time, turn on their radio and be able to contact others within a minute or two...

So, that is what I demonstrated in my latest video....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csTzOLyppRE

I show the exact time (on my wristwatch and radio display), that I walked onboard, turned on the radio, heard various stations (ham and maritime), contacted various stations, turned on other circuit breakers and switched on GPS and WeFax receiver, listened to multiple offshore weather broadcasts, received WeFax weather chart, etc. etc...all in about 10 minutes time (10:53amEST /1553z thru 11:03amEST /1603z) from switching radio on, including talking to two different stations, on two different bands, at two different distances, within a couple minutes....



I have also added this new video to my HF radio playlists...

Offshore Weather
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnN6ygtZ3h2mPZAx2vWzdjTJjHlChruyY



HF-DSC Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnN6ygtZ3h2n3z5nlv-ga2zYuPozhUXZX



Maritime HF Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnN6ygtZ3h2nPNdApNsZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y



Icom M-802 Instruction Videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnN6ygtZ3h2npivDjoFrC-8QKVyMb4tVr



I hope this helps some understand the importance of proper radio installation/commissioning, but especially proper programming (for the cruising area) of the radio's "user channels" for those "layperson sailors"...and of course, spending the time to learn the basics of HF radiowave propagation, as well as actually "knowing" your radio...


Fair winds and 73,

John