my family in our dinghy sailing to get breakfast

[rebel heart]

There's a perfect little breakfast spot across the way and better we're basically 90 degrees on the wind there and back. Our little girl is just over a year and a half.

Dinghy Sailing with Cora on Walker Bay 8 in America's Cup Harbor - YouTube

[deckofficer]

I've said it before Eric, your living the dream. In a couple of years I'll be reading your blog and all your future landfalls.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

I've said it before Eric, your living the dream. In a couple of years I'll be reading your blog and all your future landfalls.

Thanks man; really nice of you. We've lived on our boat now for almost five years so I've gotten a chance to see the impact sailing and living aboard can have for both my marriage and my little family. Certainly has its challenges, but it's been great.

Can't wait to go to places that I really don't know beans about.

[deckofficer]

Will the first stop (since your in San Diego) be the Sea of Cortez? That was my early cruising spot.

[limejucer]

Cute little one.
we had to get the 10 fter as are lardier than you two

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Will the first stop (since your in San Diego) be the Sea of Cortez? That was my early cruising spot.

Charlotte is sort of anti-Mexico because she lived there for a while. No way we're doing an offshore shot all the way down so I know we'll stop along the way.

These guys wrote a bunch about Central and South America (and have two cruising guides they sell for ~$13), and I'm pretty interested on checking out some of those countries.

Sarana at Sea - Stories Photos and More

I think the "plan", as much as one can have one, is:

a) go through mexico
b) central america
c) south america / peru
d) check out machu picchu
e) easter island
f) pitcairn island
g) austral islands / tahiti

[deckofficer]

When I worked break bulk, did Easter Island. Tom and Betty Christian are direct descendants of Fletcher and both are HAM radio ops, along with 5 others on Pitcairn. His call is VP6TC, and we used to work each other on a regular sked. It has been awhile since our last contact, but back then they had all daughters that went to NZ for school, and stayed to live. Island population was around 65 or so. Tom and Betty was trying to get the NZ government to build a break water for visiting cruisers, don't know if that ever happened, but Fletcher chose that island because it didn't have protected anchorages and figured when the authorities starting searching for them, they would ignore all islands that didn't have a decent anchorage.

Too bad I can't sell Charlotte on the Sea of Cortez, 1/2 way up in the Mulege area and Bahia Conception, the tranquil bay within a bay, where the desert meets the sea.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

When I worked break bulk, did Easter Island. Tom and Betty Christian are direct descendants of Fletcher and both are HAM radio ops, along with 5 others on Pitcairn. His call is VP6TC, and we used to work each other on a regular sked. It has been awhile since our last contact, but back then they had all daughters that went to NZ for school, and stayed to live. Island population was around 65 or so. Tom and Betty was trying to get the NZ government to build a break water for visiting cruisers, don't know if that ever happened, but Fletcher chose that island because it didn't have protected anchorages and figured when the authorities starting searching for them, they would ignore all islands that didn't have a decent anchorage.

Too bad I can't sell Charlotte on the Sea of Cortez, 1/2 way up in the Mulege area and Bahia Conception, the tranquil bay within a bay, where the desert meets the sea.

Are you a big HAM guy? I *just* bought an m700 pro from a guy on here. Been studying my book to take the amateur test.

[deckofficer]

I am THE big HAM guy. I have always liked to show off, things like systems or home rolled electronics. Comes from my time in the Sea of Cortez when I was running HAM SSB into my designed HF marine antenna and a home brew 600 watt amp. It doesn't take too many signal reports coming from the "away" stations to the anchorage that piques the interest of other cruisers, then I'm in my element, explaining to new cruiser friends what I did.

[deckofficer]

Didn't get back in time to edit. My current call WL7GS, I got when I lived in Alaska, which is my 3rd call sign. Back when I was in S of C, it was WD6DFO, and prior to that, goes back to 1962 and my first call and novice license.

[James S]

Precious, just precious....thanks

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Didn't get back in time to edit. My current call WL7GS, I got when I lived in Alaska, which is my 3rd call sign. Back when I was in S of C, it was WD6DFO, and prior to that, goes back to 1962 and my first call and novice license.

So what you're saying is that I should be directing all my HAM questions towards you then, eh?

I'll start with this one then if you don't mind. So the m700pro I bought has these frequencies as listed for transmitting:

1.6 - 2.9999 MHz
4.0 - 4.9999 MHz
6.0 - 6.9999 MHz
8.0 - 8.9999 MHz
12.0 - 13.9999 MHz
16.0 - 17.9999 MHz
18.0 - 19.9999 MHz
22.0 - 22.9999 MHz
25.- 27.5000 MHz

I know (I think?) that's not the full HAM spectrum but how do you think I'll fair armed with this. I'm hoping that for the tuner, radio, antenna, and all the other jazz I can squeak in under 2k.

[s/v 'Faith']

How freaking cool is that! ? !

Thanks for sharing this.

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

So what you're saying is that I should be directing all my HAM questions towards you then, eh?

I'll start with this one then if you don't mind. So the m700pro I bought has these frequencies as listed for transmitting:

1.6 - 2.9999 MHz
4.0 - 4.9999 MHz
6.0 - 6.9999 MHz
8.0 - 8.9999 MHz
12.0 - 13.9999 MHz
16.0 - 17.9999 MHz
18.0 - 19.9999 MHz
22.0 - 22.9999 MHz
25.- 27.5000 MHz

I know (I think?) that's not the full HAM spectrum but how do you think I'll fair armed with this. I'm hoping that for the tuner, radio, antenna, and all the other jazz I can squeak in under 2k.

The HAM spectrum in the very beginning was every frequency. As the early hams proved a certain frequency viable, our respective governments would take that frequency. Not to worry, even today, if you total up all government and commercial frequencies it would still be less than what hams still have in the LF, MF, HF, VHF, UHF, SHF and above.

160 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra licensees:

1.800-2.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, RTTY/Data



80 Meters

Novice and Technician classes:

3.525-3.600 MHz: CW Only

General class:

3.525-3.600 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.800-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:

3.525-3.600 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.700-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:

3.500-3.600 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.600-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

40 Meters

Novice and Technician classes:

7.025-7.125 MHz : CW only

General class:

7.025-7.125 MHz : CW, RTTY/Data
7.175-7.300 MHz:: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:

7.025-7.125 MHz : CW, RTTY/Data
7.125-7.300 MHz:: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:

7.000-7.125 MHz : CW, RTTY/Data
7.125-7.300 MHz:: CW, Phone, Image

Note:Phone and Image modes are permitted between 7.075 and 7.100 MHz for FCC licensed stations in ITU Regions 1 and 3 and by FCC licensed stations in ITU Region 2 West of 130 degrees West longitude or South of 20 degrees North latitude. See Sections 97.305(c) and 97.307(f)(11). Novice and Technician licensees outside ITU Region 2 may use CW only between 7.025 and 7.075 MHz and between 7.100 and 7.125 MHz. 7.200 to 7.300 MHz is not available outside ITU Region 2. See Section 97.301(e). These exemptions do not apply to stations in the continental US.



30 Meters

Maximum power, 200 watts PEP. Amateurs must avoid interference to the fixed service outside the US.

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:

10.100-10.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data



20 Meters

General class:

14.025 -14.150 MHz CW, RTTY/Data
14.225 -14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:

14.025 -14.150 MHz CW, RTTY/Data
14.175 -14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:

14.000 - 14.150 MHz CW, RTTY/Data
14.150 -14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image



17 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:

18.068-18.110 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
18.110-18.168 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

15 Meters

Novice and Technician classes:

21.025-21.200 MHz: CW Only

General class:

21.025-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.275-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:

21.025-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.225-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:

21.000-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.200-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

12 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:

24.890-24.930 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
24.930-24.990 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

10 Meters

Novice and Technician classes:

28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data--Maximum power 200 watts PEP
28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone--Maximum power 200 watts PEP

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:

28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
28.300-29.700 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

6 Meters

All Amateurs except Novices:

50.0-50.1 MHz: CW Only
50.1-54.0 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data

2 Meters

All Amateurs except Novices:
144.0-144.1 MHz: CW Only
144.1-148.0 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data

Eric,

Maritime Mobile nets for cruisers are held on 20, 40, and 75 meter phone and I'll dig up times and frequencies for you.

If while on the hook or in the marina, if you want THE strongest signal and don't mind spending 5 minutes after making landfall for that type of signal, I'll tell you how to build and use the antenna that gave me the strongest signal in every anchorage.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Eric,

Maritime Mobile nets for cruisers are held on 20, 40, and 75 meter phone and I'll dig up times and frequencies for you.

If while on the hook or in the marina, if you want THE strongest signal and don't mind spending 5 minutes after making landfall for that type of signal, I'll tell you how to build and use the antenna that gave me the strongest signal in every anchorage.

Yeah man for sure; I'd love to hear it. I was basically planning on using one of these and the 130 tuner that I bought with the radio, coupled with the KISS counterpoise thing.

http://gamelectronicsinc.com/ssb.htm

Did you have a backstay antenna rigged for offshore use and then another one you could switch to when not banging around as much?