# VHF when remote



## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

I'm out to Norwest Island over the Christmas break. There have been previous fish yak visits here though not too many trip reports. Norwest is one of the few camping islands in the southern Barrier Reef. Access generally from Gladstone by barge/ferry about 75km trip out, about 50km shortest to land (Port Curtis island).

My camp group has plenty of boats from a half cabin cruiser to tinnies, but as usual as far as fishing kayaks go I'm solo. I had thought to stay in touch with camp using VHF. Testing this out though VHF in hand held 5w with ear level antenna will only give a range of 5 or 6 nautical miles - let's call this 10 k to make the math easy.

The nearest island is Tyron at 10k (can be paddled down the Norwest reef with a simple 3-4k channel crossing. Next is Wilson at 20k (can be paddled all the way down the Norwest reef with a 10k crossing that is also over reef).

Primarily I will be hunting bird/boils and Spanish, or trying to get to the ends of the Norwest reef where fishing pressure is hopefully reduced. Some island hopping would be nice. Subject to weather I'm comfortable with occasional 30 - 40 k day paddles with 20+ k normal enough as a standard.

You can see that this puts me out of VHF range - don't like the idea of relying radio relay, there just may be too few other boats around.

Thoughts?


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Excellent to see responses so quickly. Ok, my brief is not for emergency but to calm down the happy campers back at base. I won't be able to rely on relay boats because they won't necessarily be in my area. Eg they may be headed to Douglas shoals in the other direction and not a spot I will paddle to this trip. I am comfortable with my own ability backed up with common sense in terms of weather, I have Plan B in each case to the other islands over night, and a PLB with GPS location. Of course any additional communication device will be factored into the safety plan.

Extra antennae length is interesting but I have been advised:
1 long stink boat antennae will let me hear them better, but not let me speak to them better (they are 32w I am 5w).
2 on the kayak will fry my brain

Ken, do you know where to hire sat phone? I was thinking about this but too expensive to buy for 1 trip. Also not water proof so the intrepid sea kayakers recently out here did not use them on the water. Still, might be the answer if I am in Plan B sleeping out on Wilson. Maybe VHF will work from Tryon.

Eric, sometimes we don't ask the obvious. I had presumed no mobile reception, but will now ask guys who have been there recently.

Thanks team!


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Spot also looks interesting. Need to work out Internet connection at camp though. This one looks a goer.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

eric said:


> 1. Mount an antennae to extend your range - Every foot higher above the waterline increases your range by some mathematical amount some that knows these things can work out.
> 
> 2. Have a higher antennae mounted on one of the boats to extend their range.....


Dru I explored this some time ago with a marine comms co, and they said that the aerial had to be over 1. 5 metres high (on the yak) to make any significant difference. Still thinking about that option for remote paddling. Having said that I use a 1- 6 watt Standard Horizon VHF from Marine Direct Australia (imported from USA), and it has frequently been capable of clear comms with fishing boats over 25 nautical miles away (the radio has 4 power settings of 1 - 6 watt). This is with the standard rubber aerial about 20 cm long.

Have you considered the SSB band radios? Found this for you: "Marine VHF is the best way of summoning help. You can contact the coastguard upto 50 miles off-shore and talk to other yachts upto 15 to 20 miles on the open sea. However, yachtsmen wishing to communicate with each other or the coastguard over a greater distance use SSB. (I know Stu Truman used one for his recent Oz circumnavigation.)

As others have suggested, I'd be looking at the sat phone idea as well.

Cheers
Trevor


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## emufingers (Aug 11, 2010)

Dru you need to check with AMSA about VHF repeaters in the area. As I can't get an accurate fix on exactly where you will be I can't look up the repeaters. Nevertheless, there are quite a few repeaers in the area on channel 80, 81,82. There is also a reef navigation systems that operates on channels 11 to 14 depending on your latitude.
I use repeaters regularly and communication in excess of 60 km is common. The repeaters have high masts that overcome the fact that you are low in the water and amplify your signal to 25 watts.


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Thanks guys for the input. I've been testing this and various scenarios but am also influenced buy the recent sea kayak run through the area which founf VHF of limited use.

Looks like I am going to re-visit my trips to the less ambitious and rely on VHF contact to the island itself. Paul thanks for the offer anf aerial.

Cheers all.


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