On 9/13/2013 3:59 AM, Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
rickman wrote:

I take it you have not read the full thread, that's ok. Cell phones
only work within range of a tower. The bay is miles wide and many areas
where we paddle have little or no cell phone coverage. Lake Anna is the
same. I have needed to use my cell phone while paddling only to find it
can't dial a number.

Why are you so belligerent? Yes, I have read the entire thread, and I am aware
of the size of the bay.

I'm sorry. I didn't think I was being belligerent. You make a
suggestion that has been offered several times and has been explained
how that is not a viable solution several times, so I assume you have
not read these. Where was the belligerence?


GSM cell phone coverage is limited by timing to 35km, about 5-10 times the
range of a VHF handheld. If an 850 mHz GSM phone is not going to work
where you are then a handheld won't reach land either.

You are making false assumptions. First, the cell phone doesn't need to
reach *me* a mile or two away. The cell phone has to reach the cell
phone *tower* which is in an unknown location. You are trying to
guesstimate where cell phones will work and I have been there and found
where they wont work as have others. Proof of the pudding... Also,
this isn't just about the trip on the bay, I am looking for a general
solution which applies at Lake Anna and other locations as well.


We always carry cell phones because they are useful when they work, but
we never rely one them. In fact, we never rely on any one safety
mechanism working. We always have a backup or two. That's why the
radio is useful. It can work when the cell phones don't and it can do
things a cell phone can't, like reach someone close by without knowing
their phone number.


But that was not the point of this whole ****ing contest. It was based upon
your mistaken understanding that you could put a 25 watt boat radio in
your truck ON LAND and reach kayaks in the water.

I have not seen anything that says I can't do that. I have been told
that I must get a license for land operation. I'm still not clear on
just what type of land operation I am allowed to use.

I don't consider this a ****ing contest. If you are getting torked off
about it, why do you respond? Please, I genuinely am just trying to
discuss this. If you think I am being belligerent and want to **** off
people, you are mistaken. It might be best if you didn't continue the
conversation.


The laws of physics being what they are, yes you could probably go fairly
far with a 25 watt radio, a good antenna and height and with a receive
preamp and a beam antenna be able to hear across the entire bay and
possibly be heard.

Since that is not an option, you are stuck with a handheld radio and a
rubber ducky, which will get you a couple of miles on a good day if you
are on land, and more if you are on water.

Come to think of it the best suggestion was to have someone build a decent
listening post on high ground (or with a tower) and relay information
to someone via cell phone on the water.

The are AFAIK no restrictions on land based fixed receivers and you could
take old Motorola Maxtracs (available for almost nothing these days),
connect them up to 3 element beam antennas, add a cheap receive preamplifier
and hear everything on the bay if you had enough receivers with their
antennas spread in an overlapping pattern.

Thanks for your input.

--

Rick