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Post by rink123 on May 25, 2007 18:34:04 GMT -1
Thx Terry m8, I will be a happy man if it comes
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Post by rink123 on May 27, 2007 8:51:53 GMT -1
well it did not come ,so I am not to happy now ,cos I paid for next day delivery ,stayed in all day yesterday and it looks like I got to stay at home on tuesday now to ,hope they get it to me by then , oh well at least I got a free robson paddle hehe .
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Post by ZEBRA on May 27, 2007 10:07:11 GMT -1
nice one on the paddle you done well there .
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Post by rink123 on May 27, 2007 10:49:58 GMT -1
Thx Terry, just need something to sit in now ,hehe
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Post by ZEBRA on May 27, 2007 13:09:49 GMT -1
kitchen table
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Post by moniar on Jun 5, 2007 20:10:44 GMT -1
Hi rink123, I use an Icom M31 which you can buy on line for around £120 and i've found it's spot-on. You could pay a little extra for the Icom M33 which floats but as you will probably fix it to you PFD I think it's not worth the extra. Cheers Tim Oh yes, you do need a licence, but they are free online from OFCOM (See link on home page) Although they are now a licence for life, and are free and can be downloaded online - you DO still need to have passed the certificate of competence in short range VHF. I know a few guys have downloaded a licence and have had the T number issued to them but the system seems to have assumed that they already possessed the radio pass certificate. I think you will find that the licence is invalid if you havnt passed the course and have the certificate. Whilst you may well not be prosecuted for using a vhf radio in an emergency, you could be. I emailed OFCOM to query whether the certificate was still required as I already possess a full amateur radio certificate and OFCOM licence which enables me to transmit up to 400w from 1.8mhz, through Hf and VHF bands and up to microwave bands - BUT they still said I needed to take the short range vhf certificate course despite having the City and Guilds Radio Amateurs examination certificate, a morse code certificate and over 20 years radio experience! Go figure! Strange but true - so please be aware that you are acting illegally if you use a marine vhf even with a licence, IF you dont possess the pass certificate. I intend buying one of the Icom marine handhelds once I have arranged to take the vhf course, as i dont want to risk losing my other licence. In the meantime tho I carry an old kenwood amateur radio VHF handheld in an aquapac case on my pfd, which gives me 5 w output on 144mhz (amateur 2m band) - I reckon I have a better chance of getting help on that one as I can access hilltop repeater stations located around the north wales and UK coast,on very low power, and use them to contact someone with a phone, whereas I am sure that in some of the places we kayak in/around I would not be able to get into Holyhead coastguard with 5w output on the marince frequencies of 156mhz, due to the attenuation of line of sight signals at vhf frequencies whilst at sea level (however, in a genuine emergency my vhf handheld might just be able to transmit on ch16 as well as receive by some quirk of modern technology Belt and braces is always best - I also carry an old mobile in a plastic bag in the small seat hatch on my P13 and will still carry both when I get my marine radio and licence. Its always good to be able to communicate ;D
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Post by jonnychaos on Jun 5, 2007 20:56:37 GMT -1
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Post by moniar on Jun 5, 2007 21:42:52 GMT -1
Well although its good to be informed I certainly didint want to here that just when I thought I had spent all the money I needed to get set up for a few fishing outtings I know have to spend another £100+ pounds to become qualified in the use of a handheld VHF Yes its a pain in the backside - especially when those who have done the course recently didnt find it that useful since we tend not to use DSC equiped radios which the course concentrates a lot of time on. Just a hoop that has to be jumped thru to stay legal unfortunately. I am going to contact a local trainer - the normal rate is around £60 - £80 but I am going to try and see what I can negotiate for them to do a course for us new kayakers who mainly use the non dsc handheld vhf radios (assuming there is enough interest to enable us to gain a bit of discount off the price). Will post in here if I manage to sort out a deal.
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Post by moniar on Aug 22, 2007 5:36:48 GMT -1
I have had confirmation back from a recommended local trainer that she can run a radio certificate course for a group (of at least 4) at a discounted rate of £65 per head. The trainer is back onshore next week and is going to let me know the availability of the training room she uses in Holyhead asap when she is back (or before if possible).
Can anyone who would like a place on this one day course please post below so I can know who to liaise with once the trainer has been able to give me some possible dates - likely to be a week day in early to mid Sept. I know its not sometimes easy to get time off at short notice from work so I have asked the trainer to sort out some possible dates with a min of 1 weeks notice. Once I have the dates we can confirm which one is most convenient for the majority of people who want to do the course (advice: it is illegal to use a marine vhf radio without having done the course and be in possession of the certificate - even if you have downloaded the free lifetime licence from the ofcom site). Please post below if you are interested in attending the one day course (venue will probably be the training room at Holyhead lifeboat station)
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Post by menaiman on Aug 23, 2007 22:28:09 GMT -1
Moniar, I am definitely interested but I can't confirm until I know the dates.
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Post by moniar on Aug 24, 2007 21:03:07 GMT -1
No problem - will let you know the possible dates once I get them from the trainer - I'll post them in here. Anyone else interested in the course being arranged in the next few weeks? Post below if you are please.
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Post by moniar on Aug 30, 2007 8:53:44 GMT -1
First offered date for the vhf/dsc course is next Thursday 6th Sept. in Holyhead. Please let me know today if you would like a place on the course - if I dont get a min of 4 to enable it to be run at the discounted price of £65 per head I will ask the trainer for some alt later dates.
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