TABLE OF CONTENTS

• CHANNELS
• STARTING LINE CHECK-IN
• DAILY ROLL CALL
• KANEOHE YACHT CLUB COMMUNICATIONS
• INFORMAL RADIO HOUR
• STANDINGS
• FINISH LINE PROCEDURES
• EMERGENCY TRAFFIC TO PARTICIPATING YACHTS

INTRODUCTION

This document defines the required and recommended communications procedures for the 1998 West Marine Pacific Cup Yacht Race. These procedures do not rank separately as rules of the race, except to the extent that the communications specified herein are required by the Race Notice or Sailing Instructions. Relevant sections In the Race Notice (RN) or Sailing Instructions (SI) are shown in parentheses.

GENERAL

Radio Propagation: IMPORTANT PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! Single Sideband radio propagation is dependent upon changes in the ionosphere caused by sunspot activity. Sunspot numbers range from a low of 0 to a high of 248. In general the higher the sunspot number the better the communications. Sunspot activity is cyclical over an 11 year cycle. The current (May) sunspot number is just over 50 which is better than for the last race but still not great. Communications will therefore be difficult for this race!

The communications plan for the 1998 West Marine Pacific Cup Yacht Race intends that communications between the "Fleet" and the Race Committee will be via the designated communications vessel by Single Sideband Radio (SSB) as the primary means and via VHF Marine Radio as a secondary means if in close proximity to the communications vessel. The communications vessel is TaMana, captain Bernard Quante.

Primary communications between the designated communications vessel and the Race Committee will be via International Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT-C). In the event that INMARSAT-C fails the back-up communications will be by SSB voice radio.

Updated standings of the participating yachts will be available on a daily basis. See 'STANDINGS' below for details.

CHANNELS

Frequencies will be referred to by number rather than by channel number. (Because different radios have different frequencies associated with a particular channel number). Any channel numbers given below are a guide only. Always use the frequency as a reference.

STARTING LINE CHECK-IN

All yachts shall monitor VHF channel 71 while in the vicinity of the Starting Line from one hour before the start until one hour after the start (SI 2-3).

Each yacht shall check in with the race committee on VHF channel 71 before the Warning signal. There will be no check-in from the Warning signal until ten minutes after the start. Yachts starting late shall check in by radio before starting (SI 2.3).

DAILY ROLL CALL

Each yacht shall check in with the designated communications vessel, TaMana, during the Official Roll Call each day beginning at 0900 PDT, and report her position as of 0800 PDT that day. Yachts which fail to report, or which report a false position are subject to a penalty (SI 3.2).

It is suggested that battery charging be done prior to Roll Call to ensure that full charge conditions exist in the batteries used for the radio equipment. If you experience noise from your engine alternator, it may be helpful to stop charging during the radio schedule.

Roll Call will be conducted each day by the Communications Vessel. The Communications Vessel will begin monitoring SSB frequency 4146kHz at 0830PDT for any emergency or other traffic.

Following a call for any emergency traffic, Roll Call will be conducted by the communications vessel by division and alphabetically within division for the entire fleet, beginning at 0900PDT. When called each yacht should respond with her name, call sign, and 0800PDT position. Positions should be reported to the nearest minute of Latitude and Longitude. The Communications Vessel will repeat the position, notify the reporting yacht of any pending traffic and ask for an acknowledgment before proceeding. Positions for any early check-ins (not encouraged except for double handers) will be repeated at this time.

During Roll Call the Communications Vessel will call twice only. In the event that contact is not made during Roll Call, any other vessel may act as a relay. At the end of Roll Call the Communications Vessel will try once more for any missing positions on frequency 4146 kHz, and then switch to 6224 kHz for a final call to any missing yachts. The Communications Vessel reserves the right to switch 6224 or 8294 kHz if needed to facilitate communications.

In the event of extremely poor radio propagation an alternate check in procedure will be as follows.

All yachts should monitor VHF channel 72 (or both 16 and 72 if they have the capability) for relay of position reports. Likewise, any yacht unable to make contact on SSB should attempt to make contact on VHF channel 72.

In the event that the Communications Vessel is unable to conduct Roll Call for any reason, one of the race yachts will be designated as Acting Communications Vessel in her place.When the Communications Vessel arrives in Hawaii the roll call will be taken by Kaneohe Yacht Club.

KANEOHE YACHT CLUB COMMUNICATIONS

Commencing 10 July from around 2000 PDT (0300 UTC )

Primary Frequency- 8294 kHz (8.297 MHz if it is busy)
Secondary Frequency- 12353 MHz (12.356 kHz if it is busy)

Commencing 12July or when the lead vessel is within 300 miles of the finish, (whichever is first) Kaneohe will monitor 4125kHz 24 hours per day except when on 8294kHz.

In the event you are unable to contact either of the above stations you may pass your traffic via the Communications Vessel after the Roll Call is complete. Please restrict this type of traffic to REAL EMERGENCIES!

INFORMAL RADIO HOUR

Yachts are encouraged to use SSB frequency 4146 kHz (channel 4B) at 1900PDT for an informal 'Chat' period. This period is informal and no Roll Call will be made. Since this period is not part of the official check-in, yachts are cautioned that the penalties for false reports will not apply, and yachts should regard anything that they hear during this period with the greatest skepticism!

STANDINGS

Barring technical difficulties the daily standings will be transmitted by the Communications Vessel shortly after completion of the daily Roll Call at around 1100PDT. Standings will be transmitted to competing yachts at 1800PDT on the same frequencies that the position reports were received on.

For interested parties on shore, the updated standings, including track charts and photgraphs, will be available each day after 1500 PDT on the Internet at www.pacificcup.org.

Skippers: Please encourage all friends and relatives interested in standings to use the web site - or give them a contact for someone who has internet access. Both West Marine and Kaneohe Yacht Club have limited resources to handle a lot of telephone requests. The results will be posted at the Kaneohe Yacht Club and certain West Marine stores as they are received. There willbe limited information available from West Marine at telephone (408) 761-4611.

FINISH LINE PROCEDURES

As she approaches the finish, each yacht shall contact the Kaneohe Yacht Club with her position and ETA (Hawaiian Standard Time) as follows:

100 miles from finish SSB 4125kHz 'KYC Base'

25 miles from finish VHF Channel 71 or 4125kHz 'KYC Base'

5 miles from finish VHF Channel 71 'Pacific Cup Finish'

At the finish VHF Channel 71 "Pacific Cup Finish'

After the finish VHF Channel 68 for the escort vessel 

Following each contact, each yacht shall continue to monitor the appropriateSSB or VHF channel for further communications if necessary. (SI 4.4)

Any communications from an official representative of the finish line committee, including navigational advisories offered in the interest of safety, will not be considered outside assistance for the purposes of Rule 60. (SI 4.4)

Yachts that have finished the race, or that have successfully contacted the finish line committee prior to finishing, need not participate in Roll Call.

EMERGENCY TRAFFIC TO PARTICIPATING YACHTS

Several methods are available if an EMERGENCY exists and it is ESSENTIAL to reach a person embarked In one of the racing yachts.

1. The easiest way is to utilize the services of KMI and the AT&T High Seas Radio Telephone Service. Call 1 (800) 732-2277 and provide the name of the yacht, her call sign and the name of the party to whom you would like to speak.

2. Another option if the yacht has SailMail is to use that service by addressing the message to 'the yacht marine call sign'@SailMail.com e.g. WXY1234@SailMail.com.

3. Another option in an EMERGENCY is to send an E-Mail message to the communications yacht TaMana using the following address: WBJ5365@sailmail.com. Be sure to specify the address of the yacht you want the message to be delivered to and to only use this in an emergency.

4. Another option in an EMERGENCY when the yacht is West of 140° West (late in the race) is to send an E-Mall message to the Kaneohe Bay Yacht Club at kyc@lava.net or to call The Kaneohe Yacht Club Host Group Chairman, at the Kaneohe Yacht Club. 1 (408) 2475774 or 1 (808) 247-4121. The Club will attempt to relay the message to the participating yacht.

APPENDICES (Available to racers from PCYC Race Committee)

A. Communications Plan Summary and Daily Fleet Roll Call Sheets.

B. Alternate Communications Summary and daily Fleet Roll Call sheet by start order.

C. Instructions for use of 'PACRATS' computer scoring system..