Anyone know if/when the race requirements will be nailed down and posted? I am particularly interested in finding out if SSB will be required or if SatPhone will be permitted as an option. An SSB requirement seems a bit outdated in this day and age. Grounding system is a pain and it sucks more power than a superconductor.
Race Requirements
Tue, 2009-05-05 13:37
Wed, 2009-07-29 11:42
#1
SSB Requirement
I'm very, very dissapointed in the decision to again mandate SSB. It is a very significant expense for equipment that for many will never be touched again. There is no valid safety or check-in argument that is not answered by the use of Satphones, and if racers choose to not have full access to position data of other boats in their fleet that should be their call.
Tue, 2009-07-28 04:36
#2
2010 NOR
"Download the NOR and read it through. Questions will inevitably arise, and they may be addressed in the Forum or by emailing any of the officers at PCYC"
For the life of me I can not figure out how to down load the NOR. Please help this old computer illiterate with click by click instructions.
Frank Ross, Prankster
Tue, 2009-07-28 05:54
#3
Fault was ours, not yours
A permissions box had not been checked in the setup. It's done now. Enjoy!
Thu, 2009-07-09 13:33
#4
ssb requirements
is it possible that both will be allowed for check in? You have boats that have already invested and installed their ssb's.
Are they now going to be required to purchase or rent a sat phone now too? it seems to me that if sat's will be allowed then both should be able to be used for check in.
I don't believe it to be fair to those that have made the investment to have to incur additional costs to satisfy the few that are concerned about this issue.
Thoughts?
Wed, 2009-07-15 03:36
#5
No matter what, the ability
No matter what, the ability to do SSB Check-in will not be eliminated. At least not in 2010.
Fri, 2009-07-03 03:16
#6
Working on it
There are several parts to this question, and the board and tech committee are actively engaged.
1. Will Sat Checkin be allowed? We are developing a method to allow sat-phone checkin to a central server and then email the results to the comm boat. If this, or something similar, works, that will be a nice thing for the fleet.
2. Will SSB be required? We are drafting this section now. Even if SSB is not required for a boat, a receiver that can pick up SSB PLUS an iridium sat-phone, with installed external antenna, etc, will be required. We're driving hard on this to deliver a result that is fair, safe, and up with the times.
Mon, 2009-07-27 21:33
#7
2010 NOR out, splits the baby.
Can't believe what's good enough for the 2-handers isn't good enough for the rest of the small boats. Disappointed the status quo held sway.
Tue, 2009-06-30 12:57
#8
Sat phone
The question is how do the boats determine where they stand with regards to their position within their fleet? How will the communications boat relay that information?
Wed, 2009-07-01 05:01
#9
Sat Phone
There are several ways to get your fleet position without a SSB radio. The easiest is to use your sat phone to down load the web page that shows responses from the tracking units that each boat carries. Another alternative is for the RC to make a recording of positions on a shore based telephone answering machine that you can call and listen to everyone's position. Sat phones have tremendous flexibility compared to SSB. There is nothing a SSB can do that a sat phone can't do better.
Frank Ross, Prankster
Mon, 2009-06-29 05:21
#10
SSB RIP
Any word on the 2010 race requirements? I am also against requiring SSB radios. It is cheaper and easier to go with a sat phone. Communication is also more reliable. This is supposed to be a "fun" race and it is no fun to try to install (not to mention power) ancient technology.
Frank Ross, Prankster
Sun, 2009-05-24 11:22
#12
Add one more voice for doing
Add one more voice for doing away with the ssb requirement. It is cost and weight prohibitive for us little people with little boats.
Fri, 2009-05-22 02:59
#13
Working on it
We expect to see a draft for debate by the Board in June, and then finalize thereafter, perhaps July.
Have you got specific questions beyond the SSB, or just being prepared?
Just trying to get the boat ready *this summer* instead of waiting until the last minute. Holding off on the SSB purchase in hopes that Satphone will be an optional *replacement* for SSB. A bit more costly but better bandwidth, lighter, better on power budget, much simpler to deploy, fewer breaking points (umm, grounding issues), no need to wait your turn for a channel, etc. A plethora of advantages.
I for one cast a vote for SSB *or* Satphone. Especially if we have to carry position beacons. RC will know where we are. We can still relay if the Satphone dies.