Long Range Communications |
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Yachts participating in any World Cruising Club offshore rally (excluding Rally Portugal) are required to carry a form of long range communications equipment capable of submitting a position report to worldcruising.net Systems which comply with this requirement include: Or systems capable of sending an e-mail from at sea, including:
Frequently Asked Questions about long range communications:How does position reporting work? Each yacht is required to report a position daily to World Cruising Club. This is done either automatically via Inmarsat C or D+, or as an e-mail using HF radio or satellite telephone. The position report format simple, requiring very little data or transmission time to send. There is also a twice daily radio net using HF radio, both for safety reasons, and for inter-yacht communications. Where can people see my position? By visiting www.worldcruising.com and following the link to the event website and race viewer. What about after the rally, can people still follow my yacht? Participants can subscribe to www.worldcruising.net , sending position reports which allow friends and families to follow your progress. Is there still a daily radio net during the rally? The daily radio still operates in all World Cruising Club Rallies for yachts equipped with SSB Radio. Not only does the Radio Net provide a daily slot for fleet communication, it is of proven benefit to the safety of yachts, and it is enormous fun, so will remain a vital part of all our rallies. How does the radio net operate? In the ARC, the fleet is divided into four groups with three volunteer radio net controllers for each. Using pre-arranged frequencies, the controller will run the daily net, giving out weather information and collecting any position reports. How do I get the daily weather forecast? The daily weather forecast is broadcast to the fleet each day via the radio net and is sent as an e-mail to all yachts with e-mail at sea. What if I cannot send a position directly? Position reports should be sent by e-mail or automatically for Inmarsat C or D+. However the radio net controller will record and send position reports for all yachts in the SSB radio net who are unable to send a position report by other means. Can I use a voice system to report in? Yachts who are unable to report their position with e-mail, but have a working satellite telephone should call in their position to the event office, leaving a message if needed. Are there any special offers on equipment? Communication equipment offers are often available and are normally published in the Rally Entrants Binder, in newsletters or by calling World Cruising Club. Which system is best? No system is really better than another, but it is worth noting that they operate in different ways. It is more important to decide on your communication needs as this may well dictate the better choice to suit your needs. Can I sell the equipment later? Definitely. With yachts crossing the Atlantic each year there is always a demand for communications equipment that has proved reliable and perhaps only been used for eighteen months. Users often sell surplus equipment via our forums. Who can I talk to for more information? See the list of useful contacts, or contact World Cruising Club |
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