RF Interference with Computer?

[ka4wja]

Steve, et al,

Just an update....
KLB (and WLO) are back to 24/7/365 Voice/SSB operations!!

Voice
Shipcom is the United States' only 24 hour provider of HF SSB radiotelephone (and VHF radiotelephone) Ship to Shore voice service. ShipCom stations WLO WCL KLB and KNN are all remotely controlled from Mobile, Alabama where operators are on duty 24 hours per day 7 days per week for radiotelephone Ship to Shore and Shore to Ship calls.

The ShipCom operators can provide vessels with weather information and are always available should an emergency ever arise while you are at sea. Using ShipCom for SSB Voice is simple.
Simply tune your radio to the appropriate channel (one that is listed as monitored 24 hrs/day), as listed on the frequencies page HF SSB Radiotelephone, Telex and Email Frequencies and Channels , and call one of the ShipCom stations, by depressing your microphone, and (as an example) saying "Whiskey Lima Oscar, Whiskey Lima Oscar, WLO this is sailing vessel Annie Laurie, WDB6927, calling on channel 1212, 1212, over". The operator will ask you for your position and will optimize the radio circuit before placing your call. For Shore to Ship calls, the calling party should give the operator the name of the vessel and radio callsign. ShipCom will broadcast a list of vessels that we are holding calls for at the top of each hour following the weather broadcast.)

Digital Selective Calling(DSC)
In addition to monitoring the six International GMDSS DSC frequencies, for Distress, Urgency, and Safety messages, Shipcom can also respond to routine DSC calls.

Also, ShipCom can provide automated radio TX acknowledgements via your DSC equipment on frequencies 8414.5 and 12577.0. WLO's MMSI is 003660003. Send a "Safety Test" and you will get an automatic acknowledgement.

Email

ShipCom provides radio email service via HF SSB radio. The ShipCom system supports SITOR, AMTOR, PACTOR and PACTOR II. No special software is needed to access the ShipCom email system. Vessels equipped with GMDSS HF SITOR may send email via the ShipCom system using the SITOR terminal. Crew members on any vessel may setup an account with ShipCom which will allow them to access Internet email via the ship's SITOR system without any charges being incurred by the vessel. Vessels equipped with Pactor and Pactor II modes of transmission enjoy faster throughput and the full ascii character set. The ShipCom email system also offers weather, news and sports information.

To access the ShipCom email system, simply tune your radio to the appropriate frequency as found on the frequencies page. For SITOR/AMTOR modes place an ARQ call to 1090 (XVSV). For Pactor modes, call WLO-1.

Amver/OBS

Vessels may send AMVER and OBS messages through WLO/KLB free of charge using the SITOR system or via the Marine Operator. For SITOR use the command AMV+ . For OBS use the command OBS+ . Be sure and end your report with KKKK . To send via the Marine Operator call on one of our voice channels.

Weather

ShipCom transmits hourly weather and traffic list on selected ITU HF SSB voice channels. For a schedule of the weather products and broadcast times see the frequencies page. Virtually any weather product is available via ShipCom's HF SITOR / Pactor system on demand. All ShipCom weather products are automatically updated from the National Weather Service. Vessels sending AMVER and OBS messages are entitled to receive free weather products via SITOR.

Fax

Vessels using ShipCom's SITOR or Pactor systems may send text messages to any fax machine world wide. Messages are composed on the ship's SITOR terminal and are sent to any fax machine using the send fax command. While it is possible to send a fax message from Shore to Ship on suitably equipped vessels, ShipCom does not recommend this practice as delivery is usually difficult and the sender is charged for failed delivery attempts.

Satellite

ShipCom can send messages to any satellite terminal in the world. Messages may be billed to Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express or to your home or business telephone. Messages to satellite terminals should be addressed to wloradio@wloradio.com and must include the Vessel name, radio callsign, MMSI and the satellite number if known.

Originally Posted by ka4wja

--- Steve, I have no idea of what radio you're using, nor exactly what antenna you have (but assume it's an "alternative backstay antenna"), nor who your trying to raise on the radio (nor on what frequency or time-of-day)...
Shipcom Radio is in the process of updating the remote receivers for their station KLB (near Seattle), and as such they have NOT been able to hear from those receivers for the past week or so (although the transmitters do work and they have used them occasionally this past week, they haven't been using them regularly this past week or so until they've completed their upgrades)...
SO...
So, if KLB was the station you were trying to raise, there is most probably NOTHING wrong with your radio / antenna....try them again, now!!

--- Shipcom Radio's station KLB (near Seattle) does broadcast hourly id's / traffic lists / etc. on 2 of their 4 HF freqs (ITU freqs 805, and 1209), and you should hear them well on 805....and also have full use of 417 and 1624 (all four of these frequency's transmitters and receivers are near Seattle, but are controlled remotely from Mobile, AL)....

Please have a look at their pages...
HF SSB Radiotelephone Email, Fax, Satellite Marine Messages, Telex Sitor & Marine Weather Services
HF SSB Radiotelephone, Telex and Email Frequencies and Channels



--- Most Atlantic sailors find WLO's coverage to be excellent throughout the entire N. Atlantic and Med....but, they also cover the Pacific (from both KLB and WLO)....
You should still be able to use WLO (Shipcom's main station) on 1212 and 1641, as you move farther south from the Pac NW (and even 824 at night)...
Not sure how well you'd hear WLO in the Pac NW, as their antennas are not configured for that area....but once near S. Cal or farther south and west, you can work WLO fairly well (even though their KLB station is designed for "Pacific" coverage, their 4mhz and 8mhz KLB channels are mainly for the N. Pac with 12mhz and 16mhz covering the N. Pac and Central Pac (as well as some S. Pac)...
Depending on the particular day and time-of-day, you should be able to work WLO or KLB most of the way across the Pacific...(and don't forget that after you contact them on 16mhz, you can try 18mhz and 22mhz as well....as these higher freqs can be very good for long distances of >4000 - 6000 miles, for significant parts of the day...)

ShipCom LLC :: Marine HF Radiotelephone and HF Single SideBand Email
HF SSB Radiotelephone Email, Fax, Satellite Marine Messages, Telex Sitor & Marine Weather Services
HF SSB Radiotelephone, Telex and Email Frequencies and Channels

BTW, Shipcom also has 24/7 HF-DSC capability (using separate receivers of course), and will respond to DSC calls promptly....and I've found if radio propagation is a bit iffy or signals are noisey, that a DSC call gets their attention quickly and they will be calling YOU....




--- If you are trying to raise another station, I'm not aware of any other HF maritime station out there....
But, perhaps you're looking to find some "Cruiser's Net"??
West Coast Nets
East Coast Cruising Nets




---- Steve, for further advice/guidance, please advise:
Your exact radio model???
What station in Friday Harbor you were trying to raise, and at what time-of-day, and MOST IMPORTANTLY on what channel/frequency???



--- If you haven't watched these videos....PLEASE do so, before you leave for offshore...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ll-114734.html
Even if you don't have an Icom M-802, videos # 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10 WILL be very helpful to you!!!
(especially video #4, which SHOWS how to choose the proper channel/freq for your communications path, time-of-day, etc...)



More later, if you provide further info / questions...

Fair winds..

John
s/v Annie Laurie