Dogbyte Computer - Marine and Consumer Products Super Store - Article Archive
Archive of all past articles that appeared on the front page of Dogbyte Computer - Marine and Consumer Products Super Store.
eLoran - A new Loran system, just in time
The Obama administration has proposed in it's new budget to, in effect, kill Loran C as a back up system to GPS. This coupled with an announcement from the United States Air Force that the current GPS system of satellites could possibly start to deteriorate as early as 2010, due to the lack of replacement satellites, and you have a formula for uncertainty in navigation. Enter Enhanced Loran, or eLoran as it has become to be called, an effective back up to GPS, whether the reason for GPS failure is due to weak satellite signals or the scenario presented above.According to an article by Chuck Husick in ME (The Official Journal of the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA), "eLoran, will soon become a part of the electronic navigation suite on many vessels. The availability of new eLoran receivers will provide opportunities both for upgrading existing Loran C installations and for the addition of Loran capability to vessels that currently rely exclusively on the Global Positioning System."eLoran is coming and we are certain that with it, a new wave of eLoran related products. You can look for them to be featured here at Dogbyte Computer.
US Coast Guard Stresses Boating Safety Over Memorial Day Weekend
The US Coast Guard in multiple news releases from several different districts, stresses the importance of boating safety this Memorial Day holiday weekend. Below is the News Release from Miami, which is a representation of all the news releases from different districts. Please take heed of their advice and have a very enjoyable, as well as safe, Memorial Day weekend on the water.
News Release
Date:
May 22, 2009
Contact:
Petty Officer Barry Bena
(305) 415-6683
Coast Guard
urges boaters to be safe, responsible during holiday
Click
here for a boating safety message from Rear Adm. Steve Branham, Seventh
Coast Guard District commander.
MIAMI - The Coast Guard encourages boaters to be safe on the water by
boating responsibly during the Memorial Day weekend.
Recent and expected weather conditions could create dangerous rip
currents and unpredictable hazards in the water. Boaters should take extra
precaution this holiday weekend and prepare accordingly.
More than 700 people die every year in America as a result of
recreational boating accidents. Many more were injured and millions of
dollars worth of property was lost in accidents that probably could have
been prevented with the proper training and equipment.
Boaters are reminded of five key potentially life saving tips as they
head out for Memorial Day:
1. Always wear a lifejacket. Approximately 90 percent of people who
drowned in boating accidents were not wearing a lifejacket.
2. Don’t drink and boat. Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor
in fatal boating accidents.
3. Take a boating safety course. Approximately 70 percent of all fatal
accidents occurred on a vessel with an operator that had no formal boating
safety instruction.
4. Get a vessel safety inspection. Even if you pay careful attention to
safety, dangerous mechanical problems can crop up on the best-maintained
boats. That's why the Coast Guard recommends that all recreational boaters
take advantage of the free vessel safety check program every year.
5. File a float plan. A float plan is simply letting a reliable loved one
or friend know where you are going, when you are going to be back, and what
kind of vessel you have. That person can call the Coast Guard if you don’t
return on time and save critical minutes during a search.
Boaters should remember that they are in command, and they may save more
than their life by practicing safe boating. They may save the life of
someone they love.
###
Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790.
The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History.
Powerful Future.
As Of February 1, 2009 Analog EPIRBs Are No Longer Monitored
The US Coast Guard and other search and rescue organizations no longer monitor analog EPIRBs operating at 121.5 or 243 MHz. In fact satellites no longer process their signals. After a 9 year transition period, EPIRBs are now digital and operate at 406 MHz, 50 times more powerful than their analog ancestors. Digital 406 MHz EPIRBs shrink search areas with much greater accuracy and significantly reduce the number of false alarms rescuers must respond to, thus saving resources and money. Digital 406 MHz EPIRPs are not just for water either, smaller personal models are great for hikers, mountain climbers, dune buggies, and much more. One thing is for certain, if you have one when you need one, digital 406 MHz EPIRBs are worth their weight in gold, or better said, your life.
