Technology is trouble, but also very useful | Ep. 180
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- čas přidán 20. 09. 2022
- As if there is some sort of conservation principle of technological troubles, one problem is solved just as another emerges. At least my hunch on the Isotherm refrigeration unit was correct. A new start controller has it purring like a kitten. But then the AIS transponder stops working ...
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MUSIC: Flying Fish (a sonatina)--Kevin Boothby
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THE BOAT: Design: Gilmer 31; LOD 31', LWL 25', Beam 9.5', Draft 4.5', Displ. 13,600lbs.
That clip your freind shot from the shore was beautiful. We don't typically get such a wide shot of your beautiful boat. Thanks for sharing.
Ah Yes...the love hate relationship of the guest mooring....love that you don't have to deal with your ground tackle....the hate of the barnacle and wet slimy hand shake with the pick up line after transit....
Great footage from ashore showing off the beautiful RUTH AVERY...
At 07:00 Sweet video of Kevin and The Ruth Avery. Perfect! Ruth Avery always looks at home in Maine. Coastline couldn't be any finer.
Hey Kevin, I'm but a new humble sailor with a sunfish, but I dream of being able to do what you do everyday. Love the channel! Keep up the great work, and I'm following you around (virtually) on Marine Traffic!
Your understanding of VSWR is correct. A software mod that allows the unit to work at higher VSWRs is less than desirable. You need to drive your VSWR toward 1:1. Check your antenna connections and grounding straps. Get that VSWR below 2:1 and you and your transmitter will be "cool."
This! Raising the SWR threshold will get the unit to operate, for now, but the fail safe was set up for a reason. Eventually, running with high SWR will damage your transmitter and shorten it's life.
Not to be to corny, but ya whipped that chaffing gear into shape. Have a fine sail!
Oh lol ..
Years back I was a bit of a CB radio junkie. We were concerned mostly with SWR which is a type of current measurement. VSWR is essentially the same thing, except for voltage. Ideally a 1:1 ratio means that your connections, cable, and antenna are matched as closely as possible, and your transmitter's output is most efficiently translated into radio waves by your antenna. A VSWR at 2:1 is ok, but could probably be better, but it's like the old saying that the last ten percent requires 90% of the effort (and expense). If the manufacturer says you are good, then you are good, but if you really want the most out of the gear, a qualified tech with the right test gear is a must! Cheers!
At 4:1 your range and efficiency is greatly diminished, and the energy reflected back down the coax into the radio will eventually damage the radio. As stated, a 1:1 match means most of the output power is going out into the air which greatly increases range and keeps the radio cool. Any ham radio operator, can help with this. Look for the big antennas on local boats to find one 😁
Perhaps VSWR can be higher with VHF, which is a much higher frequency band than HAM/short wave?
Also, your cable connections can have a lot to do with it. If you are using self made connections, taking the time to carefully put them together really pays off.
@@howtosailoceans1423 The rules are the same at all frequencies. Modern radios have protection circuits that limit power output to protect the radio and this limits your range. BTW hams have privileges all the way up to the microwave bands, but we need longer antennas for lower frequencies so if you're looking for radio help, you can easily spot a boat owned by a ham 'cause it has more antennas than usual OR insulators in the backstays (they use them as antennas as well)
Nice shots from land of your beautiful boat.... I have yet to get a top down furling sail, but agree it is the best for single handing... at least it looks the best... was surprised to hear it was difficult sometimes.... please show us it's operation when you can... it's very intriguing
I watch and like every episode.
As always Kevin, I learn something new watching your adventures and reading others comments.
Your boat is just so gorgeous. So many things about it I like. I will have to see if you have a video about your boat. I am currently shopping as I have a 22 now and looking to move up to a 30 to 36. I love the old classic look with lots of wood. Love the color of your rust colored sails. so much prettier than white. Hope you get you electronics fixed.
Oat Meal speaks the truth. VSWR is power reflected back down the transmission line. You don't want that. I'd start by checking that solderless connector you installed and possibly the antenna.
VSWR is an indication of how well matched the transceiver is to the antenna cable and antenna impedance. Poor matching results in reflected energy causing the VSWR to increase. Things to check are the cable integrity, the cable connectors and contact quality at both ends of the cable to the AIS unit and the antenna. Also ensure that the antenna, cable and transceiver all have the same characteristic impedance specs of either 50 ohms or 75 ohms
How is your vhf radio performance since you added the Emtrak? The radio and the AIS unit transceive through a an Rf splitter in the
AIS unit. Any degradation in radio performance could point to the AIS’ splitter
Thanks for sharing
We are in the proces of restoring a gaffel rig IP24 after serious neglecting by the former owner. Watching your videos with sour backpain and aching muscles from sanding brings inspiration. Thanks!
Very nice thank you
The the VSWR indicates a poor antenna connection. The connectors need to be soldered. A push on connector will corrode at the joints. It may last a little longer in a dry attic but not in the salty ocean air.
Lovely videos . Ruth Avery is real eye candy for those ashore as they watch you expertly pick up the mooring. May luck travel with you.
So thats what normal boat wiring looks like! I've just watched Tally Ho having her 48v system installed, very trick.
Probably more like what amateur boat wiring looks like ...
I really like your videos....thanks you!
I live in Lincoln County and yesterday took a "two hour cruise" on an 85' Schooner out of Camden... Second time in a boat this year .. the other riding the Hardy Boat ll from New Harbor to Monhegan.. That's was fun but noisy and fast and I liked the ride on the classic gaff rigged schooner much more.. It had a Cummings (?) Engine when needed getting out on the bay and back to port that was soooo quiet... we were barely aware it was working..
Your boat is so cool
Hey Kevin from another Kevin, just noticed that in your video some of the addresses are visible, I'm paranoid about this in open forums.... love your channel and learn from so much from you - keep up the good work mate
I guess that's inevitable when you are broadcasting to the public. A job risk. Thanks for following.
VSWR is the ratio of the transmitted power to the reflected power. Any reflected power is burned up as heat in the transmittter and causes other problems as well. Check the antenna is mounted correctly.
I too have an EM-TRAC and found it very stable and reliable. I haven’t ever had a need to connect it to a pc for any adjustments, I consider them a very good unit and recommend them to my fellow sailing friends. Not cheap but worth IMHO.
Good to hear. Actually it's the cheapest one on the market. Of course "cheap" is in scare quotes.
@@howtosailoceans1423 well I am in Australia and the exchange rate and probably supply demands meant my model went from AUD799 to AUD1300 in a year. Tough being in Southern Hemisphere!
You're a real sailorman! I sometime cringe at your disdain for power but your skill seems to get you by. Just like old Josh Slocum, eh?
The less reliant one is on technology the more resilient they are.
It isn't boat yoga, it is boat Pilates!
Ruth Avery looks very nice sailing from someone else's perspective.
You want your VSWR below 2:1. It's the standing wave ratio. Anything over 2:1 can damage your tranceaver. It'll cook your radio. The VSWR is very important to monitor for the health of your tranceaver.
so is that a hardware issue? antennae positioning? wiring? settings?
or is it something 100% out of local control like weather/atmospheric issues, etc.
transceiver
How do you adjust it?
2nded ham radio operator. If you're just running 5 watts then you have a bit more wiggle room, but it also means that your signal won't be getting out. 1:1 means you are at optimal efficiency 2:1 means you're down by half and so forth. My guess would be that there is some metal creating a resonance near the antenna, or your cable has some water in it.
@@nickbernstein At 5:1, I'm with you on the metal something reflecting the signal, radar reflector, too close???
Once that is sorted out, you need to shorten or lengthen the whip, to get it in tune, ie
First, thanks for another entertaining and informative video!
Having solved hundreds of VSWR issues in Telecom, I can say >98% were caused by connector issues. Start there.
Since your software allows you visibility to the current VSWR readings, you should have what you need for troubleshooting.
VSWR readings at or below 1.5 is the target. 1 is "perfect". That doesn't exist in the real world.
It does appear to be location dependent. When I was in the Basin up in Maine, VSWR was 5.1-5.2:1. Here in Hadley Harbor, MA, it's 3.2:1. Perhaps some of it is signal getting reflected off the rocky shore?
@@howtosailoceans1423
VSWR can be conditionally dependent.
However not exactly as you suggest.
Example...
VSWR reading "x" in hot, dry, calm weather
VSWR reading "y" in cold, wet (especially wet), rough weather (especially rough weather)
It's still almost certainly a connector issue. The connectors are just affected differently in different conditions.
These issues are most important when you have readings that are sometimes within limits and other times not. In my case, Carriers (AT&T, Verizon, etc.) monitor these and dispatch crews to find and resolve the "bouncing" alarm.
In your case, you are your own monitoring system. You just want VSWR =< 1.5. You'll be amazed at the difference in performance. "2" is really bad. Your readings are a really bad^2.
As you've seen, so bad that your equipment went into self preservation mode at times.
Forgive me for not remembering, but if your antenna cable is continuous, you only have two connections to work on.
Don't put Too much faith in factory terminations either. They're "Usually" good.
I'm happy to help further via, email, Teams, what have you.
Just let me know.
@How to Sail Oceans
After a few minutes thought, I'll back off on the >98% claim. But still >90%.
I've also seen numerous OOB (Out of Box) failures. The radio port can also be bad.
Someone else mentioned using a "load". That's correct. To check the TX/RX port on the radio without having to purchase a specialized load, if possible, connect the antenna directly to the radio port and check your readings with the software that comes with the unit. If still bad, you can buy a new antenna, do the same and compare readings.
If the readings are very similar, discount the antenna as the source of the problem. Then repeat the same tests with a new cable with factory terminations. The shortest length you can buy. If the readings are Still very similar, then I'd be looking at the radio port as the source of the problem. At that point, it's time to make the manufacturer/vendor prove it's not the radio.
Like mentioned it's probably the connectors but a kinked cable can cause these issues as well. I mean kinked. Or, severely bent well past the min bend radius of your cable. If the plastic coating on your cable is quite wrinkled on the inner radius of the bend, that's too much bend. But the cable would be the last place I'd look for issues as it should be "static". Seeing varying readings doesn't suggest the static part of the system would be the culprit. Same line of thought applies to the radio port.
Remember, the physical environment your equipment is in will Not affect VSWR beyond how the connectors are affected. IE...Do they have more or less moisture in them? Are they expanded or contracted due to temperature?
Passive Intermodulation or PIM is affected by physical conditions surrounding the transmitter/receiver. But not VSWR. PIM is not an issue at such low power outputs as is the case with your gear.
VSWR is the reflected power back down your antenna cable that will cause a transmission problem if its over 2.5.....check with your antenna manufacturer who can walk you through adjusting your antenna ..should be an screw you can use to to adjust the antenna length....John
Many have already said it but VSWR of 4:1 is not OK. A third of the power is reflected back to the radio. Many ham radio operators would love to help you sort this out. Lots of us are watching! Put out a request on your next video and I bet you'll get plenty of offers to help. Good luck and thanks for having us along on you adventures!
Yes, that's what a lot of HF people have said. However, EmTrak tech support said that 5:1 is still OK for VHF pinging, and I do have confirmation that at least one vessel could pick me up from 3 miles away.
@@howtosailoceans1423 5:1 is not really okay. AIS can be seen for 20+ miles, not just 3. Connectors, cable or antenna could be suspect. As others said, many of us hams would be willing to help you out.
Definitely try to get the SWR down, 5 is crazy, even 3.8 is too high. Us radio guys try to get down around 1.5, anything under 2 is good. An SWR of 5 means almost 50% of the power is coming back to the transmitter from the antenna (pretty bad for the transmitter and less range for you to be heard/seen) , SWR of 2 is about 10% reflected. Could be a few things; bad connectors, wrong coax (75 instead of 50ohm), corrosion, antenna not correct for transmitting frequency, or the location of the antenna (near metal/magnetic parts). The piece of equipment you need to help analyze is a NanoVNA (around $50), but as you say technology! argh! :) Fair winds, and safe travels.
We really enjoy your videos, keep up the good work. You will want to get the VSWR below 3:1 to minimize problems later on with the AIS transmitter. A high VSWR is almost always caused by a problem with the antenna and/or antenna cable. Check the antenna cable and connectors for damage and double check that the antenna is assembled and installed properly. Try moving the antenna temporary to a different location to see if the VSWR improves. You should be able to get a VSWR closer to 2:1 and if not ask tech support to send a replacement antenna and cable. That would be my advise.
I put in a brand new antenna and cable and still have VSWR generally around 3-4.
@@howtosailoceans1423 Again try moving the antenna temporary to a different location to see if it is interacting with your backstay, stanchions, shrouds, or other metal items. You may need to construct a ground plane at the base of the whip antenna assembly (an easy project) to improve the impedance match and thus the VSWR between the antenna and transmitter.
I played that game with the start controller and lost, but it was a junky Norcold, and the compressor was seized. Also, I picked up an SWR meter on Amazon for around $20, it's a common one used for basic antenna tuning. If cleaning connections and checking for interference don't work, that may be worth a try. Plenty of videos on how to trim your antenna to tune that.
SWR is an indication that your antenna systemis not properly tuned. The radiator itself could be too long or too short, or there could be a problem with the coaxial transmission line between the radio and the antenna. A high SWR is very hard on the transmitter side of the radio and should be corrected rather than simply ignored by raising the acceptable level before the radio shuts off (which is what the factory tech has had you do.) Check the length of the antenna, the connectors on both ends of the coax to be sure they are properly installed and crimped and/or soldered. Check the coax to be sure it is not being pinched where it passes through the deck or where a fastener holds it down. Until you solve the real source of the high swr, your transmitter is being overstressed and its useful life is being shortened. In addition, the range that your AIS transmissions are achieving is sorely degraded. No, I am not a sailor, but I have been a ham radio operator for over 50 years and have had and solved a lot of SWR problems.
FWIW: Your antenna may not have a sufficient ground plane at the whip itself if the antenna terminates with whip without a horizontal ground plane. The whip needs a “mirror image” to properly radiate the energy into the air and not reflect it back to the transmitter. Think of a spring that is free on the opposite end, trying to make it oscillate without a firm anchor. electrical example: a vertical antenna with four horizontal whips arranged at 90 degrees apart gives the energy a way to radiate into “free air”.
The other simple think to check is the length of the whip. if it is too short or too long, it won’t want to vibrate electrically in resonance with the signal being sent to it, and it will reflect the power back down the line creating a high Standing Wave Ratio. This length is usually published for the antenna you have, or a couple of clicks on The Google can help greatly.
A technician would place a “dummy load” instead of the antenna to make sure all your line and connectors are OK first, then the antenna could be examined for problems
Surprised that the SWR on the provided kit is 4+:1. The radio will likely just dial back the output power to save itself. Anything over 2 is a lot. You’ve got some good advice about connectors in the comments. They’re a weak spot. Commanding the radio to ignore over 5:1 seems like they sell a lot of radio replacements.
Antenna and cable are brand new. The antenna is shakespeare-marine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/5215-ais.pdf
Ideal SWR =1. May not be easy in practice but less than 2 is readily possible.
My understanding is that when the antenna is tuned to the transmit frequency then the SWR approaches 1.
Conversely, when the SWR is high then the antenna is poorly matched to the transmit frequency.
Assuming the transmitter is functioning correctly then it’s your antenna system that requires adjusting (tuning).
Other than confirming that all connections, coaxial connectors, etc are clean, dry, good and your earth connection is good (it’s part of the antenna system) then you will probably benefit from some on-boat professional assistance.
It's now a puzzle. I put in a brand new Shakespeare antenna and cable. The antenna is tuned for AIS as well. So it could only be the connector.
I use surgical tubing for chafe
A VSWR of more then 2:1 means that you are hardly getting any usable signal in the air. The only thing that this work-around does, is turn off the error indication. You need to fix the AIS transmit antenna and its connections. Is the cable 50 ohms impedance, for example RG213 or RG58? Do you have water ingress in the cable?
Yeah, what Oat Meal said. Your antenna needs some tuning.
It's brand new, designed for AIS.
Please comment below with the command Emtrak gave you to adjust the cut out threshold, thanks
$PSMT,0,3,0x2C75B2FA,0,nvseti "maxvswr"^2C10^2C3^2C0^2C0,0*20
My guess with the high SWR is a bad connector. I strongly suggest the connectors be soldered. Salt water is brutal on electrical connections. The first thing I check are my connectors. Hope it helps. MH
Couldn't be salt water yet, as the antenna and cable are brand new.
@@howtosailoceans1423 It can be the antenna or the coax / connector. 5:1 is high. Something is obviously wrong. I know it must be frustrating. Plus, it is a safety issue. I hope you figure it out. MH
Re the SWR , standing wave ratio, it might be that little co ax connector I saw you use last week.
Personnally I would replace it.
That could be.
Hope you survived fiona ok looks nasty.
Another nice video. Thank you for the hard work. I do have a question, you have such a nicely, traditionally, rigged boat. Can you point me in the right direction to find traditional rigging info, book titles and such. I am having a hard time finding anything. Thanks, Steve M.
Hey Stephen, you could make a start with these.
Tom Cunliffe, Hand, reef and steer.
John Leatherman, The Gaff rig handbook.
Was just going to recommend the same.
Brion Toss, The Rigger's Apprentice
Thanks guys!
Kevin, Its Monday Sept 26th. Sure hope your not in the way of any of these storms. Looks like several areas of east coast will have nasty weather pop out heading northeast.
Arrived safely in Hadley Harbor, MA.
@@howtosailoceans1423 Good! And thank you!
We had 103mph gust here at anchor in Manatee Pocket,Florida. The wind Gods did not see the expert weather forecast. As an old sailer. I relied on experience. Got ready with three Bruce 33lb. anchors.
Running a fridge compressor with out a motor and alternator! 😊😊
How much current does it draw?
Regular speed is 4 amps, freeze is 6 amps. Seems to draw around 25 Ah per day.
Kevin, more then likely you have a connection issue at either end of your coaxial cable going back to antenna on transom. A simple test is to disconnect cable from antenna and your AIS . Using a jumper wire connect the center connector of one end to the outer part of the same connector. Using a digital ohm meter, measure the resistance at the other end of the cable between the inner and outer parts of this connector. If the resistance is more zero that will show the problem is in your wire somewhere. Probably corrosion on an end or a poor connection between wire and vhf connector. Not sure what brand vhf antennae you have but some of them can be tested with an ohm meter also. I know Shakespeare brands can. If you go to their website they have the testing procedures posted. As others have chimed in, you want that ratio to be below 2:1. With your setup you should easily see 1:1. My antenna is 65 feet from my radio and my ratio is 1:1 when measured using proAis and my Emtrak.
Hope to see again.
Well then it can only be the connector, because the antenna and cable is brand new, and the cable attachment to the antenna was done by Shakespeare.
Uhm, I saw that you used the crimp on style. In my experience the soldered connections work the best. I’ve also used a butane powered “Portasol” to great effect. Good luck.
Long distance cruisers need a spare compressor controller. But, why are they so expensive?
Watch out for large hurricane coming your way.
on this episode of HtSO, when help becomes a little creepy.
I have had same issue
With an Em Trak?
Technology hell :( Have you considered chucking it all overboard?
Yes ... but then.
technology has never been trouble.
Your explanation of VSWR is incorrect. Whether or not you understand VSWR - I"m not sure. But the words you're using are clearly incorrect. Power loss from the perspective of VSWR is actually a good thing. VSWR is literally the measure of the ratio from the standing wave voltage peak to its voltage minimum in an antenna. It represents the level of reflected energy in the load (antenna). Ideally, you want the amount of reflected signal or "standing wave" in the antenna to be a minimum which means the output impedance of the transmitter amplifier is matched to the impedance of the load (antenna) whereby residual reactive power in the antenna is minimized and the net effect is a purely resistive antenna which produces the greatest power loss and least amount of reflected power. Typically, in a marine environment, corrosion causes substantial changes in the load (antenna") impedance - particularly at connection points. If the load impedance varies significantly from the amplifier's output impedance, you have a substantial increase in reflected energy which can be maximized with what amounts to essentially an open circuit.