Future Boat Projects: Software Defined Radio (SDR) Receiver

The Beginner's Guide To Software Defined Radio RTL-SDR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB6XQSEFwVA


5 Cool Things You Can Do With An RTL SDR Receiver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QzklSyKqQM
NooElec SDR Receiver


Decoding Weather Satellites Using An SDR Receiver NOAA-19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wXjsCvHKI0

How to Pull Images from Satellites in Orbit (NOAA 15,18,19 and METEOR M2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjClTnZ4Xh4

NooElec NESDR SMArt Bundle - Premium RTL-SDR w/Aluminum Enclosure, 0.5PPM TCXO, SMA Input & 3 Antennas. RTL2832U & R820T2-Based Software Defined Radio.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GDN1T4S/

NooElec NESDR SMArt HF Bundle: 100kHz-1.7GHz Software Defined Radio Set for HF/UHF/VHF including RTL-SDR, Assembled Ham It Up Upconverter, Balun, Adapters & Cables
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0747PX3NZ/
 

2018-10-24 Wednesday - Mast Adventures

The new mast step was installed yesterday (Tuesday) - and the mast is schedule to be re-stepped tomorrow (Thursday)

Some of the improvements the yard has done:

• Trimmed some minor corrosion from the base
• Newly fabricated mast step (deck-stepped)
• New VHF antenna
• New LED Spreader Lights 
• New halyard pulley at the top of the mast
• All wires now run down the inside of the mast 
• New Mast Head assembly (for wind instrument, speed & direction)
• New Wind Vane
• Spreaders painted 
• New wiring to the steaming light 
• Old TV antenna removed 
• Fixed a problem with a bend in the gooseneck assembly that had a jammed clevis pin (for the main tack cringle)

I originally had the mast un-stepped May 29th - and hopefully will have it re-stepped Thursday October 25th.


2018-10-26 Update:

The mast re-stepping went (mostly) well...

As I suspected, the yard built the new mast-step much taller than the section of the mast base that they trimmed...

...which resulted in the aft-lower shrouds now being too short to be secured safely with cotter pins.  The rigger is supposed to drop by sometime next week to sort out some kind of a solution (e.g. add additional rigging toggles above the turnbuckle).

The original problem:

Sailbits.com - articles to read...

https://sailbits.com/completed-navigation-panel/

https://sailbits.com/yacht-devices-voyage-recorder-black-box-boat/

https://sailbits.com/usb-power-solutions-simple/

• Mentioned...
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IAZIU5Y/

https://sailbits.com/portable-lithium-jump-starter-sailboat/

https://sailbits.com/proper-vhf-ends-easier-than-you-think/

• Mentioned...
• https://marinehowto.com/
• https://marinehowto.com/easy-vhf-terminations/
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FQPHIW2/
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00030AP48/
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MJW07Z0/
• https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--multi-die-ratcheting-crimper-kit--8956906/

Next Sailboat Selection - Constraint Parameters

I've been pondering a few thoughts on things I DON'T want in a next sailboat:
- Wood toe rails.
- Wood trim on the exterior
- Wood cockpit coaming boards
- Wood boom
- Deck-stepped mast (?)
- Non-LED lights
- Limited access to the engine, water pump, fuel pump, etc.
- Less than 500 amp hours in a house battery bank

National Weather Service - Weather Chart FTP Email Procedures

National Weather Service
RADIOFACSIMILE WEATHER CHARTS
National Weather Service
Weather Chart FTP Email Procedures
http://www.vos.noaa.gov/docs/ftp_charts_email.pdf

Celestial Navigation Learning Resources

This posting is a placeholder for celestial navigation learning resources

Some great Youtube tutorials by Christopher D. Nolan, USCG cutterman (8 years) and US merchant mariner (500 ton Oceans)

• Getting Started in Celestial Navigation (The Marine Sextant)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrAkrgZRb9Y
• Getting Started in Celestial Navigation (The Noon Sight for Latitude)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWGOlpj4YwE
• Getting Started in Celestial Navigation (Precision)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNWTN2LQ-TU

Reference Books

• Commonsense Celestial Navigation Paperback – July, 1979
• https://www.amazon.com/Commonsense-Celestial-Navigation-Hewitt-Schlereth/dp/0809272199
• 2018 Nautical Almanac
• https://www.amazon.com/2018-Nautical-Almanac-UK-Hydrographic/dp/1937196593/ 
• American Practical Navigator (aka Bowditch), volumes I and II
• https://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_62&pubCode=0002  

Sextants

• West Marine, Davis Instruments Mark III Sextant 
• https://www.google.com/shopping/product/15301038968540324177 

Building Momentum...

I've taken this whole week off - it is the first glorious long break from work I've had - that didn't entail obligations of travel for family - since 2013. Today, walking along the dock, in the sunshine - was the first moment that I truly felt 'on vacation' - I felt transported back to that 5 month sabbatical I took in Mazatlan, Mexico - back in 2007. I felt relaxed, soothed by the heat of the noonday sun - knowing my place in the universe - and feeling comfortable with my achievements as well as my failures.

This afternoon I went back and did another inspection of the mast - taking careful measurements, tracing wiring, and resolving a stuck machine screw on the main sail track.

Later, I enjoyed my usual mocha latte at the nearby Coffee Bean, as I reviewed several chapters in Nigel Calder's excellent tome, "Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual, Third Edition" - reading-up on the sections on electrical wiring; and masts and rigging.

Tomorrow, at 10am, I'm dropping the main and jib off at the sail loft to have some repair/stitching done (a project that I've been putting off for six years...)

Tonight, I'll work on capturing the knowledge I've gained about the mast wiring - into a diagram to add to the ship's documentation.

Movement. Momentum. Each step, an Investment in preparing the boat for long-term voyaging again.
It was a good day.

1963 35 ft. Pearson Alberg, Mast Step Replacement

On Tuesday, I had my mast pulled by a local marina yard - waiting to hear their estimate to replace the mast step.

I was quoted a price of ~$300 to have the mast de-rigged, and ~$300 for the mast removal.

Two excellent riggers were able to complete the de-rigging within about 2.5 hours (it would have been even less time, but for some stubborn turn-buckles that had to be coaxed)

The mast is now sitting in the yard - and the boat is back in the slip.

Tomorrow I'm taking the jib and main to a nearby sail loft in the harbor to have the sun-guard canvas restitched on the jib - and a tear in the main repaired, as well as re-installing the ring at the tack that I had to cut-away to get the main off the mast (due to a stuck pin).

While the mast is in the yard, I will also see about getting quotes to possibly do a few improvements:

• Replace the deck lights with LED lights
• Remove the old/clunky TV antennae
• Have the  mast wires run inside the mast (they are currently attached externally to mast via zip ties)
• Re-paint the spreaders
• Replace/tape the spreader boots
• Replace the topping-lift block at the top of the mast
• Replace the windex vane
• Repair/replace the boom-to-mast mounting pin mechanism

Reading: South Seas Voyaging Accounts (1760-1800)

http://southseas.nla.gov.au/index_voyaging.html

"This on-line edition of the journals of Cook's first Pacific voyage has been arranged to allow comparison of the journal Cook kept aboard H.M.S. Endeavour with those written by his fellow voyagers, Joseph Banks and Sydney Parkinson, as well as the official record of the voyage written by John Hawkesworth and published in London in 1773."

Resources for Nautical Terms

Nautical & Sailing Terms & Nomenclature, by Rick McClain
http://www.photographers1.com/Sailing/NauticalTerms&Nomenclature.html

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail_components
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail_plan
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail_plan#Types_of_ships
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailboat

William Falconers Dictionary of the Marine, corrected 1780 London edition of the Dictionary published by Thomas Cadell.
http://southseas.nla.gov.au/refs/falc/title.html

Cool Tool - Universal Socket-Ratchet

Universal Socket-Ratchet Universal Sockets Metric Wrench Adapter 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch Professional Repair Tools (2pack)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077S5XMP9/

James Baldwin's new book: Next Distant Sea

The Next Distant Sea: The 28-foot Sailboat Atom Continues Her Second Circumnavigation

https://www.amazon.com/Next-Distant-Sea-Continues-Circumnavigation-ebook/dp/B078QYC3QC

"In this, the third book about his travels aboard the 28-foot sailboat Atom, James Baldwin creates an ode to the sea and to those who venture upon her in small voyaging sailboats. The Next Distant Sea continues the memoir of his second adventurous circumnavigation as begun in his earlier book Bound for Distant Seas.

Known for books and magazine articles about his earlier solo voyages, the author here describes the struggles and rewards of navigating distant seas, the joys and challenges of interacting with foreign cultures, as well as the love and loss of an intoxicating island girl. Beginning in Hong Kong, The Next Distant Sea takes readers to diverse destinations, through the lesser-travelled islands of the Philippines and Indonesia, to far-flung island outposts in the Indian Ocean, including a lengthy exploration of mysterious Madagascar, then on to newly post-apartheid South Africa.

Along the way Baldwin’s personal journey is interwoven with tales of the extraordinary and often outlandish characters he befriended, from a man who crossed the Pacific alone in a dugout canoe, to a vagabond trader who traveled to the poorest ports of east Africa in an engineless steel junk, to a young sailor who tragically lost his life. By melding their stories and his own, Baldwin provides valuable insight into the individualist, minimalist, and libertarian mindset of the voyaging vagabond."

AstroNavigation course, Vanderbilt University

https://my.vanderbilt.edu/astronav/

"This course serves to address the lack of widely-available instruction in astronavigation. Specifically targeted here are the steps of performing a sight reduction to obtain a terrestrial position using this technique. These steps are explicitly illustrated after a brief overview provides a solid context for their relevance. Difficult concepts such as plotting on a navigational chart and the complexities of using of navigational publications should be better served through this online content delivery."

Film: "Adrift", coming in June - The 44ft yacht, The Hazana

A new film is coming out in June, "Adrift" - about a couple's encounter with a hurricane in 1983, during a yacht delivery - and the lone survivor's 40 day struggle to survive - and rescue herself.

"The couple were hired to sail 44ft yacht The Hazana from Tahiti to San Diego"

• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5695175/How-one-woman-survived-41-days-adrift-Pacific-ocean.html
• https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/03/please-enjoy-the-revisionist-history-love-story-of.html
• https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/ashcraft-tami-oldham-1960
• https://www.facebook.com/tami.o.ashcraft

Review: Neolight LED Headlamp

A bit of gear added to the boat and my emergency bug-out backpack.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074SG6H4N/

Received two of these today from Amazon - it is actually exceptional for the price $19.99
The rubber cover over the battery compartment isn't equal in quality to the rest of the construction - and it may fail under extended saltwater/sailing conditions - but for working in the cramped areas of the boat - where I need a good light - it will be excellent. I would highly recommend this for camping, hiking, etc.

• LED Headlamps, Neolight Super Bright 5 LED High Lumen Rechargeable Zoomable Waterproof Head torch Headlight
• "A set of 5 high performance LED bulbs give you the brightest illumination up to 100,000 hours, and you'll be able to see up to 1640 feet (500 meters) "
• "RECHARGEABLE & LONG-LIFE BATTERY - Never buy batteries again. Our headlamp is powered by 2x 3.7V 18650 rechargeable batteries, up to 8 -10 hours working time under full charge. It comes packed with a USB charging cable, a US wall outlet charger and USB Charging Cable, give us lots of flexibility. "

Improving the v-berth with 4" Foam

This weekend I'm installing a new 4" foam layer in the v-berth - which should substantially improve my sleeping experience.

LUCID 4 Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper - Ventilated for Optimum Temperature - King
$149.99 as of 2018-04-25
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1NV1HZ/

Graphene Strengthened Concrete

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5652483/The-game-changing-superconcrete-graphene.html

• "Experts says the resulting 'superconcrete'  is more than twice as strong and four times more water resistant than existing concretes, and can be used directly by the construction industry on building sites."
• "Experts from the University of Exeter used nanoengineering technology to incorporate graphene into traditional concrete production."
• "The research is published in the journal Advanced Function Materials, on Monday, April 23 2018."

Titanium Chainplates?

Doing some research - possibly considering Titanium, when I need to replace my chainplates


http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f126/stainless-vs-titanium-chainplates-85335.html

https://www.allatsea.net/the-worst-possible-chainplates/

http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?/topic/178181-titanium-rigging-and-chain-plates/

https://www.ibiscycles.com/support/technical_articles/metallurgy_for_cyclists/the_titanium_advantage/

http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/38773/InTech-Fatigue_of_ti_6al_4v.pdf

http://theincrediblehull.blogspot.com/2012/06/titanium-chainplates-make-no-economic.html


http://www.briontoss.com/spartalk/showthread.php?t=2297


https://www.alliedtitanium.com/

http://www.colligomarine.com/shop-all/titanium-chainplates

https://www.infinitytitanium.com/

Brass Hardware Resources...

This posting is a placeholder for brass hardware resources I find:

Brass hardware suppliers...
https://whitechapel-ltd.com/

THE NAUTICAL CHART by Arturo Perez-Reverte

"He had seen men survive on ships who would have lost their
reason and tranquility forever anywhere else. Course, wind,
waves, position, the day’s run, survival; out there only those
words had meaning. Because it was true that real freedom, the
only possible freedom, began five miles from the nearest coast."
--from THE NAUTICAL CHART by Arturo Perez-Reverte

Scientists invent SUPER WOOD that could replace steel

"SCIENTISTS have devised a way to make wood up to 12 times stronger in a bid to replace steel with a cheaper, lighter, and more renewable alternative."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/5528295/super-wood-invented-steel-replacement/

"The researchers say that the treatment can be applied to bulk amounts of wood at once, and allows them to bend and mold the material into the desired shape at the start."

Kris Larsen

http://www.monsoondervish.com/
https://monsoondervish.wordpress.com/


Kris' partner, Nat
https://smallestforest.net/
https://smallestforest.net/2018/01/05/dear-anthony-in-the-aftermath-of-a-dirty-little-media-scrum/

Stories about Kris

http://atomvoyages.com/articles/sailor-interviews/107-krislarsen.html