Rescue 21 testing

ReelCrazySportfishing · 07-15-2007, 09:22 AM

I was recently chartered by a company who works with General Dynamics and most of the government agency’s . We were out to test and calibrate the new Rescue 21 system. The system is to located boaters in harms way thru a VHF transmission. There are 4 towers on the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound. The first tower to be tested was the Stamford tower.
We met at my dock in New Haven at 6 am . We went over the game plan and checked the charts so I knew where I had to position the boat. I took on 1 passenger and a couple of pieces of testing equipment. We then made the run down to Port Chester New York to are first test site. Another rep drove down to the tower site to receive our transmissions. It was about a 2 hour ride in 3-4 footed.
Upon arriving in New York we set up the equipment and after a few brief radio conversations testing started. What I had to do is work my way back to Stratford Ct stopping at 25 different locations. I had to keep the boat as still as possible as there machine put out a VHF transmission. It lasted about 3-5 minutes. Keeping the boat still in 3-4 footers was no easy task. After the transmission testing was complete we would radio our GPS location and moved to the next site. It was great to see that is was able to locate us within a couple of feet. This system was so accurate that they knew when the boat was rocking in the water.
The system is accurate to 20 miles away but they told me that they have been able to locate vessels out to 40 miles in the open waters. It is great to see that a stranded boater will be able to be located within a few feet just from a VHF radio transmission.
It was a great experience for me and I’m looking forward to testing the next 3 towers.

Bob & Mag · 07-15-2007, 10:49 AM

Sounds like a very usefull tool!
Is it in operation now or still testing? When will they implement it?

ReelCrazySportfishing · 07-15-2007, 11:09 AM

Longisland sound is still testing. They are getting some interferance due to radio wave bouncing off of long island. I was told the new jersey is on line and has already saved a life. the coast guard recieved a mayday form a small craft that hit something and went down in under a minute. the captain got out a mayday but no location. the system picked up his position and was rescued in 20 mins.
Montauk is up and tested out the best so far but is not online yet.
They located vessels out to 40 miles on that tower

Us as boats do not need anything but a VHF radio. Rescue 21 picks up radio transmission and locates you from that.
Once testing is complete and the coast guard goes over the data collected and gives there OK then we will be online. the CG has final say in this system

JayR · 07-15-2007, 11:54 AM

Am I the only one concerned with "Big Brother"?

Great tool for emergency needs but I see more in it than face value.

Nice way for the govt. to keep tabs on everyone's location.
I'm very disturbed with the erosion of our civil rights. Particularly our right to privacy. Phone tapping, OnStar monitoring, GPS enabled phones. Pretty soon, we'll all be wearing trackable ID's...

We already have VHF radios that can talk to GPS units and broadcast our locations as needed. "DSC" I think....

Yea, I live in my own little world but it's OK, they know me here

Bob & Mag · 07-15-2007, 04:20 PM

Understand your concern. Am wondering if it's use would only be on ch 16 which /should only be used for emergencies. Combined traffic on all channels seems to me, that much data would flood a system to the point of being useless.
I'm always amazed when listening to some radio traffic how some boaters have no clue how to operate their electronics, read a chart or have the faintest idea where they even are.
Monitoring of ch 16 seems it would be a benefit without infringing on rites.

ReelCrazySportfishing · 07-15-2007, 04:25 PM

The system will only be used on certain channels. I would think 16.
The system would get overloaded with a million guys calling for a radio check.
we tested on channel 23. The equipment they used to test it was able to be put on any channel.

JayR · 07-15-2007, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReelCrazySportfishing

The equipment they used to test it was able to be put on any channel.

And therein lies my concern..... Not only do they have the ability to listen in, they now can pin point your location to the foot. All they need now are eyes in the sky to watch your every move... Oops, they already have that!

This world is rapidly becoming too small....

This kind of effort in Afghanistan would be---- Oh never mind. It's all a ruse anyway

07-15-2007, 09:22 AM	#1
ReelCrazySportfishing User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Haven Posts: 1,925	Rescue 21 testing I was recently chartered by a company who works with General Dynamics and most of the government agency’s . We were out to test and calibrate the new Rescue 21 system. The system is to located boaters in harms way thru a VHF transmission. There are 4 towers on the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound. The first tower to be tested was the Stamford tower. We met at my dock in New Haven at 6 am . We went over the game plan and checked the charts so I knew where I had to position the boat. I took on 1 passenger and a couple of pieces of testing equipment. We then made the run down to Port Chester New York to are first test site. Another rep drove down to the tower site to receive our transmissions. It was about a 2 hour ride in 3-4 footed. Upon arriving in New York we set up the equipment and after a few brief radio conversations testing started. What I had to do is work my way back to Stratford Ct stopping at 25 different locations. I had to keep the boat as still as possible as there machine put out a VHF transmission. It lasted about 3-5 minutes. Keeping the boat still in 3-4 footers was no easy task. After the transmission testing was complete we would radio our GPS location and moved to the next site. It was great to see that is was able to locate us within a couple of feet. This system was so accurate that they knew when the boat was rocking in the water. The system is accurate to 20 miles away but they told me that they have been able to locate vessels out to 40 miles in the open waters. It is great to see that a stranded boater will be able to be located within a few feet just from a VHF radio transmission. It was a great experience for me and I’m looking forward to testing the next 3 towers. __________________ www.ReelCrazySportfishing.com Connecticut Charter Fishing www.fishermansparadisect.com

07-15-2007, 10:49 AM	#2
Bob & Mag User Gallery Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Clinton, CT Posts: 2,647	Sounds like a very usefull tool! Is it in operation now or still testing? When will they implement it? __________________ Smoke free 15 Weeks!

07-15-2007, 11:09 AM	#3
ReelCrazySportfishing User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Haven Posts: 1,925	Longisland sound is still testing. They are getting some interferance due to radio wave bouncing off of long island. I was told the new jersey is on line and has already saved a life. the coast guard recieved a mayday form a small craft that hit something and went down in under a minute. the captain got out a mayday but no location. the system picked up his position and was rescued in 20 mins. Montauk is up and tested out the best so far but is not online yet. They located vessels out to 40 miles on that tower Us as boats do not need anything but a VHF radio. Rescue 21 picks up radio transmission and locates you from that. Once testing is complete and the coast guard goes over the data collected and gives there OK then we will be online. the CG has final say in this system __________________ www.ReelCrazySportfishing.com Connecticut Charter Fishing www.fishermansparadisect.com

07-15-2007, 11:54 AM	#4
JayR NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bikini Bottom Posts: 836	Am I the only one concerned with "Big Brother"? Great tool for emergency needs but I see more in it than face value. Nice way for the govt. to keep tabs on everyone's location. I'm very disturbed with the erosion of our civil rights. Particularly our right to privacy. Phone tapping, OnStar monitoring, GPS enabled phones. Pretty soon, we'll all be wearing trackable ID's... We already have VHF radios that can talk to GPS units and broadcast our locations as needed. "DSC" I think.... Yea, I live in my own little world but it's OK, they know me here __________________ I really don't care what you have to say about me, just as long as you mention my name

07-15-2007, 04:20 PM	#5
Bob & Mag User Gallery Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Clinton, CT Posts: 2,647	Understand your concern. Am wondering if it's use would only be on ch 16 which /should only be used for emergencies. Combined traffic on all channels seems to me, that much data would flood a system to the point of being useless. I'm always amazed when listening to some radio traffic how some boaters have no clue how to operate their electronics, read a chart or have the faintest idea where they even are. Monitoring of ch 16 seems it would be a benefit without infringing on rites. __________________ Smoke free 15 Weeks!

07-15-2007, 04:25 PM	#6
ReelCrazySportfishing User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Haven Posts: 1,925	The system will only be used on certain channels. I would think 16. The system would get overloaded with a million guys calling for a radio check. we tested on channel 23. The equipment they used to test it was able to be put on any channel. __________________ www.ReelCrazySportfishing.com Connecticut Charter Fishing www.fishermansparadisect.com

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