What I did to make my SSB radio and Modem work properly

Here is a historical post…from September 5, 2007, days before departing the dock. I think it’s my way of saying goodbye to my SSB Radio and my Modem.

What I had to do to Make SSB Radio and Pactor Modem work!

This was written only a few days before untying the dock lines, more than 11 years ago. It has some good information on what I did to get the SSB radio and Pactor III modem finally working.

…While Patrick was working, I hooked up yet MORE copper strapping to our SSB ground. I put copper strapping from the tuner to the copper foilplane, as well as from the tuner directly to the fridge/freezer copper thru hull, with a hose clamp.

This has made VAST improvements to the SSB and Pactor Modem operation! UntiI now, could not turn the power past RF2 on the radio without losing the connection from the modem to the PC. Even at RF2, it would often lose it. I could never connect to anything more than 1100 miles away no matter how I tried, on the best day.

Now I was able to connect at RF3-the highest power, far and near. I could connect to stations 2300 miles away too! So this is a big improvement…which I am very happy about…been struggling with this all summer as some of you know! Cant wait to listen to some nets again to see if things improved there too… We will be heading out this week sometime.

Its getting cold, although this week it has warmed up…wish I knew if it was going to get dramatically cooler again before next week. I’d like to stay for one last going away party too…but not at the expense of wearing parkas on the water when we leave!!! SO we are in the final stages of leaving the dock. Will we ever leave? Will we find engine problems that we need to stay here for? Will be need a different prop that we will have to wait here for? If poor Patrick has to dive too many more times, and come up shivering with dashes to the hot shower in between , he may die of pneumonia before we ever leave the dock. We need to get out of here!

That was more than 11 years ago. Now our SSB Radio and Pactor Modem sits at our nav station, slowly decaying one more time…It has been all but replaced by the technology of the Iridium GO (pictured on the right below…click the photo for more information.)

We have no regrets but it is still sad to see an old friend die.

Click on the links below for more information.

The old: The new:

 