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03/04 - 03/06 - St. John's River, Florida 2016
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outbackbill



Joined: 23 Apr 2011
Posts: 47
City/Region: Mocksville
State or Province: NC
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Blue Days
Photos: Blue Days
PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Colby
We are at Hontoon now. My wife and I are volunteers. We are getting enough reception on Verizon to check this website. without any kind of cell booster. If you want to bring bikes there are miles of dirt roads that you can explore. We look forward to seeing everyone in March.

Bill and Becky Smith
Blue Days
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Bill. Hoping US Cellular gets the same coverage, and think I'll bring my bike to explore some of the land area. Colby
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another question, and maybe I missed it earlier, but what fees can we expect at the gathering? IE, dockage? (Out of state fees? Credit Card, check or cash? etc.) Are showers available and/or coin operated? Thanks. Colby
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thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Colby, the WeBoost we got will work with any phone or carrier, you are welcome to use it if necessary. The registration is a joke. I found out how to do it, found the form, and it only allowed the date of service prior to 2016--2015 date was the latest one could put in...I think it is an FCC rule, which folks are basically avoiding.

Actually I have two boosters, both 12 volts. The G4 is the new one. The older one is voice and G 3. I will bring both along. The older has an antenna which will allow 3 to 4 phones. the G 4, only one phone. It my home it took the signal from 2 to 4 bars--with the antenna inside of the house.

_________________
Bob Austin
Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
Caracal 18 140 Suzuki 2007 to present
Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
C Pelican; 1992, 22 Cruiser, 2002 thru 2006
Frequent Sea; 2003 C D 25, 2007 thru 2009
KA6PKB
Home port: Pensacola FL
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Bob, but I'll probably just use my cellphone as is. If no service, I'll have internet withdrawl, but sometimes that's a good thing! lol (Might have to find another way to check in with my wife a few times tho. Wink Colby
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Avidmagnum12



Joined: 23 Mar 2013
Posts: 668
City/Region: Ocklawaha
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2011
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Otter
Photos: C-Otter
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HI Colby

FEES: Slips $20.25 per night w/electricity and water unless Florida Resident 65 or older $10.13 Showers included with slip. The park takes Credit Cards and cash.

The only other "fee" is a free will offering to cover the expenses of gathering. Stuff like firewood, paper plates, cups, bowls, burgers, chicken, condiments, water, charcoal and load of other supplies. In the past the C-Brats have been very generous. Any extra moneys above and beyond the actual costs are donated to Hontoon Island State Park to be used for park improvements. This year, because there will be almost twice as many of us there, they bought seven more tables so that we would have enough seating. The money for the tables came from past donations.

We also hold a 50/50 drawing on Friday and Saturday to raise money for the park. This year Pat and Hank Clow are also going to hold a silent auction of donated odds and ends stuff off our boats. I'm going to "lighten" the C-Otter!

You'll want to get in on the fun!

See you soon! Tom

_________________
Tom and Joyce Schulke

2011 CD 25 "C-Otter" 07/2015 to present
2011 CD 25 "My Girl" 06/2015 renamed C-Otter
2004 CD 22 Commuter "Out2C" 03/10 to 06/15
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that info Tom. No problem paying and participating, but nice to know up front so no surprises. I'll bring a crafty project I make along to put in the silent auction. Colby
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Avidmagnum12



Joined: 23 Mar 2013
Posts: 668
City/Region: Ocklawaha
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2011
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Otter
Photos: C-Otter
PostPosted: Mon Feb 01, 2016 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Update on the river.
We have been out on the St. John's with our friends the Clow's the last four days having a great time. Made it all the way south of Lake Jesup to the Jolly Gator and did a lot of side trips. Back to Hontoon Island today and met up with Skip and Patty on the CD-22 Fishwife. Bill and Becky with the Blue Days are here volunteering. Always fun to be in the company of C-brats!

Phone information...ATT and Verizon work and I've been told that all major phone company's work. There also seems to be a hot spot across the river. I did not bring my Password with me but will check it out next trip.

We've been out shopping for the gathering. The water is high (that's great) and the weather has been nice the last few days. In a little over a month it will be time to gather.

Till next time....Tom
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe to make contact easier between boats attending, for those that have their MMSI set up properly in their DSC capable radios, it would be nice to have a listing of everyone attending, boat names and MMSI numbers. If there is an interest in doing this. I've put together a list from what is on record here at C-Brats. Actually I'm a little surprised that more folks don't have MMSI numbers listed. I really do think DSC and MMSI can be an advantageous thing for those of us that go off shore a little ways (or farther.) Anyway, here is the list I compiled if anyone else in interested:


Alma's Only 338020314

C-Scooter 338066005

Blue Days 338144656

Papillon 338098046

Midnight Flyer 338131849
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Avidmagnum12



Joined: 23 Mar 2013
Posts: 668
City/Region: Ocklawaha
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2011
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Otter
Photos: C-Otter
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Colby

Would you want to do a seminar on DCS and MMSI at the gathering? I've only had a capable radio for the last 6 months or so. A lot of the older C-Dorys have "older" radios. On the St. John's River I'll bet only about 5% of the boats have radios at all.

I'll be on 72 till then....... Wink Tom
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tom, I don't know if I know it well enough to teach others. I'm still learning! I actually find it kind of fascinating as I learn more about it. Perhaps I can try and put together a "information sheet", just using the directions and information out of my GX2150 manual. No promises, but I'll see what I can do. That would be on using it to communicate with others, something I haven't even been able to do yet, as most just aren't familiar enough with their radios to respond. (I'm not even sure I am, and I've only been hailed once with DSC, and that was an all call by the Canadian Coast Guard looking for an overdue.) But the neat thing is, from what I've read, you can let it querry the position of other boats in your group, etc. Would be kind of nice just experimenting with it amongst our group of boats since we are all gathered in one place. However, the basic concept behind the DSC is the emergency "red" button that all one has to do is push to summon help. But if you don't have an internal GPS in your radio, or it hooked up properly to an external GPS, it will do you no good. 72 is still a good idea though! Colby Smile
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gulfcoast john



Joined: 14 Dec 2012
Posts: 989
City/Region: PENSACOLA
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2010
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Cat O' Mine
Photos: CAT O' MINE
PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 8:00 pm    Post subject: dsc Reply with quote

Colby,
Great ideas, this will be a good learning experiment that's harmless on low power as we all experiment with our DSC radios.
My take is that DSC is a digital VHF method to establish INITIAL...INITIAL...INITIAL....VHF radio contact with either a particular boat (using its unique MMSI) or GROUPS of boats (that you specify by inputting all their MMSI #, such as your fishing buds you don't want to have all over the VHF airways when you find fish) or ALL boats in VHF range with a call to ONE or ALL boats in range, which will ALARM all the radios in range with a CONSTANT ALARM TONE..WHAT DO YOU DO?
97% OF BOATERS ARE MYSTIFIED WHEN THIS HAPPENS...DON'T LET IT BE YOU.
PRESS ANY BUTTON ON YOUR DSC RADIO WHEN IT DSC ALARMS!!!!
(older radios may have any combination of WEIRD inputs, SEE YOUR ANTIQUE VHF RADIO MANUAL FOR THIS!)
YOUR MODERN RADIO WILL THEN AUTOMATICALLY SWITCH TO WHATEVER VOICE CHANNEL YOUR 'CALLER' SPECIFIED ON HER DSC RADIO WHEN SHE MADE THIS CALL.
(If you are planning on making a DSC VHF radio call, YOUR modern radio will ask YOU to specify which VOICE channel you want your responses on...advise 68, 70, 72, 13 etc).

Then talk over the radio as normally...who talks first? up to you two.

NEVER talk on channel 70, it is the DIGITAL VHF channel that magically does all this. If you have a AIS RECIEVE TRANSPONDER (I highly rec'd at $200 or so), it also shows on your plotter all other vessels broadcasting AIS info (ferries, towboats >5000HP, big ships, some fishing boats, any private boats who have a 'broadcast' AIS as opposed to 'receive only' AIS, ETC). That is all another Lecture.
VHF radio technology is like computer technology in that a 5 year old DSC radio may be hopelessly out of date in requiring a myriad of weird button pushes to make or answer a DSC VHF radio call, SEE AND MEMORIZE YOUR MANUAL.
YES, it is Pathetic how COMPLEX this all is compared to ANY CELLPHONE SOLD ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD INCLUDING ONE YOU PICK UP IN HONG KONG WITH ALL CHINESE CHARACTERS.
We haven't been to Hong Kong since 1983, and it was a blast!
Cheers, Colby!
John

_________________
John and Eileen Highsmith
2010 Tom Cat 255, Cat O' Mine
Yamaha F150, LXF150
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 12:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

John, you are absolutely correct in your post. I'm hoping to get a chance to use DSC at this gathering, and learn better how to use it myself. I remember trying to use it at the Alton Gathering this past September, with a large yacht at the end of our pier. She said their radio was going off, but they couldn't figure out how to work the DSC. You are correct. You simply silence the alert, and then the radio switches to the requested frequency automatically. So in that regard, the DSC simply acts as the initial ring to your radio, but switches to the frequency requested automatically. But from what I understand reading my manual, you can also querry or send position reports. You and your buddy want to keep secret where you just found fish while searching separately? Send a position report to him over DSC and nobody else will be privy. Want to know where all your C-brat buddies are on the lake, send a position querry to a group. Sure we'll all use 72, but if you are monitoring 16, rather than calling on 16 to switch, just use DSC.
Anyway, should be interesting and fun to see how it all works. My plan is too put all the MMSI's I've got for those going to the gathering in a group listing on my radio. And then play around with it a bit over the weekend. Colby
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4522
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got on the boat today, pulled out my GX2150 manual, and did some more reading on my radio's DSC. Tom, I don't really see a need for a seminar on DSC, as I think it's just as easy to somewhat hijack the event thread here and continue discussing it as we have. John gave some very good advice. And I learned today that setting up a group listing is a lot easier than I thought it would be. (Originally I thought I'd have to enter everyone's boat name and MMSI into my radio's directory. Yes, if you plan on calling other boats separately you have to do that, and yes it is time consuming.)

For those others that are interesting in using their newer DSC radios, if your radio is capable of group listing, you only have to input one MMSI number. The first numeral is going to be 0, and the 2150 defaults to that (and it can not be changed.) Pull out your operating manual to learn how to input the number, but my radio it's simply entered in the DSC setup under group. I named my group STJOHNCBRAT. My manual suggests using the MID for the next 3 numbers after the 0, which are the numbers 338 for the USA. For the last 5 numbers, I just chose the Hontoon State Park zip code: 32720. So, if you desire to use the group call at Hontoon, you should enter the MMSI in the group list as 033832720. All boats that have this MMSI number in their group calling list will get the signal. (Which means if for some reason some other group also thought the same way I did, we just simply have to change one number and we're back in business.)

Very simply, the DSC can be used to "page" others in the group, rather than making a call out on the radio. Once a group call is made, all boat radios that have that MMSI number inserted will alert. Just hit any key to silence the alert and your radio will automatically change to the frequency the sender is requesting. In our case, Tom has already said we'll use 72, so that is the frequency to enter in your radio when asked, if you are doing the transmission.

Why would anybody want to use DSC this way? Well it allows you to tell your buddy or group to go to another chosen channel, without announcing it to everyone else listening. You want to tell your buddy where the hot fishing is without letting anyone else in on the secret? Want to have a conversation without everyone else tuning into that channel to listen? Send the channel request via DSC and no one else will know unless they are in your group, or you send it to their MMSI.

I think this would be a great tool for gatherings like ours, or yacht clubs, etc. Maybe I don't want to constantly monitor 72? No need to if we used DSC. If somebody wanted to transmit to the group, just do a group call with your DSC, wait shortly for folks to acknowledge so their radios make the automatic channel change, then transmit over the radio as you normally would. Of course, this only works if you have one of the newer DSC VHF radios that has the group list function, and have the group MMSI entered in your radio's directory.

BTW, Don't confuse this with your radio's assigned MMSI number. The entry that you can only do once, and then it's permanent in your radio!!!! The Group MMSI, is entered into the directory. Kind of like your phone has it's own phone number, but then you have a directory with other phone numbers. But the cool thing about the DSC group listing, is it's like giving your phone a temporary phone number that it can also ring from! IN this way, think of the old Party Lines!

Colby
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Avidmagnum12



Joined: 23 Mar 2013
Posts: 668
City/Region: Ocklawaha
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2011
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Otter
Photos: C-Otter
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

To all....the countdown is well underway for our St. Johns River Gathering at Hontoon Island. This will most certainly be our biggest gathering ever. The storage tubs of supplies are filling up and the shopping list is becoming shorter. Now all we need is someone to take charge of supplying good weather!

On a sadder note its come to my attention that Bruce Cassal of the "Carpy" passed on a short time ago of cancer. Bruce and his soul mate Joyce attended the first two gatherings here on the St. Johns. Always ready to help with a great attitude and winning smile. He and Joyce always spent extra time before and after the gathering exploring the St. Johns. On the radio it was always...I saw the Carpy here or I saw the Carpy there. We knew that Bruce was fighting a battle and that he would not attend this year but hoped for the next. Bruce left us with fond memories and will be missed.
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