Club Radio Frequency Control

Honest Ahab (speaks of Frequency control for a club)

as related to Rich Matt, in the summer of 2001

Could not help but notice it soon as I walked in to the Winch & Rudder. Theres Ahab on his barstool all dressed and looking important wearing a new captains-type hat having a gold anchor embroidered in front.

Whats this all about, I ask with just a hint of sarcasm. After all, Im accustomed to seeing Ahab wearing his usual blue knit cap with the sides folded up during winter and a sailors white cotton cap flattened down over the ears in summer. A bowling shirt is always Okay, but a stylish new captains hat is almost too formal for this place.

Bright-eyed, obviously pleased with himself and overjoyed that I asked about the hat, he then answers loud enough for everybody in the bar to hear, I've been elected as the clubs first ever Frequency Boss!

Evidently, a few of the bar folks either did not want to hear Ahab explain what Frequency Boss was all about, nor they did not want to hear all about it a second time.

I just got here. �No telling how many others have already asked about the hat. Bartenderess reaches for the remote and turns up the TV volume. One guy fingers up a couple quarters off the bar top and walks towards the juke box all the while having complete disregard for the unspoken House Rule: Nobody plays the juke box during daylight hours. Another guy heads for the head taking a newspaper with him.

Me, on the other hand, Im happy to hear that Ahab has gotten involved in doing something important for the local sailing club. The role of Club Frequency Boss is very much an important job. Back when the club was small it was no big deal to take a minute while rigging your boat and ask if the frequency channel in your radio was in use by anyone else that day. As the club grew, everybody would sign in on a clipboard with name, sail number and channel. A quick check of the info already on the clipboard would indicate if a channel was already spoken for and if it would be necessary to plug in different crystals.. Nowadays the club has grown, and it keeps growing. We want to be able to tell anyone new joining the club which radio channels are not being used so that he gets the right crystals at the hobby shop. With a Club Frequency List everyone knows in advance what channel to be using and is automatically assured that there will be no frequency conflict with another boat.

With a somewhat official sounding tone of voice, Ahab explains to me that how it is most orderly and efficient if one club member is designated the Frequency Boss whose job it is to maintain the list. All the old club members will know to tell any new club members about to get a boat and a radio to check with the Club Frequency Boss. �One club, one Frequency Chart and one guy to keep it updated� The only way to do it, according to Ahab.

By this time we are on our second beer. Mercifully, the tune playing on the juke box is over and done with (something tragic and mournful about a stolen pick-up truck). The guy with the newspaper is back from the head. And, everyone is now accustomed to the loud TV knowing that the bartenderess will turn it down at the start of the next commercial.

Ahab shows me the Frequency Chart he is working on. Its one sheet of paper. Down the left side there is a column indicating all available surface frequencies �the six 27Mhz channels, the thirty 75Mhz channels and then a few empty spaces so as to include whatever 6-Meter channel the licensed Amateur Radio might be using. Next to each channel on the list is space to write down the skippers name or sail number. �Now this is a true masterpiece of creativity�, I tell Ahab.

I dont tell Ahab that I plan to check into the possibility of getting his chart printed in Model Yachting as a page anyone could then run through a copy machine. I also planned to ask Dave Goebel if he would post it on the AMYA website (www.ModelYacht.org) and make it a downloadable file under the How to Form an AMYA Club section heading.

During our conversation we remind each other of things we already know... Extra frequency crystals are available at the hobby shop for about $30.00 a set. Swapping crystals is no problem because most every newer radio has the readily accessible crystal socket on the outside of both the transmitter and the receiver. Nowadays, theres really not too much concern about using channels that are far apart from each other in channel ID number For instance, swapping from Channel 63 way up to Channel 86, or whatever, seems to work out just fine. Every Regatta Entry Form Ahab and I have ever seen has spaces where you need to write down a minimum of three �Alternate Frequencies�. And, having extra crystals in the tool box is as common and important as having an extra receiver battery.

�Theres something else about being Club Frequency Boss thats both serious and important�, Ahab says while admiring his new hat and his moves in the dingy back-bar mirror. �The Frequency boss must enforce the FCC rule requiring R/C sailors to use only Surface Frequencies. Those channels specified asAircraft use only� mean exactly that. The liabilities and FCC penalties for using aircraft channels in cars, boats, robots, and whatever else are big time!

On that serious note, Ahab still admiring his hat in the mirror, calls the bartenderess over. I wouldnt expect it to be any different -- He orders us another refill while pointing to my money laying on the bar.

Example Club Frequency control lists
(right click and save as to your computer)