Radio Aboard

E

El and Bill

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C Dory Year
2000
C Dory Model
22 Cruiser
Vessel Name
Halcyon
Many of us love music aboard our boats, whether on anchor, at the slip, or underway. How best to listen?

Well, there are many ideas for mounting speakers and using audio systems aboard.

We would like to address the use of radio for acquiring music and news. There are satellite radio systems that give good and continuous radio reception that can easily adapt to a boat, and some C-Brats use these systems to good advantage.

There is an alternative that some may be using, but perhaps our suggestion would be useful for those who enjoy radio aboard.

We use our Aircard for connectivity to the internet when on the boat -- good broadband connections almost everywhere. This connection allows us to link (via the internet) to our favorite radio station and listen either to the classical music we love or to 24-hour news and analysis -- almost everywhere we have been boating.

If you use an Aircard for connecting while aboard, or a HotSpot in a marina, you might consider connecting to your hometown radio station -- unlike Sat. radio, there is no additional cost for this radio connection.

If you enjoy classical, we have found that KVOD in Denver is one of the best stations:


http://www.cpr.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43
 
That's a terrific suggestion. Please forgive my ignorance but I've never used a laptop and I only have a rough idea of what an air-card is. I love listening to news and talk-radio on my home computer and would be thrilled to have it on the boat. Maybe someone could suggest equipment, service provider, antenna etc.
 
Is it possible to get NPR via the Internet? That is the primary thing my wife is interested in.

Warren
 
OK, that is super. How do you guys play the sound from your laptops on your boats? Do you have speakers mounted and connect via USB? Have to keep the laptop open and not going to sleep, right? Any way around having an open laptop sliding around on the table?

Thanks,
Warren
 
The site we have given on this post (thanks for the assist in making the link direct, Mike and Judy) is for NPR -- it gives the two stations in Denver -- one classical and the other news and discussion. They are the two best we have found for our taste. Charlie has given the general NPR link that is the one to use to find any NPR stations in the country -- and great for listening to your 'home' station, if you prefer.

An Aircard slides into a slot in your laptop. It has a very small antenna attached. When the software is loaded, you simply click on an icon on your 'desktop' and up pops the link to the world (in most places). All the major cellular services have an Aircard link -- there is a monthly charge for the lhigh speed (usually) link to the Internet, but that is for all Internet connection -- email, other sites, and for the KVOD NPR link.

You can play the sound directly through your laptop speakers (ours are surprisingly good) or you can plug in speakers -- we have those, that draw power through the computer, and the fidelity is better, but probably won't carry them on this next cruise. We also have some speakers that plug into 110v, and that fidelity is great.
 
I believe that Verizon "aircard" is $60 a month if you have other Verizon services, and $80 a month if you don't have other Verizon services.

We have a JBL sterio in our boats, RV etc which have mini 1/8" plug, and will accept either a I Pod--My 30 Gig Ipod has over 5,500 music tracks--mostly jazz and clasical downloaded from my record/CD collection. In Frequent Sea, we have fairly large Bose speakers, in the Tom Cat we have West marine speakers--not quite the quality, but still enjoyable. Both boats have the speakers mounted from the roof outboard on each side foreward in the pilot house.

We also have Sirius, which costs $13 a month plus $5 a month for a second reciever. (My car has a fixed reciever, and we have a second reciever with several cig lighter plugs and protable antennas which we can move to other trucks, RV's, boom box or boats. There is a huge amount of music in the library of Sirius (and I am sure the same is true for XM)--as well as most of the major cable news (CNN, Fox, CNBC etc)--plus 2 NPR, and BBC, Canadian Radio, Radio France etc.

We haven't gone with the air card route since reception for all of the cell companies is marginal at our home (being on a bay, the antenna, although 0.7 miles away, is focused inland). If there was reliable and fast interent service via the Air card for us, we would consider this. I suspect if one is traveling full time, it might well be worth the costs.
 
Bob --
How do you access the Internet when cruising?
 
Bill,
WiFi or internet Cafe are our few internet accesses when cruising. Although we first had a computer aboard in 1982 (Vic Commodore) and love technology, we never got into the habit of being slaves to the internet when cruising. I suspect that if we were currently world cruising, we would still have the same answer today. Consider that doing the Great Loop, there are still lots of areas where air card internet access is not available. (We own a farm, where you can only get cell service by giving your credit card number to the local cell company operator--and no internet there either). Same for many of the areas we cruise. I was surprised that one of the list members got cell serice at Hole in the wall on Powell. We have never been able to get cell serivce anywhere on Powell (except down by Wahweap).

Regards,

Bob
 
Regarding musical entertainment onboard: we truly enjoy our Sirius played in a boombox. It can be used on the dash, in the v-berth, or in the cockpit, and not have to have the speakers cranked up. Also, the mini-jack to connect the iPod to the boombox when we feel the mood for "our" tunes. I don't often listen to music on our laptop, but I frequently download podcasts (World of Boating, Furled Sails, Prarie Home Companion, etc.). If I wake up in the middle of the night, I have the iPod on the shelf in the v-berth and can quietly listen to a podcast to lull me back to sleep. Also onboard is our big screen (7") tv/dvd/am/fm/sound soother. On rare occasions, I have listened to local radio to see if there are any storm warnings. Besides the VHF for weather, I depend on the computer/internet to get good weather currents/forecasts. With the exception of Lake Powell (where we only got a signal when in line of sight of Navajo Mountain or in the marina), we have found the wireless broadband to be available almost everywhere. Granted, faster access is found near population centers, but even National Access is faster than dial-up. The computer is my main source of news/weather/entertainment, and the wireless broadband card opens that up to traveling with the boat. I did the "shlepping of the laptop" for years before wireless broadband, and am delighted to not have to do that anymore.

We all have different requirements for entertainment, but we have found that if you don't feel like you are doing without while on the boat, it is easier to stay out more. Rock on! :wink

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim & Joan's Most Excellent Online Adventure....Rock On.

I got Judy an IPod for Mothers Day so she could listen to her favorite tunes while doing her morning walk....while leaving me in bed.

Thanks to you guys, I am just now learning of the many ways to enjoy "my" mothers day present....on the boat.
 
:D My "low tech" solution 24 yrs. ago when I purchased the HIGH TIDE...........build a electronics platform above the windshield, purchase a used AM/FM Ford radio at the junk yard for $15, purchase a set of speakers at a neighbors garage sale for $10 and install it all.
It has been playing CW, news, talk radio, Rush, NPR etc. for 24 yrs. and still works well. The volume knob falls off occasionally but only in over a 3' chop.
Works for me.
I do have an aircard in my computer, dsl etc. but my original set-up works well for me.
I have had to replace my CB 3 times and VHF 3 times (yesterday the last time) but that old Ford radio just keeps on humming along. All mounted on the same platform.
 
Jack --
As the Aussies like to say, "Good on ya." You've got a great solution.
 
Jack-

Your very practical and affordable Radio On Board set up brings up few famous sayings:

Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Don't mess with success!

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Almost free is all right with me!

And, a recent study by the Rand Corporation Think Tank has determined that "Redneck" contraptions can be found North of the Mason-Dixon Line, and that it is not necessary to have the absolute latest technology to employ toilet paper!

*********************

Good Job, Jack!!!

Joe.
 
It seems to me that when you look at the cost of Sirius or XM weather that the air card and instant access to NOHA this is a great way to go with more benefits than just music and e-mail. Like the station Mike !

JB
 
My farm also has only dial up internet access, and, after typing away all day at the office, I have little interest in the glowing screen when off.

I bought a Sirius radio and it has been a total pain in the tokus..... the slightest shade of leaf, cloud or building shuts it off. I got the adapter thing for the boat, but have not hooked it up considering all the interruptions in service while driving or in the house.

I've heard of ppl who have few interruptions, but mine goes off and on all the time and the stress of that is not worth messing with.

Also, I don't know all the areas you guys cruise, but here in Kansas, you have to be in a really big city to get the aircard access feature. There is none at the farm.

John
 
Hi Dr. John,

Perhaps it's the receiver - we have had virtually no problem with the reception on the Sirius... well, it wants the little antenna thingy to be near a window when in the house. But, no problem on the boat or in the truck.

And, regarding the wireless broadband card: I have never cruised at your house, so I can't speak for that location. We have been coast to coast to coast, Hawaii, the Keys... well, we've given it a pretty good workout. I didn't have reception at Lake Powell, the north side of Sucia in the San Juans, and on the road in the middle of nuttin' along Hwy 50 in the middle of Nevada. Otherwise, it's been good... much better than I expected. I'd like to "dis" Verizon like most folks, but as long as I don't have to call their customer service, there has been little to complain about.

I certainly don't think that everyone needs either of these services; we find that they make our cruising experience easier and more pleasant. I love a good sunset and sunrise, cruising with dolphins swimming beside the boat is one of our favorite things, ditto on all that other scenic stuff :wink:; I like my daily dose of C-Brats and good weather forecasting (with maps), Joan likes to handle the financial stuff without leaving the boat. It works for us. I've tried plenty of techie stuff that is more fluff than substance... but when it comes to what we can take aboard, we want the equipment that works for the way we cruise.

Hope our paths cross one day... you can use our connection to check your e-mail. :wink

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Having just discovered the many ways to put an IPod to good use on the boat only this past few weeks thanks to you guys, I went shopping today for some more content...for the little bugger and discovered that there are a few different sites out there with great content for boaters.

The one I want to point out to you all is http://www.FurledSails.com

They conduct interviews with folks from all walks of the marine world, from just plan boaters, (mostly sailors) to professionals in the boating industry. The Podcast are about an hour long and make for some very interesting listening.

For those of you without an Ipod you can still listen to the shows on your computer using WMP or RealPlayer or the such.

Hope you enjoy.
 
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