leong

Put in time is 11:30 AM. Weather looks good (probably the best until next year). RSVP here or to leon dot g at verizon dot net

It'll be ok, but probably no trip to see the seals.

Avoid the last minute rush. Any other takers for this SNG? Here's your chance to paddle with "Leon the Machine" (as conferred by Bob Burnett, our founder) or "Leon the Fisherman" (as conferred by Adam. B, the original long-thin-kayak fisherman)

Ok, Sid. Meet at 1100?

The weather looks good for Friday. Any interest? Respond here or to leon dot g at verizon dot net

Park cars at 1130. Depending on local conditions paddle towards Rockport harbor or towards Plum Island. If interested respond here or e-mail me at leon dot g at verizon dot net.

Ok, Gene. I'll be there too,

Ern, I'd like to paddle out of Tucks again tomorrow at 1130. Interested? We could paddle out to the seals at Dry Breakers. I had planned to visit the the Breakers today (Monday) but Gay and I paddled to Magnolia first and there was no time left to visit the seals.

It's still on. I'll arrive at Tucks at 1100. Anyone else? Please confirm here or via e-mail.

To Dry Breakers to see the seals; then to Marblehead and back. Respond here if interested or e-mail me at: leon dot g at verizon dot net NOAA Weather: MON NW WINDS 5 TO 10 KT...BECOMING E IN THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON. SEAS 1 TO 2 FT.

See title for details. If interested respond here or via email to leon.g at verizon dot net P.S. The stripers and bluefish are blitzing in Duxbury Bay. Hopefully, a blitz awaits in Ipswich Bay.

It's a go for Tues. at 1100.

Ok, you twisted my arm. But how about Lanes on Wednesday. So Tues from Tucks and Wed from Lanes, both at 1100. We'll use VHF channel 69.

I'll be at Tucks at 11 AM. Any interest? RSVP here or by email to leon.g at verizon dot net

Unless I hear anything to the contrary I'm assuming that at least Bill Lord will meet me at Tucks at 1100.

Any interest in Tucks (Manchester) instead ... I hate the drive to Pavillion.

I'll be there.

Sir Godfrey, It's quite common on those rocks ... I pass by several times each week. Very rarely, but it occurs, there are topless women as well.

I'd rate Lanes to Straitsmouth as a level 3 (crossing Sandy Bay could be tough in conditions ... I know from Blackburn experience). I think the NOAA report isn't necessarily accurate for Ipswich Bay. At any rate, if the chop is bad, we could head towards the Annisquam hiding in the lee of Davis Point, etc.. or play around in Folly Cove.

See title for additional details. RSVP here or by email to leon.g at verizon dot net

Sometimes there is surf on the west side. You mean the east side.

Bob Granularity is not the problem I'm addressing. If there is no way to set the threshold level that corresponds to the lowest squelch setting then usable signals may be muted out. That’s the potential problem as I see it.

By DSP squelch I assume you mean something like a Digital Signal Processor that measures the level of signal energy in various segments of frequency spectrum of a received signal to dynamically establish a squelch threshold. But how do you know the M72 has a DSP squelch? The manual just calls it "Squelch Sensitivity Function" and says this about it "When this function is turned ON (local), blocking against noise is improved and the squelch is not easily affected by noise". I don't think the Squelch Sensitivity Function addresses my concern. I'm afraid that not having an adjustable lowest threshold for the squelch may mute my signal if the available lowest squelch threshold is too high. I turned the “Squelch Sensitivity Function†to ON. As far as I can tell it made no difference. The first level of squelch (still) mutes the receiver in the absence of a signal. My concern is that perhaps it also mutes the receiver when only weak signals are present. I’d be a happy camper if the first one or two squelch levels didn't mute the receiver, but the next one did. Then, at least, I’d be certain that the first squelch level that did mute the receiver would be as close to the noise level as possible (within the quantification capability of the 10 available squelch levels).

Perhaps I'm beating a dead horse, but going from 0 degrees F to 100 degrees F is about a 22% change in Kelvin temperature units. Thus the receivers thermal noise changes by this percentage (which is almost a dB). In addition, there is atmospheric noise, solar noise, man-made noise ... all dependent on time of day, weather, season, etc. Therefore, a fixed minimum preset squelch level might be too high for the weakest signals out there at a given time. For the few times I’ve used my new M72 the lowest squelch level was sufficient to cut out the receiver noise. I still wonder if it also cuts out signals. I’ll feel more comfortable on a day when a higher squelch level (one of the other 9 presets) is needed to cut out the noise.

Thanks Ed, I guess this is one downside of discrete (preset) squelch steps. But I wonder if the lowest squelch step is fixed or dynamically adjusts to the noise power that increases with circuit temperature? If fixed, then the first squelch threshold is probably set too high for cold weather operation. My other VHF, a Raycom 106 (about 10 years old, still works but needs a new NiCad battery), has a continuously adjustable squelch knob. I always set it just above the point where the noise is turned off. So, in effect, I can dynamically set the lowest squelch threshold. The M72 has a "Monitor Function" which, as the manual says, temporarily releases the squelch to check the volume level. Perhaps another use is to temporarily see if any signal is being squelched out! Do any of the radios with preset squelch levels have a way to set the lowest preset?