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Rod Halling - 1 Feb 2021

Hi Roger & Dick,

Your thoughts are very much appreciated - thank you! Jane and I have found a 4-day course put on for the Oyster World Rally that would work for us, but it involves being away from home & children) for 4 nights which is no easy task in these COVID ridden times! Thankfully, there is also a local company in Plymouth that is running the full "professional mariner" version which is 2 weeks and very comprehensive - https://westernmaritimetraining.co.uk/course-calendar/gmdss-goc-general-operators-certificate-4/ 

This is the General Operator's Certificate. It is expensive (£1,300) but currently not paused due to COVID...

We have an ICOM SSB installed, but with no working ground plate or aerial, although we have an insulated backstay that we could use. Do you have any recommendations for installing a ground plate system?

As far as satcomms are concerned, we currently have 2 old but working Iridium phones and are looking at an Inmarsat Fleet One device. Not sure if we will have the loot left for this, as the refit has hoovered up rather a lot of loot!

I have always been of the "old school", being of the attitude that if you are out there, you should be able to "self-rescue" in pretty much all circumstances (last boat was aluminium for that reason, Magic Dragon is Kevlar reinforced with watertight bulkhead for the same reason). Having three young children aboard tends to moderate that mindset, so safety and comms gear is a little higher up the priority list that it used to be. Each to their own - I feel no pressure from either the Health & Safety brigade, or "look after yourself" mob! I do try to listen to good advice from salty seadogs like you guys, so thank you again.

All the best to you and your loved ones in these strange times,

Rod