I installed an ICOM M802 HF SSB radio and antenna tuner but the manual that comes with it is next to useless. Does anyone have any beginners notes / guides on using this radio - although I have a marine radio licence that was done a long time ago and twiddling dials is not getting me anywhere. I want to be able to use it to join radio nets when I cross the Pacific and possibly to link to a Pactor modem for grib file downloads.
Appreciate any help anyone can give me as haven’t found anything on the internet
Chris

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Toys_with_Time - 4/27/2019

I installed an ICOM M802 HF SSB radio and antenna tuner but the manual that comes with it is next to useless. Does anyone have any beginners notes / guides on using this radio - although I have a marine radio licence that was done a long time ago and twiddling dials is not getting me anywhere. I want to be able to use it to join radio nets when I cross the Pacific and possibly to link to a Pactor modem for grib file downloads. Appreciate any help anyone can give me as haven’t found anything on the internetChris

Chris, that's a wide open question! Do you have specific areas of difficulty?
First, where is the boat? - if it's in a marina full of lots of tall metal sticky things (masts!), you'll have trouble hearing anything! If that's the case, move the boat to a quiet anchorage.
Now you need to tune in to one of the frequencies at the right time of day and listen in... There's a list of frequencies and times somewhere on the forum...
You can change channel with the right big knob. You'll see frequencies change or channels change (flip between displays with the Freq/Ch button on the keypad). Hopefully (probably) the channel you want is already pre-programmed - it's just a matter of rotating through the channels to find the right one. The Left hand knob will step you 20 channels at a time...
Once you find the channel you want, push the 'Thru Tune' button (top center) and you'll hear the tuner clicking... 
Now you should be able to hear something if the propagation is any good.
Maybe that'll get you started - but ask for more specifics...
Good luck with it!


Bill Balme

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Toys_with_Time - 4/27/2019

I installed an ICOM M802 HF SSB radio and antenna tuner but the manual that comes with it is next to useless. Does anyone have any beginners notes / guides on using this radio - although I have a marine radio licence that was done a long time ago and twiddling dials is not getting me anywhere. I want to be able to use it to join radio nets when I cross the Pacific and possibly to link to a Pactor modem for grib file downloads. Appreciate any help anyone can give me as haven’t found anything on the internetChris

Have you tried Ham Radio for Dummies?

They also have a website with cheat sheets and you can download the entire pdf here. 

Vice Commodore, OCC 

Bill
That’s about the right level of advice for me - big knob and little knob 😊. I did try it in a marina and got nothing so will try when I’m offshore - I’m in the Med so not sure if there is anyone using HF there and no idea what frequencies they would be using if there is anyone but want to get my skills up before I head West.
Thank you

Chris

Vice Commodore
Have ordered the dummies guide and tried to buy Iddy-Yots guide to marine radio but Amazon won’t post it outside the US as it’s a 3rd party supply.
Cheers
Chris

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Toys_with_Time - 4/28/2019

BillThat’s about the right level of advice for me - big knob and little knob 😊. I did try it in a marina and got nothing so will try when I’m offshore - I’m in the Med so not sure if there is anyone using HF there and no idea what frequencies they would be using if there is anyone but want to get my skills up before I head West. Thank youChris

Here's an older (2016) listing of SSB Nets but it should still be pretty accurate...

OCC Nets

OCC Caribbean SSB Radio Net 2015 - 2016

The OCC Caribbean radio net will be in operation again this winter from December to April as a minimum. This is not a HAM net so anyone with a SSB radio can join in. Getting the net started in December requires some persistence by the net controller to recruit contributors, so please listen and call until we establish a workable group after which it is self-sustaining.

0730 local time (1130 GMT) on most days usually Monday-Saturday on 6227kHz USB.

John & Christine Little have handed over to Simon & Hilda Julien aboard 'Barisa ' who intend to carry on the Net.

e-mail - sijulien007@gmail.com

OCC members if you are operating a Net that is not listed then please add the relevant information to the document on the Facebook page.



Other Nets

Please note that we cannot guarantee radio frequencies or times of the following:



Indian Ocean

Jupiter Net - 8297 USB at 1235 UTC (2015 fleet of vessels crossing IO, time will shift)

South East Asia

www.bruneibay.net/bbradio

Pacific

Weather for SW Pacific Islands, NZ and Australia -- Gulf Harbour Radio 8752kHz 1915 UTC detailed weather at 1930 UTC

SW Pacific – 8191kHz at0800 NZ Time

SW Pacific -- Magnet Net - 8122kHz at 1900UTC and 0430 UTC for boats underway west of Bora Bora

Rag of the Air – 8173kHz at 1900Z (7am or 8am local time in Tonga/Fiji/Samoa/NZ)

Namba Net covering New Caledonia/Vanuatu 8101 at 8.15am Vanuatu time (May – October)

Southern Cross -- 8191kHz at 2015 UTC Daily for people taking part Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Cal to Torres

Vanuatu Net - 8230kHz USB daily 2030UTC May - October. Eric & Anne Simmons, s/y reflection

Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Kaipara, Bret – 6516MHz at 1800-1900 NZDT and 4417MHz at 1900-1930 NZDT

Panama/Pacific Net –8147/8137 kHz at 1400 UTC

Mediterranean

Med Net – 6516kHz or 8131kHz/kHz on Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 0530 UTC

Dragnet – 6516kHz at 0600UTC

Local Cruisers Net, Maramis Turkey – VHF69 at 0900 local time Monday – Saturday

Navigators Net, Lagos, Portugal – VHF09 at 0930 Local time Monday and Friday

Europe

Around Europe - 8297kHz at 08.15 UTC German speaking but happy to speak english if you join in.

USA/Caribbean

Cruiseheimers Net – 8152USB at 0830 EST during summer and alternates with 8146 and 8164.
During Winter 6516 USB alternating with 6224, 6227 and 6230.

Doo-dah Net – 8152 USBat 1700 daily for taking passage reports.

Coconut Telegraph –8170 USB at 1200 UTC

Panama Net – 8107/8167USB at 1330 UTC

NW Caribbean –6209/6212 at 1400 UTC

Local Cruisers Net Curacao - 07.45 Monday - Saturday VHF 72



Ham Nets

European Maritime Mobile Net – 14297 kHz at 1900 UTC

UK Maritime Mobile Net -- 14303 kHz at 0800 and 1800 UTC

Trans Atlantic Net – 21400kHz at 1300 UTC

US Maritime Service Net -- 14300 USB

South African Maritime Mobile Net - 14316 USB sometimes switching to 7120 USB - 0630 UTC (Sam the net controller is happy to communicate with non hams via email www.sailblogs.com/member/southafricanmaritimemobilenet/

Caribbean Maritime Mobile - 7.250MHz Mon-Sat 1100 GMT weather at 1115 (informal net now that George in the USVIs has sadly passed away)

Bill Balme

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Bill Balme - 4/28/2019

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Toys_with_Time - 4/28/2019

BillThat’s about the right level of advice for me - big knob and little knob 😊. I did try it in a marina and got nothing so will try when I’m offshore - I’m in the Med so not sure if there is anyone using HF there and no idea what frequencies they would be using if there is anyone but want to get my skills up before I head West. Thank youChris

Here's an older (2016) listing of SSB Nets but it should still be pretty accurate...

OCC Nets

OCC Caribbean SSB Radio Net 2015 - 2016

The OCC Caribbean radio net will be in operation again this winter from December to April as a minimum. This is not a HAM net so anyone with a SSB radio can join in. Getting the net started in December requires some persistence by the net controller to recruit contributors, so please listen and call until we establish a workable group after which it is self-sustaining.

0730 local time (1130 GMT) on most days usually Monday-Saturday on 6227kHz USB.

John & Christine Little have handed over to Simon & Hilda Julien aboard 'Barisa ' who intend to carry on the Net.

e-mail - sijulien007@gmail.com

OCC members if you are operating a Net that is not listed then please add the relevant information to the document on the Facebook page.



Other Nets

Please note that we cannot guarantee radio frequencies or times of the following:



Indian Ocean

Jupiter Net - 8297 USB at 1235 UTC (2015 fleet of vessels crossing IO, time will shift)

South East Asia

www.bruneibay.net/bbradio

Pacific

Weather for SW Pacific Islands, NZ and Australia -- Gulf Harbour Radio 8752kHz 1915 UTC detailed weather at 1930 UTC

SW Pacific – 8191kHz at0800 NZ Time

SW Pacific -- Magnet Net - 8122kHz at 1900UTC and 0430 UTC for boats underway west of Bora Bora

Rag of the Air – 8173kHz at 1900Z (7am or 8am local time in Tonga/Fiji/Samoa/NZ)

Namba Net covering New Caledonia/Vanuatu 8101 at 8.15am Vanuatu time (May – October)

Southern Cross -- 8191kHz at 2015 UTC Daily for people taking part Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Cal to Torres

Vanuatu Net - 8230kHz USB daily 2030UTC May - October. Eric & Anne Simmons, s/y reflection

Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Kaipara, Bret – 6516MHz at 1800-1900 NZDT and 4417MHz at 1900-1930 NZDT

Panama/Pacific Net –8147/8137 kHz at 1400 UTC

Mediterranean

Med Net – 6516kHz or 8131kHz/kHz on Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 0530 UTC

Dragnet – 6516kHz at 0600UTC

Local Cruisers Net, Maramis Turkey – VHF69 at 0900 local time Monday – Saturday

Navigators Net, Lagos, Portugal – VHF09 at 0930 Local time Monday and Friday

Europe

Around Europe - 8297kHz at 08.15 UTC German speaking but happy to speak english if you join in.

USA/Caribbean

Cruiseheimers Net – 8152USB at 0830 EST during summer and alternates with 8146 and 8164.
During Winter 6516 USB alternating with 6224, 6227 and 6230.

Doo-dah Net – 8152 USBat 1700 daily for taking passage reports.

Coconut Telegraph –8170 USB at 1200 UTC

Panama Net – 8107/8167USB at 1330 UTC

NW Caribbean –6209/6212 at 1400 UTC

Local Cruisers Net Curacao - 07.45 Monday - Saturday VHF 72



Ham Nets

European Maritime Mobile Net – 14297 kHz at 1900 UTC

UK Maritime Mobile Net -- 14303 kHz at 0800 and 1800 UTC

Trans Atlantic Net – 21400kHz at 1300 UTC

US Maritime Service Net -- 14300 USB

South African Maritime Mobile Net - 14316 USB sometimes switching to 7120 USB - 0630 UTC (Sam the net controller is happy to communicate with non hams via email www.sailblogs.com/member/southafricanmaritimemobilenet/

Caribbean Maritime Mobile - 7.250MHz Mon-Sat 1100 GMT weather at 1115 (informal net now that George in the USVIs has sadly passed away)

That's great Bill, thank you will give it a go this summer.

https://youtu.be/_8KSKaPQqns


Best wishes,
Charles
Charles L Starke MD FACP
s/v Dawnpiper

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starke - 5/1/2019

https://youtu.be/_8KSKaPQqnsBest wishes,CharlesCharles L Starke MD FACPs/v Dawnpiper

Charles

That's great - thank you for responding.  Odd that during my Google search it didn't come up with any YouTube videos but there are loads and some of them seem very good too.  Must have used the wrong search terms and I have to admit that, being a tad old fashioned, I was thinking book or pdf but the videos will make it much easier.
Airwaves here I come
Cheers

Chris 

T L Sparks CDR
Icom IC – M802 Made Simple for Cruisers: Hand Book for Starting the Dream

Excellent book. (On Amazon or Sparks web site)

Best wishes,
Charles
Charles L Starke MD FACP
s/v Dawnpiper