| HOBART, TAS, AUSTRALIA-(29-12-2002) Signallers from the Army’s 110 Signals Squadron have played an important, behind-the-scenes role in the 2002 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, looking towards the future of race radio communications.
Three signallers, together with two Cruising Yacht Club of Australia volunteers, have spent the duration of the Race at Green Cape on the Far South Coast of New South Wales, assessing the quality of radio communications with the yachts, monitoring the twice-daily position reports and also talking by radio to a selected group of yachts.
A special frequency (6516 kHz) was allocated this year to the Race so as to avoid interference from other operators. This interference has always been a problem in long ocean races. However, the new frequency also suffered interference from another frequency close by. (6250 emanating from China).
In addition, the Sydney Hobart Race boats that participated in the trials, communicated with the Army Radio Station on other selected frequencies at pre-determined times to measure the effect of the frequency change and distance.
The six boats in the trial, Brindabella, Broomstick, Chutzpah, Krakatoa, Merit Navigator, Ichi Ban and Pippin, were supplemented by other boats that used the Army Radio Station to test their reception.
The Signals Squadron team used four different antennae and a variety of high-tech military radios to survey the strength and clarity of voice radio reports, from the start to the finish of the 630 nautical mile race.
“The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is very pleased to have the assistance of the Army in this important project which will set the basis for future communications between the fleet and Race Control,” said Alan Green, a Race Committee member.
The CYCA and the Army will analyse the data from the Army Signals Squadron’s project at Green Cape which, in the case of the Rolex Sydney Hobart, could be an ideal position for a mobile land base.
Looking to the future, the CYCA is examining the role of the radio relay vessel and the future use of mobile land stations.
“This report will be distributed to all major yacht clubs in Australia to enable even greater efficiency of marine radio communications during an ocean race, of which there are many in Australia each year.”
For example, in addition to the Sydney Hobart Race, the CYCA each year conducts long ocean races from Sydney to Mooloolaba and the Queensland Gold Coast.
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