INFORMATIONS

Handy stuff you'r always looking for !

 

Plastics Temperatures Deg C

Demolds

Lower Process

Orientation

Upper Temp

ABS

85

127

138

205

Acrylic

85

149

163

219

Acrylic/PVC

80

144

144

205

Polycarbonate

138

169

177

205

Polyethersulfone

204

274

294

371

Polyethersulfone, glass filled 20%

210

280

294

383

Polyethelene, high density

85

127

133

221

Polypropylene

125

132

138

194

Polypropylene, glass filled

91

91

138

232

Polysulfone

163

191

213

302

Polystyrene

85

127

135

182

Vinyl, rigid

66

105

119

155

Vinyl, rigid foam

72

116

127

177

 

Current Capacity of PCB tracks 0.035mm thickness

0.25mm 0.8 Amps

0.38mm 1.2 Amps

0.50mm 1.5 Amps

1.27mm 3.2 Amps

2.5mm 6.0 Amps

RS232 Data per cable length

Maximum Data Rate (bps)

Maximum Length)

2,400 (2.4K)

120m (400ft)

4,800 (4.8K)

60m (200ft)

9,600 (9.6K)

30m (100ft)

19,200 (19.2K)

15m (50ft)

38,400 (38.4)

7.5m (25ft)

57,600 (57.6K)

5.0m (16ft)

115,200 (115.2K)

2.5m (8ft)

There are approximately 44 phonemes in English

           

Vowel Phonemes:

        
           

PHONEME

EXAMPLES

        
           

a

cat

        

e

peg

bread

      

i

pig

wanted

      

o

log

want

      

u

plug

love

      

ae

pain

day

gate

station

  

ee

sweet

heat

thief

these

  

ie

tried

light

my

shine

mind

oe

road

blow

bone

cold

  

ue

moon

blue

grew

tune

  

oo

look

would

put

    

ar

cart

fast (regional)

      

ur

burn

first

term

heard

work

or

torn

door

warn (regional)

    

au

haul

law

call

    

er

wooden

circus

sister

    

ow

down

shout

      

oi

coin

boy

      

air

stairs

bear

hare

    

ear

fear

beer

here

    
           
         

Consonant Phonemes:

        
           

PHONEME

EXAMPLES

        
           

b

baby

        

d

dog

        

f

field

photo

      

g

game

        

h

hat

        

j

judge

giant

barge

    

k

cook

quick

mix

Chris

  

l

lamb

        

m

monkey

comb

      

n

nut

knife

gnat

    

p

paper

        

r

rabbit

wrong

      

s

sun

mouse

city

science

  

t

tap

        

v

van

        

w

was

        

wh

where (regional)

        

y

yes

        

z

zebra

please

is

    

th

then

        

th

thin

        

ch

chip

watch

      

sh

ship

mission

chef

    

zh

treasure

        

ng

ring

sink

      

Beaufort
Force

Wind Speed
(KmPH)

Wind Speed
(MPH)

Indicators

Terms Used in NWS Forecasts

0

0-2

0-1

Calm; smoke rises vertically.

Calm

1

2-5

1-3

Shown by direction of wind smoke drift, but not by wind vanes.

Light

2

6-12

4-7

Wind felt on face, leaves rustle; ordinary vanes moved by wind.

Light

3

13-20

8-12

Leaves and small twigs in constant motion; wind extends light flag.

Gentle

4

21-29

13-18

Raises dust and loose paper; small branches are moved.

Moderate

5

30-39

19-24

Small trees in leaf begin to sway; crested wavelets form on inland waters.

Fresh

6

40-50

25-31

Large branches in motion; whistling heard in telephone wires; umbrellas used with difficulty.

Strong

7

51-61

32-38

Whole trees in motion; inconvenience felt walking against the wind.

Strong

8

62-74

39-46

Breaks twigs off trees; generally impedes progress.

Gale

9

75-87

47-54

Slight structural damage.

Gale

10

88-101

55-63

Seldom experienced inland; trees uprooted; considerable structural damage occurs.

Whole gale

11

102-116

64-72

Very rarely experienced inland; accompanied by widespread damage.

Whole gale

12

117 or more

73 or more

Very rarely experienced; accompanied by widespread damage.

Hurricane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phonetic Alphabet and morse code

 


 

Spoken as

Morse

 

Spoken as

Morse

A

Alfa (or Alpha)

. _

N

November

_ .

B

Bravo

_ . . .

O

Oscar

_ _ _

C

Charlie

_ . _ .

P

Papa

. _ _ .

D

Delta

_ . .

Q

Quebec

_ _ . _

E

Echo

.

R

Romeo

. _ .

F

Foxtrot

. . _ .

S

Sierra

. . .

G

Golf

_ _ .

T

Tango

_

H

Hotel

. . . .

U

Uniform

. . _

I

India

. .

V

Victor

. . . _

J

Juliett

. _ _ _

W

Whiskey

. _ _

K

Kilo

_ . _

X

X-ray

_ . . _

L

Lima

. _ . .

Y

Yankee

_ . _ _

M

Mike

_ _

Z

Zulu

_ _ . .

The Barometric Scale

Standard air pressure at sea level is 1013.25 mb. The highest air pressure recorded was 1084 mb in Siberia. The lowest air pressure, 870 mb, was recorded in a typhoon in the Pacific Ocean

To compare air pressure at different elevations, weather observers must correct for the effect of altitude by adding the air pressure that would be exerted at sea level. For example, if air pressure measures 840 mb at an elevation of 1,000 meters above sea level, the measurement adjusted for sea level is 1,020 mb. Without correcting for air pressure at sea level, the air pressure on the top of Mt. Everest is near 300 mb

pressure. Air pressure varies with altitude; it is always lower at high altitudes, regardless of weather. Cool air is less dense than warm air because there are fewer collisions between air molecules. This results in lower air pressure. For example, 500 mb of air pressure occurs at a lower altitude for cooler air. Warm air expands, so 500 mb of air pressure is found at higher altitudes. 500 mb of air pressure in Canada would likely occur at a lower altitude than in Mexico.

Pressure Equivalents:

1 Atmosphere (as a unit of pressure) = 14.7 psi = 34 ft water column = 76 cm/Hg

= 29.92 in/Hg = 1.013 bar = 1,013 mbar

1 bar = 1,000 mbar = 14.5 psi = 29.53 in/Hg = 0.9869 atm

1 psi = 27.68 inches water column = 2.036 in/Hg = 6.859 kPa

1 kPa = 1,000 Pascals = 0.1458 psi

You will lose roughly 1 psi for every 3 feet of elevation your fuel line rises above the fuel pump. Or, if you have gravity feed, a drop of about 3 feet is required to produce a pressure of 1 psi.

actual values of atmospheric pressure vary from place to place and from hour to hour. At sea level, commonly observed values range between 970 mb and 1040 mb. Because pressure decreases with altitude, pressure observed at various stations must be adjusted to the same level, usually sea level

Air blows from regions of high atmosphere pressure ("highs" or anticyclones) to regions of low atmospheric pressure. In a high-pressure system, air pressure is greater than the surrounding areas. This difference in air pressure results in wind, or moving air. In a high-pressure area, air is denser than in areas of lower pressure. The result is that air will move from the high-pressure area to an area of lower density, or lower pressure. Conversely, winds tend to blow into low-pressure areas because air moves from areas of higher pressure into areas of lower pressure. As winds blow into a low, the air can be uplifted. This uplift of air can lead to the development of a depression with clouds and rain.

Air moving from high to low pressure does not however, follow a straight-line path. In fact, the air moving from high to low pressure follows a spiralling route due to the rotation of the Earth beneath the moving air, which causes an apparent deflection of the wind to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere

"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!"

There is no sound in all of maritime experience that can raise the hair on the back of your neck like the sound of your radio crackling those dreaded words. There is no doubt about the meaning, and no reason to waste time having to interpret the intent. Someone is in serious trouble on the water.

Mayday calls, as every boater should know, have priority over any other type of transmission, emergency or not. There are two other recognized emergency calls, both having lower priority than Mayday. One is Pan-Pan (pronounced pawn-pawn), used to alert other vessels to situations that may pose a serious risk to persons or vessels. An example of Pan-Pan might be an urgent storm warning, or a loss of steerage in a shipping lane. Of even lower priority is Security-Security (pronounced securitay-securitay), which warns nearby vessels of hazardous conditions. An example could be a buoy "off station" and afloat in mid-channel.

But Mayday is an expression of grave and imminent danger.

It is the lifeline running from vessels and their passengers and crew, to rescue assistance under the most dire circumstances imaginable. The gravity of the situation leading to the broadcast requires that those intercepting the signal know how to react, and know the emergency procedures that must be followed during and following such a broadcast.

If you're ever in the position of having to place a Mayday call, here's the procedure to follow:

1. Make sure your radio is set to broadcast on VHF channel 16, or 2182 kHz SSB.

Then state each of the following (everything important in an emergency call should be stated three times):

2. MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY (always three times)
3. Your vessel's name and call sign three times
4. Your position (lat and long if possible) three times
5. The nature of your distress (medical, fire, sinking, etc.)
6. The number of people on board (or "P.O. B.")

Then listen for a reply. If you don't get one, keep repeating the entire process until you either get a response or have to abandon ship.

When and if you reach the Coast Guard, they will probably request additional information while enroute to your location, such as your vessel description, whether all on board are wearing PFDs, and the survival gear on board. Remember, the most valuable information you can give them is location, location, location.

If you are monitoring the emergency channel -- and you are required to do so -- and hear a distress signal over your radio, monitor the broadcast and take down all the details, but do not respond immediately. Wait 60 or 90 seconds to see if the Coast Guard or a vessel closer to the scene responds. If you monitor no response after that time, then establish communications with the distressed vessel, or issue a "Mayday Relay," broadcast three times, followed by your boat's name and call sign. The only times you are prohibited from broadcasting are if you are interfering with rescue communications from another source, or if the Coast Guard or other station has issued a "Silence" (pronounced seelonce). If a seelonce is issued, it will be rescinded at the appropriate time by the broadcast "seelonce finee" (seelonce finis, silence finished), at which time normal transmissions can resume.

It is because of the grave danger posed to the rescuers as well as the distressed, that more and more false Mayday perpetrators are being prosecuted, with very significant fines and prison time. When a false Mayday call is broadcast, several things happen, and none of them are good.

First, communications systems spring into action. The Coast Guard and vessels that hear the Mayday begin broadcasts to attempt contact with the vessel they believe is in trouble. If, and this has happened, another vessel requires assistance during this time, they may not be able to be heard because of the traffic generated by the hoax call. Secondly, the Coast Guard may launch aircraft or search vessels, often under dangerous wind or sea conditions. This puts the rescue assets at risk unnecessarily. In either case, the person who perpetrates such a hoax is placing other lives in peril, and must be prepared to suffer serious consequences when caught.

You might want to consider laminating an emergency broadcast checklist and keeping it near your radio. I know you know how to make an emergency call for help, but in case you're incapacited in the emergency, it would be helpful to whomever grabs the microphone to properly deliver the message that could save your life, save your life, save your life

Clothing

First of all, you need to think about the color of your clothing and your life jacket.  There won't be as many boaters out on the water at this time of the year to see you if you should fall in the drink, so you want to be as visible as possible to those that might be out there, or to someone on shore.  Blaze orange is great.  If I saw something blaze orange bobbing around in the water, it would catch my attention.  On the other hand, if you're wearing a hunter's camouflage vest, it will probably appear to be just another grouping of choppy waves in the dark water.

Wear a warm, brightly colored hat, too.  If you fall into choppy water, it may be the only part of you that will be easily seen.  If you don't have a bright hat, at least wear a warm hat.  Most of your heat loss will be out of your head and neck, so a hat or hood will be very important in body heat conservation.  Extra minutes can mean the difference between yielding to hypothermia or being rescued.

Cotton clothing is great, as long as it's dry.  Cotton absorbs water like a sponge, and when it's wet, it loses its ability to trap air and keep you warm.  If you fall into the water wearing cotton clothing, you might as well be skinny-dipping.  On the other hand, low absorption fabrics such as polyester, polypropylene, or even wool will work to keep you warm when you're wet.  Pound for pound, polypropylene is twice as warm as wool. It dries out quicker, and it doesn't soak up much water.  The only bad thing about synthetics that I can think of is that they melt when exposed to heat.  So don't use a blowtorch to light your cigar.

Another thing you can do to help stay warmer is to dress in layers.  Not only does it enable you to vary your cover as the temperature and wind changes, but also air is trapped between the layers.  When your body heat warms that trapped air, it provides good insulation.

HP

KW

  

2

1.5

  

5

3.8

50m^2 sail @ 20km.hr wind

10

7.5

  

15

11

  

28

20

  

30

22

  

40

30

  

50

37

  

60

44

  

75

56

  

80

60

  

90

67

  

100

75

  

115

85

  

130

97

  

140

104

  

150

112

  

200

150

  
 

Speed/Length ratio Cp for displacement hulls

1.0-------------------------0.52

1.1-------------------------0.54

1.2-------------------------0.58

1.3-------------------------0.62

1.4-------------------------0.64

1.5-------------------------0.66

1.6-------------------------0.68

1.7-------------------------0.69

1.8-------------------------0.69

1.9-------------------------0.70

2.0-------------------------0.70

* Eric Sponsberg *