Cruiser's Network
04 October 2010 | Grenada
Carl
Networks take on many forms, and cruisers have been no exception as we've found numerous ways of finding and sharing information with fellow cruisers on a variety of subjects in our travels over the past years. In several places we've found an organized Cruiser's Net on a specific VHF radio channel every morning that passes along safety and security information, weather and local information along with social and cultural events or just letting us know who's new in the area and who's moving on. We normally leave the local "cruiser's channel" on all of the time in case we need or hear of another needing assistance. When our portable generator decided to take a vacation yesterday I put out a call on the cruiser's channel and got several responses back with previous experiences, offers to come have a look at it, and one cruiser sharing his electronic copy of a shop manual for this model of generator.
I still haven't fixed the generator yet but have eliminated several possibilities, and when you don't have the funds to bring in a techician this is the method of repairing the problem where I can learn the system at a minimal cost.