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We are currently on our annual three month cruise.

I like, or did like to use Coastguard CH.20/21 for met forecasts and their nowcasting service to see what wind there actually is blowing around the place.

As everyone who uses the service will know, vhf reception is pretty marginal in many bays and coves around the Gulf - why can't Coastguard invest a few bucks in repeaters? But that's not the issue. The issue is that the bad reception necessitates listening to repeated cycles of the broadcast to get the forecast given that the transmission constantly drifts in and out with boat movement at anchor. And, therefore, how intensely annoying it is to be constantly bombarded with coastguards unending advertising which I am sure anyone who uses the service can recite verbatim. I think it's a safety issue in that people will get so peed off that like me they will find an alternative for weather and actual conditions, in my case predict wind, and since we access this via phone or tablet will not use the vhf and therefore be less likely to file a trip report, if you do such things..

I wrote to Coastguard with my concerns about their non stop advertising and surprise, surprise, didn't even get a response. As of march, I will be a former member.

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This was posted on the Coastguards Facebook page 13th January

We’ve been made aware of some reception issues with our popular Nowcasting service on VHF channel 20, which affects the area from Kawau Island north to Waipu Cove (and including Little Barrier Island). We’re working on getting this fixed as soon as possible.

 

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Coastguard is a great organisation, and I will always be a member while I own a boat.

 

However, I agree re constant listening required on radio. My wife hates it so much, I'm basically not allowed to use it, even if I wanted to. The coastguard app is the way to go if there is reception for it.

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Hi Chris,


Thanks for your message, and we’re glad you’ve had some good use out of our Nowcasting service.


 


We’re sorry you can’t get reception at the places you frequent. We take great care to ensure that coverage is maximised, while still working within the constraints of being a charitable organisation. Repeater positioning is given careful consideration prior to deployment, and sites are selected that offer the best transmission possible for marine users. Despite this, NZ’s rugged and unique coastline does often result in areas of reduced coverage or even dead spots. We generally have a good awareness of any such issues, but if you know of specific problems we urge you to contact us on 0800 BOATIE (262 843).


 


Lately we have been experiencing reception difficulties with some of our repeaters affecting the area between Kawau Island and Waipu Cove (and including Little Barrier Island), hence the Nowcasting service on VHF channel 20 is out of reliable service in that area until further notice – we’re working to get this fixed as soon as we can. In the meantime please note there are alternative options to get weather information; in particular live weather broadcasts several times a day on Coastguard channels (click here for info), and the Coastguard mobile phone App (as Clipper mentions below) are two examples that supplement our Nowcasting service.


 


As Nowcasting is a Coastguard initiative, and Coastguard is a non-governmental charity that relies on its members to help provide the services we do, the advertising is there to get key messages across to boaties. However we welcome feedback about the content and frequency of broadcasts, please email us at info@coastguard.org.nz with your concerns (we don’t recall receiving a complaint of this nature previously – which email/address did you send your comments to?).


 


As always when you head out, we’d encourage you to continue radioing your TRs in – it’s a small message to make that could save a lot of time (and potentially you or your boat) in an emergency.


  


Thanks again for your comments, enjoy your cruise.


 


Kind regards,


Mike @ Coastguard


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We travelled a lot between Tauranga and the Bay of Islands over the last 3 weeks and used the coastguard app extensively, I was surprised how good the cellphone coverage is now, apart from a small black hole near Cape Colville it was pretty much available the whole time. The predict wind observations are also great for tracking the trend of wind speed and direction. I tuned into the now casting on the VHF a couple of times but was a pain in the arse compared to using the app.

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Hello Mike @ Coastguard.

Thank you for your reply. I emailed you through the 'contact us' on your website on the 12th Jan, and got an automated acknowledgement response on the 14th.

Were I to continue to use your vhf service, I would gladly pay a little more on my subscription if it meant a cessation of advertising. To be honest, since your ads are repeated hundreds of time a day, I think that by now if listeners have not become members, got their new for old lifejackets or joined the incredible team, then they ain't going to!

I did not know that you had repeater difficulties, however I would point out that many of the bays at Waiheke's bottom end, as well as Te Kouma have very patchy reception.

I don't file TRs for a variety of reasons.

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I'm with you all above, sick of hearing about someone relocating to the next bay so on a trip along the coast I just leave the vhf on 16 otherwise is turned off.

I just use the coastguard app or more often the observations on predict wind as you can bring up the graph of what's happening which gives you the trend which is the most important thing.

I'll see if I can add it

image.png

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I heard someone make a TR leaving Te Atatu and going to Westpark. I was astonished at the number of people making TR's. I guess that's a good thing. But CG radio was none stop receiving TR's. So I was wondering, do they have a computer system that they log it all on and then it flags a late TR? Because one morning I heard a guy apologise that he had missed cancelling his TR from the previous evening and I was puzzled as to why CG had not been trying to call him. Of course there may be more to the story that I have not been witness to that makes sense as to why they did not try contacting him.

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We were sailing back from the Barrier just after NY without the engine propulsion due to a blade falling off, I put in a trip report explaining that we were going to Westhaven for repairs and that I may need assistance closer to Auckland. To my surprise, just off the Container terminal I heard them calling for us. I informed them of my plan with the Westhaven Marina pick up boat and they thanked me for organising it and wished me the best of luck. Quite good I thought, do they have a lookout around there as it seemed they were watching us approach?? 

Happy to have some keeping an eye on us though!

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Not us, we sailed from Nagles Cove area. Interestingly, after 2 and a bit days of wind and rain we got to about 3 miles out, the wind dropped and the sun started shining - we escaped the weather god of the Barrier!

 

As we followed GBI coast toward Colvile, we also got Sun and a light wind behind, then it picked up to a lovely breeze from behind and hardly any Sea state. It was beautiful......till we run out of shelter from behind GBI. Another Boat was sailing and catching us fast, but stayed closer to GBI and then from the end of GBI, lined up the Mercs and passed us just as we reached the Mercs. Probably a slightly better angle to not be rolled around like we had by passing closer to Coromandel. Local knowledge can be a real bonus.

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No idea how it seized - had been making a bit of rattly noise prior to big bang. Luckily owner had already semi decided on a new motor so had money put aside for this. Talking to Westhaven staff, they had to assist a lot of boats in with engine problems this year - maybe a function of most boats now being 20 to 30 years old as are the motors (and freezers).

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Have just received a very nice reply from Coastguard about the amount of advertising on CH 21.

In it she said that it is certainly not Coastguards intention to irritate boaties, and the level of advertising is up for review this week.

May I suggest that if you find the advertising counter productive to the nowcasting service, that you give them a short email via their website.

It sounds that they may be amenable to public opinion.

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