KKL Radio
Vashon, Washington
47-22-15N
122-29-16W
Listed in the Admiralty List of Radio Signals
KKL Radio
PO BOX 13223
Burton, WA 98013
Sean Malone
Tel: 206-200-5551
kklradio@gmail.com
Walter E. Kaelin
Tel: 408-348-9735
Fax: 240-235-3655
wek1235@gmail.com
KKL Radio provides
messaging, email, radio-telephone calls,
and weather reports. We are here to serve. Our rates
are competitive. The service is
personal and confidential.
KKL is a member of the Swisscom HF Maritime Radio Network. KKL Radio now offers HF data services on 4015.0,
8182.0 and 13173.0 kHz.. Please call for more
information.
Further Information:
National Weather Service Marine Product Dissemination Information
Articles:
Saving Money with HF Communications!
By
Walter E. Kaelin
Introduction:
All Ships larger than 100
BRT have to carry two kinds of communications systems by
international agreement. This is often accomplished with a
Satellite and High Frequency Radio system. Today, it is possible
to have a safe and reliable data communications system over the
existing HF radio on a worldwide basis using the Swisscom HF Maritime Radio Network.
1. How is it
done?
The existing HF
radio is interfaced with a special modem that can handle the very
difficult and often changing conditions of HF. Ships can roam to
any of the stations on a worldwide basis for their email
transactions. An ALE (automatic Link establishment) box searches
for the best available station and channel and delivers and
retrieves the subscriber mail automatically on a preset time. If
the mail manager provided is used, files of up to 500 kB can be
transmitted at the present time. All this is done quite
efficiently and typically at a saving of about 50 % compared to
satellite connectivity.
2. What is required
shipboard?
The ALE box has to be
installed by a qualified person and interfaced with the ship HF
radio set. Presently available onboard computers can be used with
a mail program (E. G. outlook express), for instance laptops or
an interface to an onboard Ethernet network can be provided.
Multiple Email addresses can be used with the mail manager
software. Installation costs are quoted separately for each
vessel.
The ALE box includes a Linux
server with built in Pactor III Modem, Pentium 4, 600 MHz min.
and 512 M Byte RAM. 40 Gigabyte Hard drive, Ethernet port 10/100,
Serial Ports to access the frequency control of the HF
transceiver, an interface to Inmarsat Fleet satellite as well as
GSM, GPS and optionally Iridium. Also provided is a Web interface
for ship control and management, to access crew mail, Weather
data, ALE and receive the traffic list, SSAS capable. The power
supply is 24 V DC.
3. The embedded
Pactor modem.
The Pactor II modem
with the Pactor III firmware upgrade is simply the best HF modem
available today. It uses a high powered DSP for two dimensional,
orthogonal pulse shaping with a transmission capability of up to
3600 bps. The maximum Bandwidth of 2200 Hz is used and so
ordinary, modern HF radio sets can be utilized with conventional
IF filters. Six different transmission speeds are selected in a
highly adaptive manner depending on the particular HF
condition.
4. What is the cost of
the hardware and connectivity?
The ALE box is presently
sold at $3705.00 and the cost for 100 kB is $6.50. Note that
there is no charge for time used, only for bytes
transmitted.
5. How many stations are
there worldwide?
At present we have 7
stations worldwide with 2 more in the last few stages of build
out. See Swisscom HF Maritime Radio Network.
6. Is there roaming
between the stations?
Yes, a vessel signed up with
one station can roam automatically roam to any station and send
and receive their mail.