05 Dec. 2012

 

Rovon, Harvey Prior's vessel, had her maiden voyage as a Coast Guard Auxiliary Facility 05 Dec. 2012. The coxswain, Roger Montembeault, crew Harvey Prior, Tom Loughlin, Roy Bertke & Walter Murray. There were 2 Coasties from the Navigation Center, Alexandria Va., CWO 2 Lou Baytan & CWO 3 Marin Kazcmar aboard with their testing equipment. The mission entailed adding another signal for Differential GPS in the Port of Tampa area from Cape Canaveral. Differential GPS is an enhanced mode e.g. regular GPS would bring you within 200' as opposed to Differential GPS to within 2 feet.

Our mission was to run a pattern so CWOs Baytan & Kazcmar could perform testing with Cape Canaveral. It required us to go 50 miles west to Lat 27 45.05 Long 083 40.00 establish comms with Cape Canaveral. After successful testing we proceeded south 30 miles to Lat 27 25.05 Long 083 40.00 perform tests then 50 miles east to Lat 27 35.04 Long 083 00.07 into the Port of Tampa shipping channels. All the testing proved successful. Coast Guard Cutter Alligator was positioned to act as a relay station for our comms since we were out of VHF range.

We then headed north back to Station Sand Key to refuel and then terminate the patrol at the Clearwater Marina. It was a long day approximately 9 hours and 160 miles underway. The weather held throughout the day and we were able maintain approximately 25 to 30 knots. Rovon offered many amenities to make the mission more enjoyable, AC in the salon, 2 heads, 3 berths , 4 flat screen tvs and a roomy bridge that could accomadate all very comfortably.

It was another team Coast Guard effort and successful mission.

Bravo Zulu