Radar Up and Running

Soldering the Radar Cabling

I am writing this blog entry off line on the laptop computer at Pachuca's navigation station while I watch the radar image on the C120 display as the scanner goes round and round.  I am to test the unit all night and then visit Electronica Naval tomorrow to settle accounts if all has gone well.  But getting the radar to work was not easy and I got to see first hand the company's “can do” philosophy in practice. 

The technicians were supposed to arrive sometime in the morning so I occupied my time by putting in an hour into another Spanish lesson then dragging out a large bag out of the forecastle full of damp and musty clothes from the passage to La Paz.  The bag itself had that damp and clammy feel characteristic of salt in the fabric so I emptied it and washed in and rinsed it well in the jetty.  I then packed most of the clothes into the duffel bag for a trip to the laundry.  [Lesson learned: the clothes packed in plastic bags fared well whereas the clothes in an ordinary bag got damp and musty.]  I washed two red shirts, three wool beanies, and a couple of other items by hand and hung them up to dry.  By then it was noon so I decided to walk up to Edison St to drop the clothes off at the laundry and check in with Electronica Naval on the way back.  At Electronica I was told to expect somebody between 2PM and 6PM so I headed back to the boat. 

On the way back I visited Club Argentino about accommodation for the boat over winter.  The office of Club Argentino is in another part of town so I've had to deal with Luis who speaks no English.  I've been able to understand what he says but have not had enough mastery of the Spanish language to ask questions.  He told me that the administration was firm in their position that I would not be given a slip beyond the 90 days in this country that I have been granted by the Aduana.  He knew that I could extend my stay for another 90 days and visit Uruguay and return to start the visa cycle again, but he was adamant.   What I wasn't able to ask him was whether if I got a 90 day extension the club would allow me to stay longer.  This was important because my 90 day visa expires on 17 May, and it just isn't worth moving the boat to their club for that short a time. 

On the way back to the boat I dropped into Martha's office here at Club Nautico and explained the situation.  She immediately offered to telephone Luis and act as interpreter.  I was delighted, of course.  The outcome was that the club would very likely allow me to stay longer once I have received the extension of my visa from the Aduana.  On that basis I plan to move the boat to Club Argentino in the inner boat harbor on 24 March, the end of my rent at this slip.  Brenda will arrive on 10 April but we must plan our touring around the necessity of my being in Mar Del Plata on, say, 10 May to give me time to deal with the Aduana.  I was told that the 90 day extension is a formality but technically I must be prepared to leave the country at the expiry of my visa. 

Part of the reward of traveling is the experience of how other societies do things.  Everywhere else I've visited, commercial entities such as hotels and marinas have not been concerned with my legal status in the country.  That's between me and the government.  Here things appear to be different.  For some reason Club Argentino has bought into the question of my legal status in the country.

At about 2.30 PM two young men arrived at the boat.  One of them had been the one who removed the radome from the mast.  Arnold had made a great suggestion that the cable entry to the radome be sealed with silicone sealant so I produced a tube of it with a rag and asked him to use it.  He didn't understand me correctly and his initial response was No, but when I explained with various gestures that it was for the cable entry he agreed.  They mounted the radome, connected the C120 display, and the radar did not work.  After some effort the technician discovered that a section of the cable inside of the mast had been compromised: the outer sheath had been cut with  an inch or so of wires exposed, and two of the wires had been cut.  I let them know that the cable was in its own conduit inside of the mast that had been specially put in at great expense to me.  Afterwards we agreed that the breach must have occurred where the cable exited the conduit at the top.  My conclusion was that a new cable would have to be swapped in.  They thought different.  He wanted  to solder the two wires, 30 ft up the mast, in a 13.5 knot wind according to my instrument.  He asked if I could provide a 220V lead to reach up to the radar so that he could use his soldering gun.  To his surprise I said Yes and pointed to the cables that I had joined to supply power to the boat.  I pulled the plug out and he seemed doubtful.  He asked if it was 220V and I said Yes, it was Argentino power.  That guy then went up the mast pulling up the power cable behind him and managed to solder the wires.  I was amazed.  A test was done and the radar worked.  He sealed up the radome and gooped the cable entry with silicone sealant.

But then the radar failed the next test.  This caused 20 minutes of doubt and turmoil (in my head anyhow), but the young man seemed sure of his work up top and focused on the connection into the C120.  And so it was.  Not only has the plug to be rammed home, a collar must be turned to screw the cable in tight.  (I could have told them that because I had removed the cables.)  Once the connection was in tight (“apretado”) the radar began to work OK.

I told him that I had expected a cable swap but he told me that it would take too long to bring in a new cable. I contrast this to Hawaii, where the cable was swapped out under warranty with no question whatsoever about repairing the existing cable, which had no visible evidence of damage.  After what I've learned about what can be done here in out-of-the-way Mar Del Plata, I'm beginning to suspect that the modern “swap” culture may have  less to do with economics and more to do with laziness, lack of training and skill, and the knowledge that they can stick it to the client.

I then visited the steering station and showed them that the autopilot seemed to be working OK.  That reminded him and before I knew it he produced his own tube of silicone sealant and sealed the back edge of the display as well as the cable entry.  (Thanks, Arnold.)

They left at 6 PM asking me to test the radar to my satisfaction then visit their offices the next day.

Then I hurried on foot to the laundry about 1 mile away which had asked me to get my clothes at 6 PM “mas o menos”.  I knew that I'd be late but her “more or less” clause gave me confidence that the laundry would still be open at 6.30 PM, and so it was.  On the way back I knew that the foot bridge would be open to boats and closed to pedestrians so I humped the laundry on my back around the harbor and to the boat.  [Curious hours of the footbridge.  The bridge is unattended, open to boats and closed to pedestrians, 6AM-8AM and 6PM-8PM every day except Mondays, when it opens to pedestrians at 10AM instead of 8AM.  These hours are not posted at the bridge, so I have Alberto to thank for asking.  Alberto, by the way, sailed out yesterday for La Paloma in Uruguay.  He expects to be back in about 20 days.  I gave him a bottle of  good red wine  as a farewell gift.] 

By the way, we got power back on the jetty on the evening after my report to Martha.  The next day I made a point of reporting the happy outcome and thanking her for her help.  She told me that a breaker had tripped out.  I know the location of the box containing the breakers so next time I'll help myself.

I ran the radar all night with no problems.  In the morning I powered the C120 off for a few minutes then brought it up again and the radar started up with no problems.  However, I am not able to see any AIS targets which is surprising because I would expect a few ships in the area to be transmitting AIS data.  The transponder is working OK and if there is a problem the only cause that I can think of would be the connection of the NMEA cable at the back of the C120.  [I checked the NMEA cable connection and it was good.]  I'll mention this to Carlos.  I'll also try to get information from Carlos on the possible cause of the radar cable break and how robust the patch is. 

Only time will tell how durable the repairs to the autopilot and radar will be.  Carlos's people have put in an amazing effort and I have nothing but praise for them, but as with any such repairs it will take time and a some stress testing under heavy sailing conditions to completely restore my confidence.