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Keith
Joined: 07 Mar 2000 Posts: 104
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Posted: Mon May 01, 2000 5:46 pm Post subject: Bodega Sensor |
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Hi Professor
We understand your frustration, after all the wind should be free, however we think you are unaware of the history behind those wind reports being free.
The sensor, electronics and phone line are not being provided by a federal facility. They are all the property of Call of the Wind.
At all the other Call of the Wind sensors people have to pay a fee to access the phone reports unless they are a web or pager member in which case it is free.
So why was the phone service free at Bodega? Heres the story: Four years ago, when Call of the Wind was a one man business, Jim Martin was approached and asked if we could get a sensor at Bodega. (The existing sensor from another private company charged 45 cents a report which was automatically deducted from your credit card and we had learned the hard way about reports from the Coast Guard personnel) Jim agreed to install a Call of the Wind sensor.
The problem was that the installation required digging 500 feet of trenches and placing conduit though ground cover, below sidewalks and through walls. Since we wanted the sensor 12 local windsurfers volunteered to do the grunt work. So on five Saturdays we all showed up with shovels and hoes and spent a hard day digging, laying conduit, drilling below sidewalks while Jim did the electronics.
Jim was so impressed with our enthusiasm that he promised all who helped 1 year free phone access to the sensor. Then after thinking about it he decided to give EVERYONE free phone access. Well somehow that one free year turned into 4 free years. We think you would agree that is no way to run a business!
Now 4 years later Call of the Wind has to face reality. The sensor has to call the Call of the Wind computers every 20 minutes long distance to Ventura California. That is big phone bill over a year. In addition in a marine environment the sensors dont last forever and the $1200 sensor unit has failed several times.
So if you think about it, you have gotten a really great deal. The 12 of us did all the grunt work. Call of the Wind paid all of the expenses. And you and all of the rest of us got free wind reports. If the sensor report gave me ONE good day a month at Bodega it would pay for itself in fun and gasoline saved. If it gives me two good days a month Im making a profit!
We hope you agree. If not you can always ask the Coast Guard personal to give you a wind report. However we think you will quickly learn why all of us wanted an objective sensor...the guys there have better things to do and their reports reflect that.
Thanks for your comments. - iWindsurf Support Team |
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