Sorry, a network mishap emptied my post just now.
I researched this buoy comms question a little and came to the conclusion I couldn't just put the buoy on a cable due to signal attenuation, because I wanted 300 feet of line. ROVs obviously have some way around the problem, but I'm not sure what their solution is. I was shooting for a VHF antenna in the buoy, which would be on coax cable instead of a line.
When I gave up on cable, the line was a challenge too. I wanted to keep the buoy small and with 300 feet of line it turns into a big bundle pretty easily. So the line had to be very thin, but I didn't want it to be flimsy. I found the best compromise at an online skydiving supply vendor. I'm not a sky diver myself, but I can see how they have similar requirements for their canopy lines; thin but strong. The canopy line I got there is 1/16" yet takes 1000lbs. Communications are by through-water comms. My approach assumes a surface support vessel to handle the comms. If I were doing this for an ocean going, independently operating sub like Ian's, Peter's or Carsten's, I would look at a float with an epirb built into it and a VHF antenna. But on boats of that size one would have more leeway for thick cables and whatever hardware was needed for the communications. Put a phone on the buoy maybe?
As a final detail, since the buoy is a cylinder I used CD labeling software to print round labels that go on the ends, explaining what the buoy is and what to do if found.
Alec
From: Smyth, Alec
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 10:34 AM
To: 'personal_submersibles@psubs.org'
Subject: