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"A Family Tradition for 125 Years" 7 Ing c. 1991 by CRAIG NICHOLSON - All Rights Reserved \. ACCESSORY REVIEW: THE COMMUNICATOR Lately I have seen several local sledders with strange attennas on the sides of their helmets. These were attached to a small black box with "The Communicator" stamped on the side, which has proven to be the most convenient new safety accessory of recent years. | tried one and was impressed. Manufactured by a Canadian company, Collett Electronics (1-800-665-7888), The Communicator allows you to talk with your companions without having to stop. Having already tried several different voice-activated headsets, I was skeptical. They had each proved unsatisfactory for snowmobiling due to varying conditions of poor reception, low temperature sensitivity, fragility and/or transmitting problems caused by wind and engine noise. The Communicator overcomes more of these problems than any other headset. My initial concern was that the apparatus would be awkward or insecure. Neither proved to be the case. The little box that attaches to the left exterior side of any helmet is so light as to be unnoticable; it is attached by both a sturdy spring clip that snaps onto the lower helmet rim and a velcro fastener. They withstood branch whipping, helmet dropping, freezing rain and being gnawed at by a curious pup. If you decide to use the included earphones, there is very little other installation involved, but putting the helmet on and off can be awkward. Opting for the accessory helmet speakers will make them a permanent helmet fixture, but alleviates both the inconvenience and possible discomfort of the ear plugs. I recommend the helmet speakers as being much easier on the ears over the long run. The battery pack is separate so that it can be clipped or carried near your body warmth to prolong battery life. The six AA batteries last a long time, but as I became more dependent on communicating, I began to carry spares just in case. Rechargables cannot be used since the six that will fit in the pack don't have sufficient power to run the unit. Operation takes some getting used to. The system is voice activated and only one person can talk at a time. I've found that shorter messages are more easily understood, and that the use of "over" when you're finished signals that it's the listener's turn. Singing or whistling to yourself can be embarrassing, but now you wont miss those deer that everyone else is always seeing. More than one Communicator in a group of sleds can be tricky, since the odds of "cross talk" increase and it's difficult to I.D. each speaker. The best orientation is to go for a ride to _ test operations before you start trail riding. The advantages of The Communicator are obvious. In the majority of situations, the range is more than adequate for the leader and snowmobiler riding drag to talk. So there is no longer an excuse for those annoying items when someone wants to stop, but can't get anyone's attention, or a machine breaks down and front riders cruise merrily off into the sunset. From a safety aspect, the lead machine can report back on upcoming trail conditions, unexpected stops and oncoming traffic; my wife particularly likes this feature and rides with more confidence knowing what's ahead. The Communicator requires some adjustments. Your spark plugs and perhaps spark plug wires may have to be changed to resistor types to eliminate engine interference. If you are riding with several Communicators in the group, any one machine with improper plugs or wires can cause uncomfortable static as do overhead wires or low batteries. The mouth piece microphone must be tight against your lips to avoid wind interference and until you get used to this, transmissions may be garbled. The speaker must learn to maintain a constant and sufficient voice volume so that the voice activation mechanism stays on for the entire transmission. You can't whisper or mumble, or trail off at the end of sentences or you'll lose it. And no interrupting, please! At $169.95 each, The Communicator is an expensive accessory, but one upon which more and more snowmobilers will come to depend for additional enjoyment and safety on the trails. In a sport which carries the rider far into the wilderness with machines and helmets which preclude easy communication, it could even be a lifesaver. Plus it's fun! There are two other things to remember. If you don't order early in the season they may be sold out. And you can't be the only person to buy one. For local snowmobiling information call the Cartwright Dyno's Snowmobile Club at 416-986-5603, The Port Perry Snowmobile Club at 416-985-7824 or the Heart of Ontario Snowmobile Club at 705-432-2880. ) Community News Ideas? Call the Port Perry Star = 085-7383 PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, February 11,1992 - 25 * Val Priebe, is on his way to British Columbia to take part in a once in a liftetime experience. Mr. Priebe, of Caesarea is one of more than 30 riders taking part in the1600-mile Alaska Chal- lenge Snowmobile Safari. Pictured with Mr. Priebe is Willy Houthuys of Willy and Son Small En- gines who is sponsoring Mr. Priebe on his trip. Please see story for more details. Celebrating Alaska Highway's 50th birthday Local resident to take part in 1600-mile snowmobile trip By Kelly Lown Val Priebe, has set out for the ride of his life. The Caesarea resident will be one of 35 snowmobilers taking part in the 1,600-mile Alaska Challenge Snowmobile Safari. An ad in Supertrax magazine recruiting participants caught his eye and that was all he need- ed to sign up for theevent. The endurance run is part of the celebration of the 50th anni- versary of the Alaska Highway. Mr. Priebe left on Feb. 7 for British Columbia. On Saturday, Feb. 15, Mr. Priebe along with his cohorts will set out from Tumbler Ridge, B.C. and begin their three-week trek to Fair- banks, Alaska. Mr. Priebe will be riding his 1992 Polaris 440 Indy on the trp. Riders in this event will aver- age 100-150 miles per day along the cross-country route which boasts some of the most beauti- ful scenery in North America. Mr. Priebe, a member of the Cartwight Dyno's Snowmobile Club has been snowmobiling since 1968 and although he has never been on aride of this mag- nitude he does not foresee him- selfhaving any problems. "I've been on many snowmo- bile trips before, and 1 have travelled more than 200 miles in one day," he told the Port Perry Star. One such trip was in 1979 when he and a group of friends snowmobiled to Quebec and back. As for the communities he will be seeing on this trip many are not new to him either. He has been to the Yukon and to Alaska, but, "not in the winter, and not on my snowmobile," he added. The trip begins in Tumbler Ridge, at the skirt of the Rocky Mountains, and the riders will arrive in Fairbanks on March 1, as long as conditions co-operate. A decade ago Tumbler Ridge had no roads, buildings, or streets, but today itis a bustling miningcommunity. Tumbler Ridge also has onc of the finest snowmobiling re- sources in North America, may- be the world. [Klevation ranges between 3,000 to 6,000 feet and any kind of terrain imaginable is await- ing the riders. Many of the chal- lenging mountain sides are fit- tingly named such as "The Terminator". The Ridge Runners Snowmo- bile Club of Tumbler Ridge are the organizers of this event. Highlights of the trip will in- clude a welcoming party at Tumbler Ridge, a visit to the Li- ard Hot Springs and the Yukon . Rendezvous'92 opening ceremo- nies in Whitehorse. Other stops will include Daw- son Creek, Fort St. John. Buck- ing Horse River J,odge, Fort Nelson, Toad River, Watson Lake, Teslin, Destruction Bay, Beaver Creek, Tok, and Delta Junction. The shortest day of riding will be from Dawson Creek to Fort St. John, a 48- mile trip on the second day, and the longest is from Watson Lake to Teslin, a 192-mileride. Most of the ride will be ditch- line which is rugged so some ar- eas will be bypassed. Some are- Bowling Tuesday Night Mens Feb. 4 Congratulations to Glenn Squires and Bob Farmer. They won our league's Hi-Lo Tournament and will go on to represent our league in the upcoming House Hi-Lo Championship. Team Standings: The Creative Basket 17, Guardian Drugs 14, Trader Sam 12, XL. Gas Bar 7, Port Perry IGA 7, Bruton's IDA 6. High Single: Glenn Squires 266. High Single With Handicap: Jeff Haugen 291. High Triple: Glenn Squires 666. High Triple With Handicap: David Booth 731. * 215 And Over: Rick Farrington 215, David Booth 246, John Criscione 229, 237, Glenn Squires 266, Gerry Louvelle 253. Phil Brown 220, Jeff Haugen 259, Gary Reis 217, Bill as along the way will have marginal snow coverage, while others will have deep powder with very little base. ) The riders pay a $3,000 entry fee. Willy and Son Small En- gines of Port Perry and Polaris have paid a $1,000 portion of Mr. Priebe's fee as sponsors. The fee includes the rider's lodging, return transportation to Dawson Creek, mechanics to assist with repairs, support ve- hicles, trailers and equipment, medical support, fuel and oil, food, travel, gas, and activites. All the rider is responsible for providing is a new model snow- mobile, sleeping bag suitable for -5 C weather and riding gear and clothing suitable for tem- peratures aslow as -30C. The participants are broken up into groups of 10 riders, each consisting of a leader and clean- up rider who will be equipped with radios. As an avid snowmobiler for more than 20 years Mr. Priebe should be more than able to handle the trip. He said he has put more than 1,000 miles on his machine in Scugog this year alone. results Ruesink 257, Steve Zaporozan 241. 600 And Over: David Booth 644, John Criscione 624, Glenn Squires 666, Bill Ruesink 639. TENNIS CLUB MEETING Nominations and Elections of 1992 EXECUTIVE Tuesday,February 18, 1992 8:00 PM Emiel's Back Room THE CLUB'S FUTURE DEPENDS ON ALL MEMBERS