HF Radio V Sat Phone

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by fxykty

You can’t do any business messaging on SSB.

I believe that this restriction only applies to the amateur frequency bands, and not the marine bands.

[beetle]

Originally Posted by Antipodean2

We are planning a trip from Queensland to Solomon Islands later this year. My yacht has a old HF unit a Codan , not suitable for upgrading and thinking about replacing the Radio and tuner.

The marine Tech has asked us to consider another path Iridium Go.

What are you looking to do with either (or both) pieces of equipment (e.g., what's your purpose in carrying an HF rig or a satphone?).

Once we know what you're looking to do with the gear, then relevanr recommendations can be made.

- rob

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Davidhoy

I believe that this restriction only applies to the amateur frequency bands, and not the marine bands.

My mistake, thanks for the clarification. Are there any capacity restrictions in using marine SSB + Pactor for email and other data purposes?

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by fxykty

My mistake, thanks for the clarification. Are there any capacity restrictions in using marine SSB + Pactor for email and other data purposes?

Sailmail (Marine SSB) limits you to 90 minutes per week, so a faster modem may be worthwhile. There are no restrictions on business-use of the Sailmail system. Sailmail isn't the only outfit providing marine SSB email services, but I am not familiar with those time constraints (if any).

Winlink (ham SSB) is not to be used for commercial purposes, and while there are per-station time limits I don't think they are as restrictive as those of Sailmail.

Ham PACTOR is limited to PACTOR-3, which is slower than the Sailmail-supported PACTOR-4.

[Antipodean2]

Thanks for everyone's input and knowledge.
My current HF is a old crystal frequency with manual antanea tuner, it works but it is limited to set frequencys.
My main use will be for the HF or Iridium Go is weather fax /grib files, communication, emergency.

If I upgrade the HF and Tuner, is there a need for the pactor modem, if you have the Iridium Go?

My other concern is with HF there is no guarantee some one will hear or answer , either from atmospherics or just no one listening in this area of the world.

How does one find the schedule times and frequencys for Radio nets .

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Antipodean2

...

How does one find the schedule times and frequencys for Radio nets .

Google for the area that you’re looking for. I’m not familiar with AUS to New Cal specific nets but Gulf Harbour Radio in NZ covers anyone from NZ (and I can’t imagine why not AUS) heading to or from the islands. MetBob also has a good directory of nets.

But since many boats are now using Sat phones (well, Iridium Go, which is more of a sat data device) and/or InReach units many radio nets are shutting down through disuse. There are still cruiser nets in the Western Pacific if chatting with folks is something you like to do on passage. Google will find them, as will some of the older blogs.

Otherwise, just use the sat phone/Go for gribs and weather and messages to/from your router and enjoy being off the social hamster wheel while on passage.

Iridium is rock solid almost anywhere on the planet, including polar regions. Deep fiords can be a problem, but that’s also the case for MF and HF.

[Emouchet]

Energy management with the Go is a big saver too. HF while xmit is a amp sucker.

[SoonerSailor]

Originally Posted by Emouchet

Energy management with the Go is a big saver too. HF while xmit is a amp sucker.

The duty cycle of that power draw is low with HF, so actual amp-hours used is also low. Not much of a consideration on most cruising boats.

However, the M802 continues to draw power while turned off to keep the ovenized crystal oscillator warm and receive DSC calls, so that can add up over 24 hours, unless you actually cut power to it.

[beetle]

Originally Posted by Antipodean2

My main use will be for the HF or Iridium Go is weather fax /grib files, communication, emergency.

For communications via email the GO is tough to beat for convenience - I use mine for almost all email, wfax, and weather downloads through SailDocs as email attachments.

Setting up the GO is not super simple, give yourself at least 3-4 days to figure out what it can do and how to integrate it into your onboard communications. You will want to setup a compression/email management account - usually SailMail, XGate, or similar - to handle the dropped connections as satellites orbit by overhead. You will also want an external antenna so you can mount the GO belowdecks and safe, a computer set up with an email client that Iridium GO will work with (there are a few, but not many, that are GO-certified), and keep your 'smart' phone safe and charged with the GO apps installed.

I am a SailMail member, and use the account for purposes of maintaining connection to my private email via AirMail's ShadowMail (that's what Jim called it).

For cruiser-related SSB/HAM nets, there are many out there, and if you want to talk to the other folks around you to find out what's happening, where you can find parts, ideas of things to do - the SSB/HF radio is the tool of choice. I use my Icom M802 all the time for that kind of thing - I have a HAM general license as well, useful on the HAM nets.

Originally Posted by Antipodean2

If I upgrade the HF and Tuner, is there a need for the pactor modem, if you have the Iridium Go?

You only need the Pactor modem for managing email traffic; if you're going to use the GO for that purpose then you don't need Pactor for HF voice communications.

Originally Posted by Antipodean2

My other concern is with HF there is no guarantee some one will hear or answer , either from atmospherics or just no one listening in this area of the world.

How does one find the schedule times and frequencys for Radio nets .

Sure, happens all the time - sometimes you can get through, sometimes you can't. Same can happen with Iridium, though rarely - sometimes it just won't work, happens more often near tall things that block the signal (buildings and narrow fjords come to mind).

To find the radio nets, use a search engine and look for HF and SSB nets in the area of interest.

- rob

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Davidhoy

I believe that this restriction only applies to the amateur frequency bands, and not the marine bands.

An often misunderstood limitation is that ham radio cannot be used for any commercial purpose. In fact, it can under the following limitations - not for pecuniary interest on a regular basis and not for profit in lieu of available commercial alternatives. The difference may seem subtle but generalities as this one are typically wrong.