Satphone & HF for Ocean Crossings?

[barnakiel]

Yes it is difficult to get side by side comparisons. I sailed boats with FB and ones with OpenPort too. Now ask me which is better!

From what I gathered from the web, there seems to be no advantage in IsatPhone for data - we know it works and those who used it say it is no way faster than Iridium.

My observation from using Iridium without compression services is similar to yours - it is a pain.

Perhaps one can find a pay per volume solution out there that will make the transfer speeds issue less burning?

Cheers,
b.

[Erik de Jong]

We have a Globalstar sat phone, we bought it new for $466 with a one year contract of unlimited calling, texting and emailing data for only $39.95/month (my regular cellphone costs more!). A one time only connection fee is necessary which was around $45-$50.
We have no SSB (we're not really interested in the talk shows at sea) and do not miss it either, we get our emails, weather and ice info delivered to our inbox whenever we want. I found it very reliable in the 9 months we have used it now.

[Islander]

Just cancelled my Isatphone service as it went from $14.95 per month to $39.95 per month.

Cheers.

[cat man do]

$2500 vs $500, no real contest in my eyes.

Sat calls are hideously expensive but I reckon you'll only have it connected on the cheapest plan while on passage and then get a data sim for your normal phone or laptop dongle at destination.

[Albro359]

Sailmail email over SSB suits me fine. The big issue with satphones is that they are expensive to run..SSB is free (virtually) apart from the modem and the sailmail subscription.
BIG advantage of SSB is everyone can hear you if you're in trouble. In our part of the world there a re a number of nets you can get onto..Namba Net, Rag of the Air, Russell Radio etc, that keep track of yachts at sea, pass on messages, give weather analyses...also the wide range of text weather f;casts and grib files you can get via sailmail is incredibly useful. The only thing that is better is BGAN Inmarsat and thats big $$$s fro the hardware and BIG $$$s per Mbyte....so unless you want to call your friends all then timewhen you're at sea, I'd forget the satphone.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Albro359

Sailmail email over SSB suits me fine. The big issue with satphones is that they are expensive to run..SSB is free (virtually) apart from the modem and the sailmail subscription.
BIG advantage of SSB is everyone can hear you if you're in trouble.

Really?
SSB?
Like these for $300?



NEW GALAXY DX 959 AM-SSB CB RADIO 27MHz POWERFUL 4WD CAR TRUCK SIDEBAND DX959 | eBay

Forget that, I'm sure you must mean HF/SSB for $3500

https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_i...tAbsolutePage=

[goboatingnow]

You have to love people who keep telling you SSB ( properly called HF) is "free". Costs up a new SSB setup , with antenna, and a Pactor modem and then compare it to a new iSatphone. You buy a shedload of minutes with the difference.


Dave

[Albro359]

When I bought my ICOM710 it was about $1600...there were no real satphones then...but anyway...do what you like...why should I care...

[AllanR]

Some thoughts for consideration.

HF radio is far from dead. HF radio sales around the world have leapt over the last ten years, since natural and man-made disasters made it clear that sophisticated satellite and shore phone systems are not very resilient. And that satellite phones create big monthly bills, which works against the desire/need to communicate in order to get information to help yourself, or to help others.

Maritime authorities, search and rescue operations, natural disaster relief groups, aid agencies, small commercial vessels, met offices and the military utilize more HF/SSB radios now than they did ten years ago.

The official communications system for maritime distress and emergency response co-ordination, used by all the official Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCCs) around the world, continues to be based on HF/SSB radio. If you plan to make offshore passages and do not have a Marine HF/SSB radio on-board, you are not linked into that system.

The free communication features of HF/SSB make it especially attractive for cruising in company or maintaining self-help skids amongst cruisers crossing oceans. Yes, there are fewer maritime stations on the air these days - serving the needs of big commercial vessels - but that has actually freed up the HF/SSB frequencies for yachts and other small-craft to use. Your HF/SSB radio will help lower cruising costs and improve cruising safety, for you and others.

The fundamental operating principles of HF/SSB radio and satellite phones are at two extreme opposite ends of the spectrum. Satellite phone calls are designed to make someone a lot of money from your need to communicate. HF/SSB radio calls are designed to be free. Satellite phone services are based on private point to point calls; so fees can be charged and profits can be made from your need to communicate. Marine HF/SSB radio is based on the broadcast feature that allows everyone to listen to updates about weather, where to get cheap fuel, port entry procedures etc, requests for advice about equipment problems in mid ocean or requests for a spare part from another yacht; for free.

If satellite phones are the only comms system available for general or search and rescue operations, it may be necessary to dial hundreds of sat phone numbers to ask if they have the info or parts, or are nearby to a vessel in distress; and pay a lot of money to do it. Asking via the HF/SSB radio can be done once, with everyone listening simultaneously, and it costs nothing.

When someone needs help mid ocean or in a beautiful isolated anchorage, communication via satellite phone means making decisions about how much money you are willing to spend to help them. What's your budget for satellite phone fees to help another mariner in distress, or who is being chased by a suspicious boat, or needs a spare part from another boat to stem the water leak mid ocean?

Communication via HF/SSB radio to help other mariners - as you'd like them to help you if the need arises - does not require additional money mid ocean. You communicate for free. So helping others needs far less consideration.

Check these webpages for more info:

Brunei Bay Radio - Cruising this side of the world

Brunei Bay Radio - Marine Communications for cruising this side of the world; Pacific & Indian Oceans and SE Asia

Brunei Bay Radio - A marine communications solution for cruising the Pacific & Indian Oceans, and SE Asia.


Happy cruising.

[Erik de Jong]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You have to love people who keep telling you SSB ( properly called HF) is "free". Costs up a new SSB setup , with antenna, and a Pactor modem and then compare it to a new iSatphone. You buy a shedload of minutes with the difference.


Dave

My thought!
I looked at installing SSB with modem and the whole nine yards. It appears that I have unlimited calls, texts and emails for the next 22 years to the break even point, not counting the fact that for the SSB crab you also need to pay $xx for having a sailmail account, licence, registration etc.

[Sabbatical II]

Can we use the HF radio for picking up public broadcasts like the BBC World service?

[Hud3]

Yes, indeed, the BEEB and much, much more. And you can get AM radio stations, too. I recall listening to a station in New York City one evening down in the Grenadines.

[Erik de Jong]

But that is something you can do with a very simple $100 SSB receiver. You do not need a heavy sender to do that.

[matauwhi]

G'day, mates. FYI, for those that do wish to pursue the HF/Pactor option, this one might still be available from the listings on EHam. Cheers.
eHam.net Classifieds Pactor PTC II Price reduced

[conachair]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You have to love people who keep telling you SSB ( properly called HF) is "free". Costs up a new SSB setup , with antenna, and a Pactor modem and then compare it to a new iSatphone. You buy a shedload of minutes with the difference.


Dave

Well will take a few years to know for sure but going the ham route at a rough guess from previous real world iridium costs 2, or 3 years easily, will cover the install. That's ignoring the phone cost itself. Then there's the benifit of a much better receive system for weatherfax etc.