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Not a lot more substante comments I can add, the comments are well done on both side of the issue. But, installing our SSB was a fair amount of headache! Routing all the conterpoise, finding a place for the antenna (No, we don't have a backstay), finding a suitable antenna, mounting the head unit (ICOM m802), mounting the unit, finding a good place for the antenna tunner (AT-140), finding the proper antenna wire, finding the correct wire to route from the unit to the tunner...
Now, it was kind of cool to be able to check in with Cruiseheimers and all, but it really is more useful for folks that are REALLY out there. Now, once when we hit Turks and Caicos we checked in at Sapodilla Bay. If you know it, you know it is in the backside of nowhere! There's pretty much a commercial customs port and a few houses. VHF didn't raise anyone. Well, we wanted to get a rental car, but had no way to contact anyone!!! No phone boths, borrowing a phone at the customs office was out. We ran into a guy (Jerry from Laventura ?) He had a sat phone. We looked up a couple rental car places from the cruising guide, they came and picked us up!!! At that point, I was convinced that I wanted a sat phone, instead of a Pactor modem. If necessary, people can get ahold of you on the sat phone. Nobody ever tried to reach us via the net.
I would not however, use the satphone for surfing the net. Too expensive. I'd still find the internet cafe and do most of my uploading and downloading there. The problem with Winmail, the Ham, free version is. NO BUSINESS can be conducted. You shouldn't use it to even contact the office to ask the status. Okay, enough, there is lots of discussion available here and on other threads.
Fair winds,
Keith
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