SSB radio resources for Atlantic crossing E-W

[chris14679]

We are looking to cross the Atlantic from east to west around November to December. Sold my satphone a couple of years ago and not keen to buy a new one.

On previous passages I've wasted a huge amount of time trying to establish Satphone data connections and get grib forecasts. Looks like satphone data will get much better and cheaper with increased competition within a few years so I'd rather wait before buying another one. I'm keen to go back to Ssb for now if it's still viable.

In the South Pacific we always had great SSB voice nets with good weather info (especially gulf harbour radio) plus we could get weather fax from Australia and NZ.

I'd really like to go without a satphone this time, most likely crossing from Canaries staying in the tradewinds. Info for the area Portugal to Canaries would be useful too.

I'm struggling to find recent, first hand details of Ssb resources such as voice nets and weather fax on this route. With the increasing popularity of satphones I'm not sure which ssb nets are still operating or whether they have enough users to be useful. I much prefer the social and safety element of knowing which other boats are in the area rather than the expensive satphone.

can anyone who crossed recently or listens in on the nets and hears who uses them at sea advise:
-when do they operate
-how good is the reception and what area does it cover (bearing in mind the current sunspot situation so recent experience only please)
-how formal/informal is the net, topics, who is usually on it, where are they located?
-what weather info is available
- times and frequencies
-is medical advice available
-are there enough boats using the net to relay messages from afar?

We can get weather fax by plugging a laptop into the ssb headphone socket so info on sources, reception, range and quality of weather faxes would be useful.

I don't have a pactor but info on data connections might be useful to others.

Thanks!

[chris14679]

Well, this topic has been a bit quiet!

Surely someone must be running an SSB net for the Atlantic this year? We are planning to leave the Canaries in mid November, any other boats going round then want to set one up?

In addition to any public nets it would be great if someone could PM me the "secret" times and frequencies for the ARC net so we can listen in for weather info, or even have some excitement rescuing an ARC boat in distress.

[belizesailor]

Crossed NYC-Bermuda-Azores in May/June. I was responsible for all comms & weather.

There are a number of active nets which cover the Atlantic: Chris Parker, Doo-Dah, Cruiseheimers, ... all discussed in this article:

http://www.oceannavigator.com/May-Ju...io-net-formed/

Net frequencies/schedules lists on Dockside site:

http://www.docksideradio.com/east_coast.htm

NMF (Boston) broadcasts radiofax for the Atlantic. Details here:

https://ocean.weather.gov/shtml/atlsch.php

[CarlF]

I got rid of my Satphone and got an InReach. When I got a new boat I didn't bother installing an SSB or Ham radio again. Just didn't use it that much since it was always a struggle. I couldn't count on it.

The InReach always works. Since it only sends 160 character messages it never "drops" a call like a satphone. $50/month for unlimited email/sms. No GRIBS but several weather routers will send text forecasts to an InReach. I find the $1 Inreach seven day marine forecast is all I need in most situations.

A lot of people also love the Iridium Go. $150/month for unlimited data and phone calls. Much better than the old Satphones.

[Paul L]

Buy a used Pactor modem, there's one listed on CF now. Then use winlink or better get a Sailmail subscription. Then you can download gribs and text forecasts daily or when you like.

[chris14679]

I'm more interested in communicating with the community of other boats on the same route. I now have a satellite device to get weather data but that's no substitute for the observations and cameraderie of the boat in front of you. Thanks for the replies but most of the SSB resources posted are out of range here (Lisbon) and only cover the Caribbean side. I'll have a go at connecting to the trans atlantic net but I'm sceptical that we can use it from over here, the frequency seems a bit low to get this far.

I understand that often the yachts crossing organise a net between themselves without a shore station, just want to know if that's happening this year and who is doing it?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by chris14679

I'm more interested in communicating with the community of other boats on the same route. I now have a satellite device to get weather data but that's no substitute for the observations and cameraderie of the boat in front of you. Thanks for the replies but most of the SSB resources posted are out of range here (Lisbon) and only cover the Caribbean side. I'll have a go at connecting to the trans atlantic net but I'm sceptical that we can use it from over here, the frequency seems a bit low to get this far.

I understand that often the yachts crossing organise a net between themselves without a shore station, just want to know if that's happening this year and who is doing it?

The resources listed are routinely accessed all over the Atlantic, not just the E Carib. I was recently able to receive/transmit on all of them while crossing from NYC to the Azores. The boat continued on to Lisbon and continued use them on that route as well. Actually in Lisbon reception might not be so good due to all the Urban RF interference...especially if you are in a marina.

If what you are really looking for is a net amongst boats transitting the Atlantic then that is the purpose of the TransAtlantic net.

If you dont want to use an existing net, then create your own. You could post here and other forums for boats crossing at the same time who want to participate.

On the Bermuda-Azores leg of this recent trip, there were a large number of boats which departed Bermuda about a day ahead of us (mostly OCC members). We caught up with them and hailed one in visual range on VHF. They were all mostly listening to Chris Parker too, so we created an impromptu net of just this group of boats around his net times. Kept it going until just before landfall in the Azores.

These sort of local nets can be useful for local wind/current observations (the Gulf Stream eddies get really erratic as you move farther E along 40N so local obs are useful) and for safety. One boat was getting low on fuel (they went a bit too far E and got into the Azores H too soon) and others stood by ready to assist w spare fuel.

[chris14679]

Just to update this... We tried the transatlantic net a few times but couldn't hear anyone. In the last week of the crossing we picked up Chris Parker calling for his subscribers after the trans atlantic net but he got no response from our sector (we are not a subscriber). We couldn't receive him for the first 2 weeks of the passage. We were a bit earlier than most other boats but from our experience it seems the trans atlantic net is not operating any more. The arc fleet were too far behind us and anyway we didn't find out the time of their net. We ended up relying on the iridium and missing out on corresponding with other boats crossing the Atlantic. Such a shame nobody is organising ssb nets for the Atlantic any more. Hopefully the pacific ones are still going strong. Gulf harbour radio was good.

[atoll]

useful list of freqs here
Marine HF SSB Radio