Get Another SSB or Go for a Sat Phone ?

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by skipmac

True BUT for those of us still trying to top off the cruising kitty (and buy a new main, and new AP, and new engine, and new SSB / Sat phone, and ....) look at the options.

1. Dress up, drive through rush hour traffic, sit in office staring at blank walls while talking on phone and sending emails. Repeat daily for X more years and maybe go cruising before I'm senile, lame or dead.

2. Go now. In the morning put on shorts, fix coffee, sit in cockpit looking at some beautiful tropical lagoon while talking on the phone and sending email.

Think I will choose door number 2.

I was talking about the type of sat system you could afford if you won the lottery one where just the tracking system for the internet satellite costs several $1000...(if you paid a tech to install it by the time it was all complete, before you even fired it up your cost would be more than I have paid for my boat). Both SSB and sat phone have really inexpensive and mind bogglingly expensive equipment available, at present cost of operation of a SSB wins hands down over the sat phone.
I am on a really tight budget myself....while my mast is out this winter I will get the SSB antenna wired so when I can afford the SSB I am ready....as far as sat phone, I would suggest to anyone they wait till the prices drop (if you want an inexpensive sat phone you can get Globestar GSP-1600 in a pelican case on e-bay for <$200 sat phone in a pelican case with all the accessories).
I am severing my land ties to be able to get away from phones and will have an occasional e-mail...the sort you do on "sailmail" (SSB)

[wolfenzee]

I run into (and hear alot about) alot of world cruisers here in this corner of the world , most have SSB and a few have sat phones, but all the ones that have sat phones also have SSB.

[goboatingnow]

I'm a ham operator so MF/HF is a hobby and I like the gear. But for a simple non tech solution that just works then satphone is a great solution. Effective throughput is better then pactor. Both equipment is avaiable on the second hand Market ( I bought my iridium 9500 for $300 dollars on eBay). SSB installation is quite complex if it is to work well whereas satphones work out of the box.

The downside is the operating cost of satphones, how ever if you need a simple trans world comm system it's a winner

Dave

[boatman61]

So can I assume absolete is now obsolete.....

PS; Pigeons are pretty damn good for messages as well..... replies are a bit dodgey tho'

[aychbawdy]

Yes, when the Feds bought the then valuable Salmon licenses, BC, Canada.....much
serious HF and quasi ham gear went on the market. Was beautuful equip. kenwwod all bands, with auto tuners...about $ 5000 plus antenna. most went for 1/5 it's value.

I moved on the used market too slow. Drillers working in Inuvik with an Icom ten watts HF, talk to Telus by Vancouver at sundown (I think) great gear but ionosphere
can screw thing up.

But how dare a call interupt Corona and hammock time.

[Jim Cate]

G'Day all,

It seems pretty simple to me: for one-to-one specific communication the sat phone wins every time. For wx data gathering, etc, both systems work well, although running costs are far higher for sat phone and reliability is lower for SSB. But there are some things that the phone can't do at all> For instance, you are a couple of days from landfall, you get on a net and see if there is anyone listening where you are going and you get on-scene advice/data/info from someone that you never had even heard of, and whose phone number, if any, was not known. Or, you have a problem with some wanky boat part, and again can solicit advice from an audience of fellow cruisers and/or land based operators... and so on.

Here's an analogy: when you have a boat question, do you do better phoning your brother-in-law (or whoever) on the sat phone or posting the question here on CF with it's vast pool of "experts"?

So, it's clear that the sat phone can offer a real service to a cruising sailor, but to dismiss HF communications as obsolete or useless is silly and narrow minded.

Cheers,

Jim (N9GFT/VK4GFT)/MM

[donradcliffe]

From the notice of race for the 2010 Route de Rhum race (France to Guadeloupe):

15- RADIO

All Yachts shall be equipped with:
- A satellite telephone with a fixed external antenna. The external antenna must be installed
in accordance with the instructions for use of the product. All non-conforming installations
will be refused.
- A 56 channel VHF radio with a minimum power rating of 25 watts.
These devices must be in perfect working order and installed in such a way as to avoid any

possible deterioration

[meyermm]

Cost is the determining factor I think in all this, Sat phone is great but cost is not and most long term world cruisers have a limited budget. To be able to send multiple emails, down load grib files etc at minimal cost SSB still wins out but a back up sat phone only for emergency would I think be the way to go as the next step if it is in the budget. My very short contact with sat phones proved more expensive than it first appeared with little extra bits appearing on bills. It was a while ago so I am unable to recollect more information.

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

From the notice of race for the 2010 Route de Rhum race (France to Guadeloupe):

15- RADIO

All Yachts shall be equipped with:
- A satellite telephone with a fixed external antenna. The external antenna must be installed
in accordance with the instructions for use of the product. All non-conforming installations
will be refused.
- A 56 channel VHF radio with a minimum power rating of 25 watts.
These devices must be in perfect working order and installed in such a way as to avoid any

possible deterioration

If in a group. where everyone has a sat phone and every one has each other['s # and everyone has a "racing budget" it would make sense for everyone to have sat phones.

[wolfenzee]

please note this is an very rough analogy:
"which should I get engine or sails.....both are a form of propulsion.engine gets me there faster and is easier to use, put is pricier to operate; sail takes me places ,provides experiences and allwows me to meet people that power doesn't....hmmm why not get both
"which should I get sat phone or SSB"....both are a form of telecommunication, sat phone connects mt to the other end faster is easier to use, but is much more expensive to use...what you learn. experience and people you meet over a SSB is not possible with a one-to-one connection like a phone...hmm why not get both.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

[B]

From the notice of race for the 2010 Route de Rhum race (France to Guadeloupe):

15- RADIO

These devices must be in perfect working order and installed in such a way as to avoid any possible deterioration

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Gosh, I'd like to have these guys install ALL my electrics! "avoid ANY POSSIBLE deterioration!!! Sounds really good... maybe!

Cheers,

Jim

[wolfenzee]

Before this thread I was debating which to get....this thread and the reactions of people responding to it have helped me to realize the benefits of each as well as both....each offers something over the other and neither fully replaces the other.,,,I will eventually get both.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I'll choose door number 3.....
Go now. In the morning, fix coffee, sit in cockpit looking at some beautiful anchorage/lagoon and revell in the uninterupted peace and quiet Knowing I cannot be reached....

But you can - i might be anchored next to you

One strange thing in this thread is that it seems to be assumed that either ssb and/or satphone is an absolute must have to crossing an ocean.

Caribbean to UK I had a sat phone, mainly through cost and easy of install. that is no install But only as I thought me mum might worry.

But there are downsides, gribs i don't like very much offshore, they take your eye off the ball as you start to believe the little wind arrows in you're own little area, weatherfax is much better, without gribs you look at the big picture.

And herb as well, great additional info but there seems to be a lot of reliance on others or technology, you're on you're own out there, get used to the idea and get on with it!

But rant over, as to the actual thread....... I went satphone route, the monthly fee is the killer, time away from mobile coverage or cybercafes is minimal, with the monthly fee and the cost of emails uploads to blogs offshore i could probably have installed a decent ssb system. Next time I'll certainly go that route.