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View Poll Results: What best describes the long-range two-way communications systems you have on board?
HF-SSB is my primary means of long-range communications. 16 23.53%
I use a combination of HF-SSB and two-way satellite communications. 10 14.71%
I have two or more separate two-way satellite communications devices (such as Iridium Go plus InReach) (describe in comments) 10 14.71%
I use a handheld Iridium voice phone such as a 9555, 9575, or Extreme PLUS a permanently installed dock and external antenna 2 2.94%
I use a handheld Iridium voice phone such as a 9555, 9575, or Extreme WITHOUT any permanently installed dock or antenna 2 2.94%
I use a permanently installed Iridium voice phone such as a Lars Thrane LT-3100 0 0%
I use a self-contained handheld text-only device such as Garmin InReach 10 14.71%
I use a bluetooth-tethered handheld text-only device such as Zoleo Satellite Communicator 1 1.47%
I use Iridium Go! 7 10.29%
I use Inmarsat or VSAT 1 1.47%
Even though I make multi-day passages away from VHF and cellular I have one-way signalling only (EPIRB, PLB, etc) 3 4.41%
Even though I make multi-day passages away from VHF and cellular I have no long-distance signalling or communications equipment of any kind 1 1.47%
I use carrier pigeons, moon bounce, troposcatter, LF marine telegraph, or some other method not listed above (explain in comments) 0 0%
My cruising life keeps me close to civilization so I don't need long-distance communications 5 7.35%
Voters: 68. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 12-12-2022, 06:56   #46
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

I agree with this view. Seems that HF on a boat is dying slowly. Maybe a good back up, however, a back up with limited utility and very costly to install.
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Old 12-12-2022, 07:09   #47
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

I just bought Starlink RV. You get Hogg spew internet anywhere. ! Works really well in Caribbean
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Old 12-12-2022, 07:14   #48
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

20 years ago we started cruising with an Icom SSB, pactor modem and Iridium 9505 with a data kit.

We used the SSB quite a bit but getting email and weatherfax was painful. We kept the iridium as backup and didn’t end up using it because of the cost, the initial 200 minutes of credit expired over the first year before we had the chance to use it!

But, if I was leaving offshore today I would only install satellite gear. If the boat happened to have SSB then I would use it for voice nets but that’s about it.

Our current coastal cruising in Croatia we have just a 4G Wi-fi hotspot router with an unlimited data plan. Works much better that relying on your mobile phone or marina wi-fi
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Old 12-12-2022, 07:51   #49
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

I have a Garmin InReach, and Iridium Go, as well as Starlink RV as of this summer. These, in addition to the occasional use of mobile phone have provided me with full coverage on the West Coast of Canada. Mobile phone coverage north of Vancouver Island is almost non existent, and VHF coverage is spotty.

Since installing the Starlink this summer, it has not had any material interruption in service and provides all of the communications that I need. Mostly download speeds in excess of 100Mbps.

I'm comfortable with the coverage of three separate systems for communication and weather information so it makes traveling remotely seem weirdly comfortable.
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Old 12-12-2022, 07:52   #50
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

With the low costs and capabilities of HF SSB Amateur Radios, it is moot to argue against having one. One can easily get on the air with a very basic setup for $700. The cost can be what one is willing to pay as there is lots of good options and approaches, but a great setup capable of excellent SSB voice, peer to peers digital communications, and HF emails for obtaining for obtaining such things as WX gribs would cost only a few $100s more. AND with no subscription fees!

For example, here is a link to my blog describing my sailboats HF set up: S/V Johanna Rose: myHF.

Best bang Set-Up for the Buck:
* Yeasu FT-891 (Yeasu makes the Standard Horizons Marine Radios) and
* SGC SG-237 (or much lower cost SG-239 if you can find one as they were recently discontinued)





In short, one only needs a good HF transceiver(i.e. the ssb radio), and an antenna (either low cost cut to length wire or a long wire, like a backstay, and an antenna tuner). There is no need for running copper foil counterpoises along the hull. Just run the antenna ground to an under water thru-hull for the best performance. Add a computer such as a simple laptop or the highly affordable raspberry pi and one can use the plethora of digital mode communications including receiving emails and simple WX faxes. No need for buying an overpriced Pactor modem, hams have developed software modems with great performance (like VARA HF).

The only catch is one needs to get an amateur radio general license.
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Old 12-12-2022, 07:54   #51
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It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

Quote:
Originally Posted by dreuge View Post
With the low costs and capabilities of HF SSB Amateur Radios, it is moot to argue against having one. One can easily get on the air with a very basic setup for $700. The cost can be what one is willing to pay as there is lots of good options and approaches, but a great setup capable of excellent SSB voice, peer to peers digital communications, and HF emails for obtaining for obtaining such things as WX gribs would cost only a few $100s more. AND with no subscription fees!



For example, here is a link to my blog describing my sailboats HF set up: S/V Johanna Rose: myHF.



Best bang Set-Up for the Buck:

* Yeasu FT-891 (Yeasu makes the Standard Horizons Marine Radios) and

* SGC SG-237 (or much lower cost SG-239 if you can find one as they were recently discontinued)











In short, one only needs a good HF transceiver(i.e. the ssb radio), and an antenna (either low cost cut to length wire or a long wire, like a backstay, and an antenna tuner). There is no need for running copper foil counterpoises along the hull. Just run the antenna ground to an under water thru-hull for the best performance. Add a computer such as a simple laptop or the highly affordable raspberry pi and one can use the plethora of digital mode communications including receiving emails and simple WX faxes. No need for buying an overpriced Pactor modem, hams have developed software modems with great performance (like VARA HF).



The only catch is one needs to get an amateur radio general license.


And you need stable high power dc supply

It’s very hard to justify over satccomms or starlink and will become increasingly so possibly to the point of obscurity
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Old 12-12-2022, 08:43   #52
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

I set up for long range comms for an intended long passage, health has not allowed it.
However, I wanted a system have a back up. So I installed an Icom 802 HF with a Pactor 4 modem. I also installed an Iridium base station as at the time you could get a voice only cost without monthly fees. I cancelled my subscription when they stopped this and wanted a monthly fee for a service I was not using.
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Old 12-12-2022, 08:55   #53
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

Quote:
Originally Posted by goboatingnow View Post
And you need stable high power dc supply
It’s very hard to justify over satccomms or starlink and will become increasingly so possibly to the point of obscurity
Yes, one should have a DC house battery.

Regarding "Justification", my point is, the idea that an SSB is expensive is false! Also the idea that it is one or the other is also false. Cell phones are great too, but one should not advocate against a VHF radio in order to justify the monthly cell phone costs.

Getting HF email WX grib files is great and combined with built-in weather routing in a program like Luck Grib is awesome. There is so much more that can be done with a HF radio. Participating in formal or informal nets can be fun, informative, and extremely helpful but is just the tip of what is available.
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Old 12-12-2022, 09:57   #54
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

For sailing offshore/passagemaking I use inReach, Skymate, and HF. I use the first two for texting home and HF for obtaining NOAA weather and daily position reports to Pacific Seafarers Net (14000 kHz). I also use the first two for tracking as well.
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Old 17-12-2022, 06:17   #55
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Re: It's almost 2023. Tell me about your HF or satellite communication installation

I have a icom 802 with Pactor 4 modem installed. Also permanently installed iridium phone. Also skymate satellite system providing email and weather over some other non-iridium network. I used to use sailmail for email via ssb but this year it worked out cheaper to buy prepaid iridium minutes in Central America. Iridium phone downloads a weeks worth of gribs in a minute to an iPad. I love ssb but haven’t turned it on except for fun in 2500 miles. Also still lugging around a weatherfax. boat looks like a museum of ancient tech. I’m too cheap for starlink. Bottom line, lots of redundancy but easiest/cheapest for me is iridium for weather and skymate for email when cellular is unavailable. And cellular has been mostly available on mainland pacific Mexico.
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