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.