Ship to Shore via SSB

[DPad]

I'm finishing my SSB installation on our Caliber 38 and want to get an account set up for ship-to-shore comms via SSB. Every link I find for a provider of this service will not open up a web site. Is there still an active company offering this "patch" service, or have they all given up? The two that I have seen recent references to are shipcom.com and WLO, but the websites do not open up.

Any help is appreciated.

David
S/V Regina Maris

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by DPad

I'm finishing my SSB installation on our Caliber 38 and want to get an account set up for ship-to-shore comms via SSB. Every link I find for a provider of this service will not open up a web site. Is there still an active company offering this "patch" service, or have they all given up? The two that I have seen recent references to are shipcom.com and WLO, but the websites do not open up.

Any help is appreciated.

David
S/V Regina Maris

David,

I think they're having trouble with the website, hopefully temporary.

I talked with Shipcom via SSB just two days ago on 1212. I believe they're still very much in business and would encourage you to try again over the next few days and set up an account.

Bill
WA6CCA

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, David.

[DPad]

Thanks Bill and Gord. I'll keep trying and see if the website comes back to life.

[btrayfors]

Website ShipCom LLC :: Marine HF Radiotelephone and HF Single SideBand Email is up and running.

Bill

[ka4wja]

David,
1) As Bill pointed you to, Shipcom (WLO/KLB) is the only game in town for Voice SSB ship-to-shore comms, in the western hemisphere...
{I've had an account with them for decades, and before that with AT&T Hi-Seas...}
At $0.99/min, still a good deal in my opinion...
I contacted them on ch. 824 just this past week and checked their website as well....they're up and running 24/7...
HF SSB Radiotelephone, Telex and Email Frequencies and Channels
HF SSB Radiotelephone Email, Fax, Satellite Marine Messages, Telex Sitor & Marine Weather Services

Best to call them on the phone during regular business hours (US Central Time), to set-up your account...
251-666-5110

Originally Posted by DPad

I'm finishing my SSB installation on our Caliber 38 and want to get an account set up for ship-to-shore comms via SSB. Every link I find for a provider of this service will not open up a web site. Is there still an active company offering this "patch" service, or have they all given up? The two that I have seen recent references to are shipcom.com and WLO, but the websites do not open up.

Any help is appreciated.

David
S/V Regina Maris

2) Some further info....

a) Remember that Shipcom also can do "shore-to-ship" calls, listing your vessel on its hourly "traffic list"....so, if there is a shoreside emergency, someone can get in touch with you at sea...

b) Shipcom also offers very reliable and robust data comms (via SITOR and PACTOR)...not as cheap as Sailmail, but an alternative that is very reliable...

c) They cover the entire N. Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and SE and Cent Pacific quite well from WLO, and the N. Pacific and Cent and SE Pacific from KLB as well...
Basically have good coverage up to 5000nm from Mobile, AL and Seattle, WA....
{But, also cover the Med, S. Atlantic, and S. Pac. if needed....if you're planning on cruising these areas, call/e-mail them prior to heading off, to discuss specific channels and times-of-day that would be appropriate for that particular voyage / time-of-year / etc...}



d) Also, they provide detailed Offshore / H-Seas weather info/forecasts, from the US NWS/NOAA....covering the SW N. At, Car, G of M, E Pac, etc.....transmitted 4 - 6 times per day on multiple channels, simultaneously (see my video playlists for detailed examples)

e) Also don't forget that in addition to their Voice (and SITOR/PACTOR-II) watch-keeping, they also monitor HF-DSC channels....
Specifically, 8414.5khz and 12577khz.
And can be signaled via HF-DSC for routine calls and/or if you have telephone traffic, etc., but have difficultly raising them via SSB Voice (long-distance, poor propagation, etc.)

f) They also provide automated acknowledgements of HF-DSC Test Calls on 8414.5khz and 12577khz....(unlike the USCG, who is only set-up to do so on 4207.5khz, which can be a pain if you're out of 4mhz comms range!)
"ShipCom can provide automated radio TX acknowledgements via your DSC equipment on frequencies 8414.5 and 12577.0. WLO's MMSI is 003660003. Send a "Safety Test" and you will get an automatic acknowledgement."



3) Here is a video, showing a LIVE, real-world call to WLO, and placing a telephone call thru them, to shore....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT2Wz3uVWB8

4) And, finally....
Here are some helpful video playlists...
Showing LIVE, real-world use of many Marine Communications systems/service, from a real cruising sailboat....no laboratory demonstrations, no script, no professional video production, just me on the boat with the video camera pointed at the radio, and my extemporaneous narration! (so, forgive the camera work and abrupt editing....but this is an example of what happens in the real world!)

HF-DSC Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ga2zYuPozhUXZX


Maritime HF Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y
(very helpful in many ways, including showing you to choose the correct channel/frequency, showing you different atmospheric noises as well as man-made noises/RFI, basic explanation of the GMDSS and how to use it to our advantage, initial explanation of HF-DSC, etc.)


Offshore Weather
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zdjTJjHlChruyY


VHF-DSC
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...J6QugtO2epizxF




Icom M-802 Instruction Videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...rC-8QKVyMb4tVr


Offshore Sailing
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...KgTCj15iyl6qoY




I hope this helps...

Fair winds..

John