Usefullness of HF-radio (short-wave radios) in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean

[Brian.D]

"...SSB is obsolete technology". You know, with thinking like that, then sailboats are obsolete technology. Here's a hint... satellites have a limited lifespan. Unless the sun goes super nova, we will always have an atmosphere.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Brian.D

"...SSB is obsolete technology". You know, with thinking like that, then sailboats are obsolete technology. Here's a hint... satellites have a limited lifespan. Unless the sun goes super nova, we will always have an atmosphere.

Good point. TBH it is pretty hard to find any technology that is well and truly "obsolete". And you know, now that I think of it, I think it is about time to do a few sun lines, just for the practice. I haven't had the Plath out of the case in a couple of years. My shaves don't suffer a bit from using my obsolete straight razors. I just sharpened the blades on the push mower. A REAL push mower. You push, it mows the grass, magically, without gasoline. So even if I didn't know better, I would be sceptical about statements declaring Marine SSB to be obsolete.

If all you can afford is a SPOT, then get one. But if you can afford a cheap SWL receiver with a BFO, and a cheap demodulator or attentuator for your computer mic input, then for just another hundred bucks or two you get a lot of the advantages of terrestrial radio. NOBODY should be afraid to learn something, if they want to cruise. Or even day sail, or just own a dock queen. If budget allows, go for a full feature sat system as well as a modern DSC equipped SSB transciever with tuner, a good ground, and a good antenna setup. It is a lot easier to learn about radio when you actually HAVE one and have the relevant licenses.

You can usually get along just fine without SSB. You can get along just fine without a LOT of things. You can also find yourself in a situation where having one of those things you can usually get along just fine without, might make things better, easier, or safer. Now if you are going to spend a grand on a silly touch screen chart plotter, which you can easily do without, or a kw of solar panels, which you can easily do without, or a watermaker, which you can easily do without, or an outboard for the dink which you can easily do without, then if you feel like a radio might be interesting, then get one, and don't worry about making excuses for having one. I won't bother bringing up the point that you probably don't even need a boat in the first place. Oops, I guess I just did.

[dlane1181]

An HF/SSB radio should be considered essential safety gear for blue water cruisers.
Unlike SAT phones, Iridium GO! (which we have aboard and use regularly), and the like, only an HF radio allows you to make a blind call to any any and all listeners capable of receiving your signal. Yes, you can make emergency calls with a satellite phone or Iridium GO!, but it's still point to point - one caller to one recipient. If you want your SOS to reach a plethora of possible rescue coordination centers and rescuers, the HF radio is the only device guaranteed to do it.

[Rimica]

We have both, Iridium and HF. We did several rallies across the Atlantic and in the Islands to East Coast. The HF was the favored mean of communication for weather update and live questions.

HF has its place in an environment where you need to reach anyone as opposed to a specific individual. In the latter case use the phone number like everybody does on land. At sea the need to call someone/anyone in case of emergency or to have a group call the HF is king.