Can I ditch my SSB radio for an Sat Phone type Iridium Go?

[akopac]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

ICOM 802 (circa 2012)

When we were in Mexico, we found Sailmail much better than HAM/Winlink.

Back in BC, we found Winlink (usually, not always though) easy to connect to. Meanwhile, Sailmail had raised its cost too much so we dumped it.

The "usually, not always" was one reason we've (just) added the Zoleo. Covid willing, in 2022, we will be cruising some wild/uncharted areas of BC.

A lot of variables to propagation. I never had any problem with Winlink from SF, CA to Ecuador exceptions were:
* Marinas with all the rigging and masts
* Boats with old poorly grounded refrigeration systems nearby.
My antenna is a 20M long wire from mizzen shroud base to mainmast tip. It resonates well on a lot of bands without too much. Everybody’s rigs vary all over the spectrum though.

[Discovery 15797]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Correction: NMEA0183

Also: although slow, on 802 you can manually enter lat/lon

Thanks for adding that correction!

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Tomodore

Remember Rebel Heart a few years back, they left for French Polynesia from Mexico with HF radio and sat phone. While on passage the phone company disconnected their service due to bureaucratic error. Their HF radio was disabled As I recall from a deck leak. When on of the crew had a health issue their only recourse was the EPIRB.They ended up abandoning the boat.My point that for coastal waters super redundancy is a nice luxury for off shore relying on one or even two system can be catastrophic.

I believe that there are many lessons to be taken from the loss of the Rebel Heart by reading contemporary accounts of the events leading up to the incident. Some commentators concluded that the communications problems played a minor role.


But regarding communications, two unreliable systems backing each other up do not necessarily make for a dependable system. HF communications gear, properly installed and maintained, and used with care by skilled operators, is extraordinarily reliable.


So are satellite phones. A fact to consider is that, whatever the reason may be, there were not any widespread reports of SIM card problems among the cruising community at the time of the events.

Originally Posted by more

HOW IA RADIO DISABLED WHEN FAMILY CALL RESCUE

They had an EPIRB, which they activated.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by more

Eric and Charlotte Kaufman and their two daughters - ages 3 and 13 months - had been sailing for two weeks on a voyage to Tahiti when the baby began to suffer what officials described as diarrhea, vomiting and a rash.01

The parents radioed for help on April 3 and that began a chain of events that ended with the Kaufman's return to San Diego aboard USS Vandegrift on April 9.The Navy sank the vessel before leaving it.



Timeline: Sick Baby Rescue at Sea

March 20: Eric and Charlotte Kaufman set sail on a 36-foot sailboat the “Rebel Heart.” They left Mexico for Fatu Hiva with a 13 month-old baby and 3.5 year-old girl.



April 3: Family calls for help, reporting their youngest child, Lyra, was suffering from diarrhea, vomiting and a rash.



April 3: Four pararescuemen from the 129th Rescue Wing jumped into the Pacific Ocean and boarded the family’s sailboat located about 900 nautical miles off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.



April 4: Guardsmen report that the baby received antibiotics and appeared to be responding well. Two HH 60G Pave Hawks helicopters and a Combat Shadow refueling tanker were placed on standby in case the child needed to be airlifted to a hospital on land.





HOW IA RADIO DISABLED WHEN FAMILY CALL RESCUE

Fron memory I think he related the whole story here in Cf at the time

[goboatingnow]

Two long range distress reporting methods are advisable under GMDSS. An EPIRB is regarded as one.

[lateral]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Yes, but PW is pretty expensive and the Saildocs gribs don’t cost anything. So displaying Saildocs gribs in the free PW Offshore app is a good alternative option to displaying them in OpenCPN and no need to pay.

.

Saildocs do require a sailmail $300US/yr subs tho don't they?
PW require minimum of "Standard plan" at $240/yr.
I have an I Go, plus M710 mostly to get cat1. (hopefully)
I don't think they approve satellite only here.

Found this: "OceanNavigator"
Saildocs is available with an annual $275 SailMail subscription fee that allows unlimited access to email and weather. Satellite-based subscribers pay for airtime, while radio users can access the service with no additional charges.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by lateral

Saildocs do require a sailmail $300US/yr subs tho don't they?
PW require minimum of "Standard plan" at $240/yr.
I have an I Go, plus M710 mostly to get cat1. (hopefully)
I don't think they approve satellite only here.

Found this: "OceanNavigator"
Saildocs is available with an annual $275 SailMail subscription fee that allows unlimited access to email and weather. Satellite-based subscribers pay for airtime, while radio users can access the service with no additional charges.

I never paid for saildocs… just send emails to the automated system. See Requesting grib files from Saildocs (2010-07-08)

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by lateral

Saildocs do require a sailmail $300US/yr subs tho don't they?

PW require minimum of "Standard plan" at $240/yr.

I have an I Go, plus M710 mostly to get cat1. (hopefully)

I don't think they approve satellite only here.



Found this: "OceanNavigator"

Saildocs is available with an annual $275 SailMail subscription fee that allows unlimited access to email and weather. Satellite-based subscribers pay for airtime, while radio users can access the service with no additional charges.

Sailmail costs... NOT Saildocs! (You DON'T need Sailmail to use Saildocs.)

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Sailmail costs... NOT Saildocs! (You DON'T need Sailmail to use Saildocs.)

Just to clarify, you can use saildocs on winlink for free. You will need a general class or higher amateur radio license which does require study and passing a test.

[lateral]

Sit a general radio op licence plus $150/yr for a ship licence is a step too far for me.
Much as I would like to do it. I-Go is relatively simple and required duration specific.
Well, kind of. They want to nail you for two months as you can't cancel in same month you activate. You can downgrade to $59/mnth before your first month expires.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Just to clarify, you can use saildocs on winlink for free. You will need a general class or higher amateur radio license which does require study and passing a test.

You can also use Saildocs for free using regular email (e.g., by cell phone) and, I suppose, IridiumGO.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by lateral

Sit a general radio op licence plus $150/yr for a ship licence is a step too far for me.

Much as I would like to do it. I-Go is relatively simple and required duration specific.

Well, kind of. They want to nail you for two months as you can't cancel in same month you activate. You can downgrade to $59/mnth before your first month expires.

Here in Canada, no ship station license required if staying within Canada. If sailing internationally, ship's station license required even if just for VHF.

Isn't it the same for USA? (And isn't that $150 fee for a 10-yr period?)

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Here in Canada, no ship station license required if staying within Canada. If sailing internationally, ship's station license required even if just for VHF.

Isn't it the same for USA? (And isn't that $150 fee for a 10-yr period?)

In the USA you do need a license for HF. For VHF you do not need a license unless you intend to operate outside of the US.

Yes, a marine SSB license is for ten years.