Still outfitting. Have now reached communications on the list and am considering 2 these choices. Here's what I can find so far. HAM/SSB radio and automatic antenna tuner for about $2000.00. This doesn't include converting backstay to an antenna, grounding the radio, and spending time to get an amateur radio license. (Is this license not required for SSB only?) Iridium phone is about $850 for a basic model, plus $50 activation, $20/month (= $1140 in the first year) plus $1.49/minute of usage (no long distance or roaming). If you use it 10 minutes per month, that is another $1800 in the first year. You can use the Iridium to transact business -- forbidden on HAM, and most SSB. Iridium phone is more private than the open HAM/SSB bands. What does everyone think? Debra
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Think that these are apples and oranges comparison
Debra: I really do not think that a cell phone is a substitute for a VHF and Iridium is not a substitute for a SSB. How are you going to know what phone number to dial in the middle of the Atlantic to reach the ship on the horizon and let them know your boat is sinking. Do not believe that a phone can ever considered an alternative. Now on the other hand, may be an excellent alternative for personal communications.
Debra: I really do not think that a cell phone is a substitute for a VHF and Iridium is not a substitute for a SSB. How are you going to know what phone number to dial in the middle of the Atlantic to reach the ship on the horizon and let them know your boat is sinking. Do not believe that a phone can ever considered an alternative. Now on the other hand, may be an excellent alternative for personal communications.
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Brian Jarchow
Either works for now
Hopefully this time Iridium will stay in business. That would be the biggest concern if you chose Iridium. As far as communications, Iridium would probably be more reliable since you don't need to worry about the ionosphere and solar activitiy. For the first 2.5 years, assuming 10 minutes/month, Iridium is cheaper than ham ($850-phone + $20-service * 30 months + $14.90-airtime * 30 months = $1897 Also, to use ham band SSB you will need to take a series of tests (one for technician, one for general, and a 5 word-per-minute morse code test). To many people this is a major drawback. But, in my opinion, either way you go you will lose one benefit. With Iridium, I understand anybody with your number can call you if your phone is on. With ham, you can participate in 'nets' - on-the-air meetings of cruisers in your area or throughout the world. If I were to choose just one communication method I would choose ham radio, for the simple reason that maydays can be sent immediately and can be heard by many others. On the other hand, with a sattelite phone you would have problems if you were in a momentary coverage hole, the system were down, or if you dial a busy number. Brian KB7OIE
Hopefully this time Iridium will stay in business. That would be the biggest concern if you chose Iridium. As far as communications, Iridium would probably be more reliable since you don't need to worry about the ionosphere and solar activitiy. For the first 2.5 years, assuming 10 minutes/month, Iridium is cheaper than ham ($850-phone + $20-service * 30 months + $14.90-airtime * 30 months = $1897 Also, to use ham band SSB you will need to take a series of tests (one for technician, one for general, and a 5 word-per-minute morse code test). To many people this is a major drawback. But, in my opinion, either way you go you will lose one benefit. With Iridium, I understand anybody with your number can call you if your phone is on. With ham, you can participate in 'nets' - on-the-air meetings of cruisers in your area or throughout the world. If I were to choose just one communication method I would choose ham radio, for the simple reason that maydays can be sent immediately and can be heard by many others. On the other hand, with a sattelite phone you would have problems if you were in a momentary coverage hole, the system were down, or if you dial a busy number. Brian KB7OIE
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Ron/KA5HZV
Ham Radio Operator
As a Ham Radio Operator (and fellow 37C owner) I can tell you that Ham is an excellent means of communication. On many evenings I run phone patches for boats heading to the South Pacific and beyond. Although it is illegal to do business on Ham Radio this is an advantage because it is also illegal to charge for services. This means that the call you make back home to the family is free (excluding the phone charge from the operator to the person you are calling). As with many Hams, I do toll free calls to anyone in the US which means there is NO charge at all for your call. As already mentioned there are many Maritime Ham Nets that meet daily..i.e. Maritime Moble Services Net 12 to 9 Est on 14.300 This is where you hook up with a land based operator to place your phone call. Learning code is not all that hard and many, including me, find it a rewarding means of communication. You can also get FREE e-mail and 2 meter repeater service in most parts of the world. 2 meter repeater is like very long distance and clean CB Radio. You can also patch into the local phone service through the repeater (no business calls) too. $2000 for a ham radio is not unheard of, but you can pick up a used radio through a ham swap meet or any Ham Radio shop for $400 and up. A brand new basic radio will run you around $650. With auto tuner, add $300. A word of advice: don't buy a Marine SSB radio if you plan to get a ham license. They are more expensive and many do not have a VFO which means, instead of just dialing in to a freq. you have to have it in your preset memory. So, if someone is talking to you on a freq. that suddenly gets noisy and you want to move you have to do a preset instead of just dialing it in. If you need anymore info, e-mail me at KA5HZV@Yahoo.com.....Good Luck RonKA5HZV
As a Ham Radio Operator (and fellow 37C owner) I can tell you that Ham is an excellent means of communication. On many evenings I run phone patches for boats heading to the South Pacific and beyond. Although it is illegal to do business on Ham Radio this is an advantage because it is also illegal to charge for services. This means that the call you make back home to the family is free (excluding the phone charge from the operator to the person you are calling). As with many Hams, I do toll free calls to anyone in the US which means there is NO charge at all for your call. As already mentioned there are many Maritime Ham Nets that meet daily..i.e. Maritime Moble Services Net 12 to 9 Est on 14.300 This is where you hook up with a land based operator to place your phone call. Learning code is not all that hard and many, including me, find it a rewarding means of communication. You can also get FREE e-mail and 2 meter repeater service in most parts of the world. 2 meter repeater is like very long distance and clean CB Radio. You can also patch into the local phone service through the repeater (no business calls) too. $2000 for a ham radio is not unheard of, but you can pick up a used radio through a ham swap meet or any Ham Radio shop for $400 and up. A brand new basic radio will run you around $650. With auto tuner, add $300. A word of advice: don't buy a Marine SSB radio if you plan to get a ham license. They are more expensive and many do not have a VFO which means, instead of just dialing in to a freq. you have to have it in your preset memory. So, if someone is talking to you on a freq. that suddenly gets noisy and you want to move you have to do a preset instead of just dialing it in. If you need anymore info, e-mail me at KA5HZV@Yahoo.com.....Good Luck RonKA5HZV
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Ken Shubert
Marine VS Ham
There are several Ham SSB radios that will operate on the marine HF SSB frequencies, and do an adequate job. The ICOM Model IC-706 with auto tuner is very tempting at about $1200 USD but it is NOT type accepted by the FCC for marine use and technically is illegal. If you have a real need for a Marine SSB on the high seas, be careful. The SOLAS requirements are something that shouldn't be taken too lightly. Since the FCC has de-regulated most activities, you're not likely to have a problem in US Coastal waters but what about Europe ? If a SSB Marine radio is required, you can't substitute an Iridium phone either. It is really apples and oranges. If you sail in areas where pirate activity has taken place, you'd better have all the communications available! Ken, KØKS S/V Wouff Hong
There are several Ham SSB radios that will operate on the marine HF SSB frequencies, and do an adequate job. The ICOM Model IC-706 with auto tuner is very tempting at about $1200 USD but it is NOT type accepted by the FCC for marine use and technically is illegal. If you have a real need for a Marine SSB on the high seas, be careful. The SOLAS requirements are something that shouldn't be taken too lightly. Since the FCC has de-regulated most activities, you're not likely to have a problem in US Coastal waters but what about Europe ? If a SSB Marine radio is required, you can't substitute an Iridium phone either. It is really apples and oranges. If you sail in areas where pirate activity has taken place, you'd better have all the communications available! Ken, KØKS S/V Wouff Hong
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Tim Schaaf
Iridium Caveats and more Ham/SSB
In my work, we communicate with lots of boats, using lots of different means of communication. Iridium freguently becomes quite garbled, although Globalstar always sounds like it is right next door. Iridium also often has troubles when used below decks. I am a great believer in the advantages of each system, but prefer Ham/SSB, myself. The ham requirements have been made pretty easy, these days. Yes, SSB radios do require a license, although the operator doesn't. There are radios type-rated for both SSB and Ham, and some have dials so that you don't need to enter frequencies from memory. Furuno makes a very nice one, for instance. The FCC can frequently tell if you are illegally using a Ham radio in place of an SSB. It is easy to be a bit off-frequency on a Ham radio. The FCC does check...I was once cited for not giving my call sign at the end of a lengthy SSB conversation and I have known others to have their knuckles rapped. Finally, your H37 has an external lead keel, I believe, which makes a great ground plane. Find a way to run three to four inch copper foil from the tuner to a keelbolt, and you have done the most complex part of the installation. The backstay antenna is easily done, and if you are more budget minded, you can substitute high voltage wire for the core of braided line. The outside of the line that covers the wire, insulates the antenna from being accidentally touched, and the line can be easily run from the masthead to the stern, bypassing the backstay altogether. Friends in NZ have an antenna like this, and we can communicate just fine. By all means, use an automatic tuner. Others have spoken of the great advantages of Ham/SSB. You can also use it for email. Good Luck.
In my work, we communicate with lots of boats, using lots of different means of communication. Iridium freguently becomes quite garbled, although Globalstar always sounds like it is right next door. Iridium also often has troubles when used below decks. I am a great believer in the advantages of each system, but prefer Ham/SSB, myself. The ham requirements have been made pretty easy, these days. Yes, SSB radios do require a license, although the operator doesn't. There are radios type-rated for both SSB and Ham, and some have dials so that you don't need to enter frequencies from memory. Furuno makes a very nice one, for instance. The FCC can frequently tell if you are illegally using a Ham radio in place of an SSB. It is easy to be a bit off-frequency on a Ham radio. The FCC does check...I was once cited for not giving my call sign at the end of a lengthy SSB conversation and I have known others to have their knuckles rapped. Finally, your H37 has an external lead keel, I believe, which makes a great ground plane. Find a way to run three to four inch copper foil from the tuner to a keelbolt, and you have done the most complex part of the installation. The backstay antenna is easily done, and if you are more budget minded, you can substitute high voltage wire for the core of braided line. The outside of the line that covers the wire, insulates the antenna from being accidentally touched, and the line can be easily run from the masthead to the stern, bypassing the backstay altogether. Friends in NZ have an antenna like this, and we can communicate just fine. By all means, use an automatic tuner. Others have spoken of the great advantages of Ham/SSB. You can also use it for email. Good Luck.
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Erik
Isn't Iridium system defunct?
I thought the whole Iridium system was now defunct (they went bankrupt last year). Did someone buy the system and now it's up and running? You may be thinking about the Globalstar satellite phone system. I think its range is about 200 miles from shore. Inmarsat Mini-M could be an option for mid-ocean business communications.
I thought the whole Iridium system was now defunct (they went bankrupt last year). Did someone buy the system and now it's up and running? You may be thinking about the Globalstar satellite phone system. I think its range is about 200 miles from shore. Inmarsat Mini-M could be an option for mid-ocean business communications.
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Brian Jarchow
They're still alive...
More than once Iridium has been on its deathbed, ready to deorbit the sattelites. But each time somehow they get enough funding to stay afloat. Check out www.iridium.com - it looks like they may be around a while now, and the prices have come way down. Brian
More than once Iridium has been on its deathbed, ready to deorbit the sattelites. But each time somehow they get enough funding to stay afloat. Check out www.iridium.com - it looks like they may be around a while now, and the prices have come way down. Brian
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Tim Schaaf
Beware Iridium
Although they are up and running, my experience with using it is that the signal is often garbled, and it is almost impossible to use indoors. Unless they correct these problems, let the buyer beware. Globalstar always came in like you were next door.
Although they are up and running, my experience with using it is that the signal is often garbled, and it is almost impossible to use indoors. Unless they correct these problems, let the buyer beware. Globalstar always came in like you were next door.
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Jesse Hefter
Iridium is back.
Check the new Iridium web site at: http://www.iridium.com/. It has been reinvigorated.
Check the new Iridium web site at: http://www.iridium.com/. It has been reinvigorated.
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Eric Lorgus
Emergency Communications
Steve, I agree with you about phones not being substitutes for radios, but as for calling the ship on the horizon, you would use your VHF, with its line-of-sight signal and approx. 25 mile range. For offshore emergencies, a 406Mhz EPIRB is the way to go, preferably with a GPS interface. Even without the GPS link, your position can be established within 45 mins. As to Iridium, its assets were purchased out of bankruptcy by a new group of investors for 1 cent on the dollar. They're revamping the system, and it sounds like it will be a lot more viable than it was originally.
Steve, I agree with you about phones not being substitutes for radios, but as for calling the ship on the horizon, you would use your VHF, with its line-of-sight signal and approx. 25 mile range. For offshore emergencies, a 406Mhz EPIRB is the way to go, preferably with a GPS interface. Even without the GPS link, your position can be established within 45 mins. As to Iridium, its assets were purchased out of bankruptcy by a new group of investors for 1 cent on the dollar. They're revamping the system, and it sounds like it will be a lot more viable than it was originally.
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