Communications while sailing around the world

ToyotaCorolla · 24-04-2012 09:06AM #1

Anyone have any experience of sailing around the world , and if so how did you communicate back home. I was thinking a skype phone for phone calls and a wireless link on a laptop to try and pick up weather reports. What about a ham radio ??

alexlyons · 24-04-2012 10:22AM

what is your experience of marine communications?

ToyotaCorolla · 24-04-2012 10:37AM

my experience is non existant.

A relation of mine is doing it with another chap and he was asking me to have a look at the boat to see what they could use for comms back home and weather updates. The only reason he asked me is I work in IT and I usually get asked to do any IT issues he has at home and work.

alexlyons · 24-04-2012 10:42AM

you'd want

a vhf with DSC for short range comunications
MF & HF radios
a sat phone.
I would assume there are companies who provide sat broadband for trips like these, but it'd be fierce expensive

the vhf, mf and hf all require licenses to use and are vital for safety while en route. Sat phone is a good safety device and I wouldn't do it without 1, it is also useful for comms back home. Broadband will give you obvious comms to home and others.

ToyotaCorolla · 24-04-2012 11:02AM

Im not even sure what the boat has at present so I will use your list as a guide thanks for your reply

ISAW · 24-04-2012 07:34PM

Shortwave radio can get you right across an ocean and then some.
You can also relay.

you need to study a bit of theory for a licence
You can get a CD for five Euro on the theory.
http://www.irts.ie/cgi/licence-exam.cgi
The examination consists of a question paper of 60 multiple-choice questions divided into two main sections:

A. Amateur Radio Regulations and Related Topics (30 questions)
B. Amateur Radio Theory and Related Topics (30 questions)

The time allowed is two hours.

You can also get into various contests and have a new hobby. Generating several contacts is something to do while crossing an ocean. It might even open local contacts or knowledge in the region to which you are going and get you someone to meet you if you have a problem or get heads up info on piracy.

wallabycreek · 24-04-2012 08:29PM

Radio communication is past it's use by date. That was world war 2 technology.an Internet connection by sat phone is the only sensible way to go. Also it is more reliable and more affordable than those old radios.
I circumnavigated twice and I take no communications with me. It is totally satisfying to do it by yourself. There is really good information in a guide book called "Around The World Sailing Guide" at Amazon.com
Stop talking and get going.

Tabnabs · 30-04-2012 08:28AM

With reference to the above, that's pi$$ poor advice. I remember a few years ago Cape Town Radio putting out a request (via navtex in this case, another vital technology) to all ships to be on the look out for a Polish yacht that was missing on route from Brazil to SA with no radio comms.

If you or your mates are heading off around the world and need to ask these kinds of questions on the net, I would respectfully recommend they need to take a very big step back and go off and speak with people who have actually done a trip like this. Go talk to http://www.patandolivia.com/ lovely people and know what they're talking about.

neris · 30-04-2012 11:27AM

try inmarsat to get an idea of whats on offer and how services work. they do/did the satellite comms for the volvo race

ISAW · 30-04-2012 04:34PM

wallabycreek wrote: »

Radio communication is past it's use by date. That was world war 2 technology.an Internet connection by sat phone is the only sensible way to go. Also it is more reliable and more affordable than those old radios.
I circumnavigated twice and I take no communications with me. It is totally satisfying to do it by yourself. There is really good information in a guide book called "Around The World Sailing Guide" at Amazon.com
Stop talking and get going.

Satphone rental 10 sterling a day 12 free minutes a day calls

Radio -free unlimited use.

Likewise you can sail in Dublin bay and bring a phone and pay for calls or pay 150 and have an FM radio transmitter. I would not advise not having a radio.

And as i stated radio is also a hobby. using a phone to talk to people isn't the same.

The space shuttle is 1970s technology only stopped being used and the Russian launchers are basically WWII technology. Even "Modern" Sailboats are Middle Ages technology.

wallabycreek · 30-04-2012 07:48PM

I did my first circumnavigation in 1980. At that time I thought like you guys that communication was necessary. It is not.
I thought safety was important . It is not.
The important thing is to live at the highest possible level of existence.
As time went by I threw overboard my radios and simplified my life. I am now connected with the ocean. My soul is in great condition.
I did 100,000 miles of ocean sailing and there is no doubt that it was a spiritual experience. If you want to take along all the junk and experience the same old same old then stay connected but be aware there is a better way.
Break away, experience true freedom and really LIVE !
I am back in civilization again and enjoying that also.

fergal.b · 30-04-2012 08:04PM

I don't think your back in civilization yet if you think safety is not important, and the way your going I'm sure one day you will truly be connected with the ocean.

wallabycreek · 01-05-2012 02:18AM

Well it is good to see the Irish have arrived. The only people always having more fun in life than me were the Irish. You guys are the true masters of living life to the fullest without falling for all the crap. Apparently present company excepted.

Let me try to explain why safety is not important. The reason is that you are going to die sometime and a short life experiencing and enjoying to the maximum is better than the alternative.

fergal.b · 01-05-2012 07:11AM

The alternative been a long life experiencing and enjoying it to the maximum because you used your head

neris · 01-05-2012 02:45PM

eric taberly didnt think a lifejacket was important and look what happened to him

HeidiHeidi · 01-05-2012 03:04PM

Who's Eric Taberly???I'm with Fergal (and all the other conservative stick-in-the-muds) all the way on this I'm afraid!

ahun · 01-05-2012 04:21PM

I dont think irishness is the main thing here. I dont 100% agree with wallycreek but it is true that sometimes there is a bit too much worrying is going on around sailing. It is killing the fun, and while you are worrying you dont have time to look after your safety.

breghall · 02-05-2012 07:14AM

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I'm with Fergal (and all the other conservative stick-in-the-muds) all the way on this I'm afraid!

+1^^^

We have lost enough lives around our coastline due to lack of PDF's (oops PFD's) and life jackets not being used. I think it's crazy that there are still people out there that don't regard the wearing of them on board essential.

(oh I googled Eric Taberly as I didn't know either, sad story but re-enforces what i said above)

alexlyons · 02-05-2012 07:57AM

breghall wrote: »

+1^^^

We have lost enough lives around our coastline due to lack of PDF's and life jackets not being used. I think it's crazy that there are still people out there that don't regard the wearing of them on board essential.

(oh I googled Eric Taberly as I didn't know either, sad story but re-enforces what i said above)

ye, people really underestimate the usefulness of those file formats :P

old school is the way to go, do it right, take your time, and learn as much as you can before and during. don't think your brilliant and good enough for anything. do it right and enjoy it.

FoxT · 02-05-2012 08:10AM

I believe communications is vital.
You will need to pick up nav warnings, weather reports & also communicate with other craft from time to time.

I dont want to get in an argument with wallabycreek here , but suffice to say you should take & use all safety equipt etc that is practicable. Many people have lost their lives at sea, and continue to do so.

At minimum, IMO, you will need

- EPIRB
- NavTex
- VHF with DSC AND AIS

And also

either
- Sat phone + appropriate software etc
OR
HF transciever.

(preferably both, but if I had to pick just one it would be a sat phone)

Sat phone or HF can receive weather forecasts & communicate with coastguard etc.

Sat phone has the following advantages:
- No license required
- easy to use
- low power draw

HF
- Equipment is expensive
- complex to install (antenna + ground plate)
- very high power consumption, especially when transmitting
- license required
- difficult to operate compared to a sat phone.

-FoxT

ISAW · 02-05-2012 03:41PM

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Who's Eric Taberly???I'm with Fergal (and all the other conservative stick-in-the-muds) all the way on this I'm afraid!

Please...Ok then. Eric Taberly was a French/Breton naval pilot who took up sailing. He was quite good at it. And at cruising. He was also a visionary and led to the design of the worlds fastest sailboats. all his boats have a Breton Name
Sadly he fell off his 100 year old boat -built in Belfast for his dad- in the Irish sea. I would not be surprised if he swam ashore but he got caught in a lost drifting fishing net.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89ric_Tabarly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_Duick

they have a collection of his yachts and a public maratime center named after him in Lorient. It is worth a visit and also the nearby submarine and German WWII pens -their largest construction outside of Germany.

http://www.citevoile-tabarly.com/

anyway the point about safety is a philosophical one. We could say the same of car seat belts. My response would be akin to "walk softly but carry a big stick". I saw a video in the Taberly centre with an old man who continues to cruise the world on his own. He never uses electricity. His lights are paraffin. Yes like the TV comedy we can all admire "The Good Life" and go ythe whole hog and reject toilet paper, clothes, etc; as well as radios and life jackets. I respect an open mind and piure spirit . but I dont open my mind so much my brain falls out and i fall overboard without a life jacket, no trained crew no flares and no radio.

ISAW · 02-05-2012 03:48PM

ahun wrote: »

I dont think irishness is the main thing here. I dont 100% agree with wallycreek but it is true that sometimes there is a bit too much worrying is going on around sailing. It is killing the fun, and while you are worrying you dont have time to look after your safety.

Ill meet you and Wallycreek half way on that. If we had health and safety in the sixties we would never have got to the Moon. and the child thing. Every club you join or course you take with kids you have to have Garda vetting. In France i see a string of oppys being taken out by an instructor and s/he might takes them all into the toilets before they leave. In Ireland the instructor would be paranoid. Mind you the French are also big on form filling when the Irish aren't.

sailordog13 · 02-05-2012 03:59PM

If you don't take all reasonable precautions to ensure your own safety, why should you have other people risk their lives (at an extreme) or even bother with you if you get in to difficulty.
Sat Comms and decent radio equipment is not too expensive in the bigger scheme of crossing an ocean.
Use your head. And importantly, learn to use your equipment before you really need it.

Communications while sailing around the world

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