Practical Boat Owner – August 2019

Biscay

comms

Q

In advance of a Biscay
crossing in my yacht,
what are the best options to
install for communications?
Dave Conlan
by email

ANDY HAINES REPLIES:
The answer depends on what
level of communication you’re
looking for, but either way,
satellite communication is the
way to go.
If you’re looking for full
internet usability to run a
business from, we’re talking a
big dome antenna, big bucks
to buy and install and big
running costs to go with it. But
if you’re looking for just phone
and email contact (which is
what most people want), then
an Iridium satellite phone is
probably the best answer.
With Iridium you can’t really
access the Internet, it isn’t

that goes with it.

There are some cheaper

systems that use the Iridium

satellites that you can just text

from, but they are very limited.

Then of course there is SSB

(Single Side Band HF Radio).

These are quite bulky by

comparison, need much more

in the way of installation and

you’d have to sit an HF

Operators Exam.

SSB’s big attraction is the

ability to talk ‘ship to ship’ at no

cost and as such is generally

fitted by people doing the ARC

rally for that very reason. You

can add a modem to an SSB

to enable a text/email facility,

but compared to Iridium it is

slow and cumbersome.

antenna on the pushpit. This

then has the benefit that you

can use it below (because the

antenna is outside), but in an

emergency you could take it

with you to the liferaft, plus of

course you could use it on

shore or from someone

else’s boat.

There is also a new product

on the market (Iridium Go

Marine Kit/Bundle/Package)

that allows you to wifi connect

your mobile phone to the

Iridium device which in turn

can be connected to an

external antenna. This is a very

cost effective solution as your

phone is the controller, so

you’re not purchasing

handsets and the rest of the kit

fast enough and sending

photos or pictures via email

isn’t really viable either, but

phone is excellent and ordinary

emails (text) is also good and

coverage is worldwide.

Mailasail offer end users a

compression service to reduce

running costs, plus other

services designed to make

Iridium easier to use.

Iridium phones can be

purchased as a fixed set (a bit

like your VHF) or as a

handheld: the latter is the

cheaper. However, a handheld

cannot generally be used

below decks as the signal just

isn’t strong enough.

The best solution is a

handheld with an external

The Iridium Go system costs around £1,100/£1,200

Iridium Go satellite wifi bundle

Here’s just a selection of the latest questions from

PBO readers. Email or write to the address on

page 5 and our experts will answer your queries

Got a question? Email [email protected]

Ask the experts

ELECTRONICS

THE PBO EXPERTS To ask a question email [email protected] and include your address. Pictures are helpful

CRUISING

Stuart Carruthers

is the RYA Cruising

Manager and has

sailed extensively

SAILS

Ian Brown of the

International

OneSails loft group

is an expert on sails

ELECTRICS

Duncan Kent

tests yachts and

equipment and

writes for the

marine media

MASTS & RIGS

Mike Coates worked

in the spar and

rigging business for

many years

ENGINES

Stu Davies has

a background in

engineering in the

coal and oil field

industries

SURVEY AND

CORROSION

Colin Brown runs

a marine survey and

consultancy company,

CB Marine Services

SEA SAFETY

Keith Colwell is

author of the

RYA Sea Survival

Handbook

SEALING AND

BONDING

Gareth Ross is

Sika UK’s Marine

Market Field

Specialist