Simply no, for east coast cruising.

i dont know about them really but arent they good for open water and the high seas? i thought you could download weather faxes using hf radio.

I can't comment on the Vic and NSW coast, but from my recent experience sailing from Brisbane to the Whitsundays, I'd say no. The VHF coverage has been excellent. Only once did I have trouble logging off with a particular CG station, but the next one up did it for me.

Personally, I can't believe we are still using HF at all. Some days a carrier pigeon would still be better

You've got it, you like it, you'd likely get stuff all for it. Why not just install it and enjoy tinkering with it. Totally not necessary, but good to play around with, plenty of apps to toy around with weather fax etc.

If I had one sitting there, I'd set it up, just for the hell of it, and I've spent a lot of hours using it at work.

Charriot said..
I used to repair and build HF transceivers from 5 W to 1 kW.
HF needs long aerial, backstay with isolators is minimum.
.HF set can transmit on marine channel or radio amateurs,
never both. Aus. law.
. if your HF receiver is all band that's great go for it.
.if not I would not bother, Coast Guard still listening on HF.
I am ex OK1DSM

Need a good ground plate too if your boats 'glass. I think if you have one then keep it. Ex Hobart racers will have one. I turn mine on occasionally just to see if it works. Serious offshore cruisers still seem to favour them and they seem popular for ship to ship offshore comms.
Lots of good info at cruisersforum.com.

www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/help-with-ssb-choice-177260.html

Slightly off topic sorry, but I was wondering why UHF Radios are not used aboard yachts, I 'm sure their is a good reason just wondering what it is thanks.

wongaga said..

Bruski068 said..
Slightly off topic sorry, but I was wondering why UHF Radios are not used aboard yachts, I 'm sure their is a good reason just wondering what it is thanks.

Shorter range than VHF. Crowded with fishing chatter and others abusing it with open mic etc. Users not required to be licensed, hence no knowledge of proper radio protocols, which is ok for casual use but a problem when life is in danger.

Cheers, Graeme

I think you may be thinking of 27 mhz radios wongaga.

If you are sailing north of Cooktown, HF radio may be the only avenue of communication. VHF is more likely ship to ship than ship to shore in that region.

I believe there is an HF station at Charleville, western Queensland that is active and relays traffic. Google it up.

I saw a Codan marine HF for sale on Ebay so checked into whether its worth having one.

If you are in distress and want AMSAR to hear your call for help it is. They monitor many HF frequencies around Australia.

If you want other vessels, tankers, cruise ships, freighters and yachts to hear you on 2182 etc when you are in distress its worth having one. Many many monitor 2182 while at sea. In the past we always did.

So I bought it.

Its true the HF frequencies seem silent but people listening dont make a noise. Like Charriot said HF radios need a good antenna. I bought an automatic tuning unit also on Ebay so I can use the backstay as an antenna.

See here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2182_kHz

Trek said..
I saw a Codan marine HF for sale on Ebay so checked into whether its worth having one.

If you are in distress and want AMSAR to hear your call for help it is. They monitor many HF frequencies around Australia.

If you want other vessels, tankers, cruise ships, freighters and yachts to hear you on 2182 etc when you are in distress its worth having one. Many many monitor 2182 while at sea. In the past we always did.

So I bought it.

Its true the HF frequencies seem silent but people listening dont make a noise. Like Charriot said HF radios need a good antenna. I bought an automatic tuning unit also on Ebay so I can use the backstay as an antenna.

See here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2182_kHz

.....well, at least I'll be able to talk to you Trek - that is if we both have the units installed and running...

I also have a Codan HF and last cruise, 2014, I don't think I even turned it on. What I really liked was getting the phone in a sailbag and pulling it up the mast in certain places, and then using it as a wifi hub for the computer. Then I would get the Meteye forecasts for the next few days and play the animation for the next few days. Got texts and emails as well.

I would record the screen as this happened. This allowed me to check out what the weather was supposed to be doing up to 3 days after losing reception.

I don't log on to coast stations so the HF doesn't add much for coastal sailing. Heading offshore is a different matter but many ships that you want to talk to will probably have DSC HF. There are ocean marine nets that use HF and I certainly won't be binning mine any time soon. That being said, when I replaced the rigging I did not spring the extra $600 for the insulators, I will just send up a wire instead when needed.

I would put any money for a radio into DSC calling. It may be better to call any ships you see on your AIS with DSC. Also you can leave it on. I must confess I can't stand leaving the VHF on
and always turn it off at anchor and sometimes when sailing. With DSC I should be able to leave it on more of the time and not listen to inane chatter - "How much fish did you bag mate" sometimes even on channel 16.

cheers

Phil

I think your comments are a bit harsh there Trek. I think most people here are speaking from their own experience. If your experience is different then great.

I think FreeRadicals post is the best. If you have it and it makes you feel better fitting one then fit it. No harm...

Let us just agree that an HF Radio is not essential equipment if one is coastal cruising between Melbourne and Cairns.

Without labouring the point, its easy to be out of range with MR. Also Im not sure they all monitor VHF 24 hours, when I was there they didn't.

The CYC Sydney to Gold Coast race require boats to carry HF as mandatory. That covers a large stretch of the east coast.

Sat Phones are easily misplaced during a panic or emergency and just as easily lost overboard. Not to mention I cant afford one. And I already have a HF.