claverton said..

Can anyone recommend someone good to install SSB radio and backstay antenna, ground plate etc? Sydney area or within reasonable striking distance there of.

You could always take a wander down my way and check out mine. The ground plate I believe is the critical part. It covers a fair area either side of the engine bay if I remember correctly. I never use mine, its more for decoration in my case. The previous owner was an electrical engineer and his son reckons it was perfect for all it's SH races.

Frant, I'd love nothing better than not having to go through enormous expense and hassle of a HF radio install but intention is to sail a long way off shore.

Ramona, may take you up on your generous offer to check out your fine vessel and see how he's set up the ground plate...would also give me a chance to measure tiller so I can work out how to build mine (currently wheel which needs to go).

This article may be of help

cruiseemail.com/software/HF%20Radio%20Installation%20Procedure%20Final%20Revision%205-30-2009.pdf

HaveFun said..

I spent many years flying with a HF radio in the cockpit and could never raise anyone on the occasions I tried to use it when out of range of VHF. With technology like PLBs, AIS and satphones and the rescue co-ordination centre in Canberra, it's about time the sailing rules gave the HF the switch off. There is no benefit in my mind in the broadcast argument for HF. More likely to get someone half a world away. There is I suspect a lot of history in retaining HF rather than a true alternatives assessment and its benefits compared with its deficiencies have been overtaken by technology.

I think you will find that the Australian Y.F. is the only org that still requires HF radio for cat1 and cat 2 offshore races. All others have gone with satellite technology. For a lower initial installation cost you can install a fleetbroadband system rather than an HF radio. I fitted a Skipper 150 system for less than the price of an HF radio and Pactor modem. This gives internet, email and voice contact worldwide. Airtime rates are affordable ie I use a $50/month plan and upgrade to a $170/month plan when on an ocean passage. Rates are approx $0.60/min for voice, $0.50 for an email with grib weather file attachment and $5.00 per page internet surfing. This compares with $200 per year for an HF email service subscription so running costs are not vastly different. With the "change" I bought a handheld satphone with 300 minutes prepaid airtime (under $1k) which lives in the emergency grab bag along with the EPIRB. If I ever have to step up to the liferaft the fixed sat system and non existent HF radio would no longer be operating (rig down and boat flooded.) I reserve the right to set my EPIRB and PLB off and dial AMSA on speed dial for assistance.

With the Fleetbroadband service (uses the Inmarsat satellites) the minimum monthly spend was approx $50 plus another $50 each time you activate the Simm card. ie you can enter a month by month contract. I suspect that using a handheld with prepaid airtime would work out considerably cheaper. However the satellite systems are far superior to HF email. My recommendation for casual type users is to use a prepaid handheld sat phone and call home and have someone there do all the weather routing and forecasting from the comfort of an armchair.

That is correct, its like prepaid mobile service. Your airtime is deducted from your "initial" credit.
I see that the Isatphone pro is available as a packege deal with 100-min prepaid airtime in Aus for approx $1k. Not sure but I imagine that this phone could be used as a modem for data download for updating weather gribs.

I have to update the operating system on my (Isatphonepro) phone which I will do over this weekend. Should be able to see how it talks with the compuiter and get a definative answer on data downloads.

my vote also for the Fleet broadband. i have just launched after a long build and wish i hadnt fitted the HF. but hey, i'm a radio tech (well was once upon a time), so thought i had to have one. with the affordability of the FB's now, (around 5k), they are ball park with a decent HF, heaps easier to install, and you dont need a degree in witchcraft to drive one...
agreed ongoings are expensive, with a typical rate per meg on a casual plan (as per mentioned above) in the vicinity of $20. voice is cheap tho, (comparatively...)and if you buy the FB from someone who knows what they are talking about, they can filter a whole bunch of MB eating extras from your system. the good ones can even apply filters at the POP (the other end) for no charge... so yeah, around $50 a month to have it sitting there doing nothing, then upgrade to the plan mentioned above when transiting (around the $170 mark), which should give you 10MB free anyway... which if your really careful, should get you your weather info from A to B. as long as the kids dont get hold of it.... re using an Isat for data, can be done for sure, basic emails etc, but would almost certainly require an external antenna ($400-500), and has very low data rates... around 20kbps from memory? a lot of people dont know about the current satellite subsidy, which can give you up to 50% rebate from your buy price... and even less.... including dealers... dont realise it is applicable to all forms of satphones... ie BGAN and Fleet Broadband as well... cheers T