Thanks, looked like you had an awesome night. Starlink changed the rules for Offshore, and have just changed them again. Trying to work out if it’s worth getting Starlink or do we do what we did last time, haul a phone in a waterproof case up the mast to get the forecast, which worked a treat. But the skipper hasn’t had a new toy for a while.
We don’t have a shortwave radio (as a kid living remote I did, the joys of carefully tuning to try and find the signal) . Mostly stuck doing weekend trips where mobile is fine (but there is a mobile antenna extender that may go in our mast at some stage). Trying to work out what we could do, one option being Starlink. Leo from Amazon may be functional next year. We’ve been looking at a back up for whatever we eventually pick (Starlink is easy, but chews power and not reliable in extreme conditions from what I have heard).. Zoleo are cooking up a new release. Rocket lab have just bought Iridium, they say they are not taking on Starlink, but planning something else that hasn’t been done, with a focus on reliability. Garmin InReach? But all require subscriptions which isn’t great if you are going to use for a couple of weeks a year
Amazing that in the UK on long wave we got the shipping forcast twice a day. Dogger, German Bight..... they would do a lap of the UK.
So just think how "progress" has us locked out of the internet for subscription purposes when 100 year old technology would still provide a forecast.
I am committed to getting a short wave set now, but again, in 2026 even Jaycar don't sell an SSB capable set any more so one has to order online. Fancy that, in Melbourne you can't go to the shops and buy a short wave radio.
as i understand it, SL has only changed if you are outside your subscription country for more than 30 days. if you are in australia and on an australian plan then : no problems
we on the otherhand are on a fiji plan (historically one of the cheapest around) and now back in australia, so it may be that on 17 sept SL tell us we have to change.
but who knows ? so much about SL seems quite random
cheers,
ps : as for SSB : no, we don't carry one. i also do not know how to make horseshoes...
