Yeah, I haven't been able to talk to anyone farther than 15 miles... And most of the boats I sail with also can't communicate farther than about 15 miles.. Yes, I could be wrong.... Ken
I think if I was a sailor doing transoceanic crossing the HF SSB would be my friend on those long night watches. Even my 4W SSB CB has talked as far as from Canberra to Hawaii. And talking to West Australia and New Zealand was very common when the skip was running.
The US FCC, specifically prohibits the use of SSB radio, when a vessel is in range of VHF transmission. However, I agree with you Ken, when in an emergency situation, use all the tools available to resolve the emergency as soon as possible. Another great video.
I have been a licensed Ham Radio Opperator for 20 years and there are no such laws restricting you communicating as you stated . Grant it you do have to Opperate in the allocated frequency of your license class . Also there are other restrictionsin to be aware of when you are in other country's.
Thanks for the information. I think I would have an Epirb even with other satellite communication as it design for emergency. You push a button and people will look for you. In the best of time, it take a few minutes to set a call with Iridium and explain what is going on and where you are.
You are correct about one button to press on the Eprib, but IridiumGo also has one button for emergencies. We also have Eprib's on Aquarius, so I also think it's a requirement for passages. If I was running out of the boat, and could only take a few items, I think I would rather have the IGO and and iPhone rather than the Eprib. All the best and thanks for the comment! Ken
This is one the better videos I've seen on explaining these systems!enjoyable and easy to follow. Is also nice to see another emel on the tubes. Seem to make it into background shots of a few other videos!thanks for your video. Greetings from Dundas Ontario!
Good morning, I have been an avid watcher of about 6 youtube sailing channels and I commend you all . I am a licensed Ham Radio Opperator and have found myself always asking why don't any of then use Ham Radio to communicate or even mention anything about Ham Radio . As it is of my opinion, a very crushal peace a commcation gear that can keep you in touch with the world and especially in case of an emergency ! The icom you have is a very good mobile Radio. A few points if you're interested are, # 1 For any' Emergency Only' you are allowed by the U.s FCC and other country's communications regulators do allow you to use Ham Radio without a license. #2 ... 14.300 mhz or also know as the 20 meter band is a world wide emergency and non emergency channel/ net that run daily that you can check-in with the net Opperator . We always love contacts from maritime mobiles. #3 the antenna you assembled was called a long wire but your missing a few steps for it properly work well which is very critical. Such as a long wire to properly work it needs a 9-1 current bauln at the feed point which in return would consist of you cutting your wire to the proper langth And having an auto tuner to tune the antenna to operate properly on 20 meters. The Ic 706 doesn't have one built in , therefore you would need an external tuner if your antenna is not properly tune . Also along with that you should have a swr meter to tune your antenna. You could make a half wave end fed antenna with a 49-1 current bauln at the feed point. As the antenna would have to be cut to the proper langth to be efficient . I am extremely knowledgeable in the field of HF communications. I would love to talk with you further about this as you could safely assume there a bit to know in the antenna and HF world . It would be a great pleasure to teach you . Happy sailing . My email is jao33333@hotmail.com. Ps when shit hits the fan out in the open waters and everythings is down you can aways rely on Ham Radio !!
Hello Jason, Yes!! I would like to talk... But for your information, there is a tuner in between my rope antenna and the radio. It is the SG-230 Smartuner. Do you know this tuner? I will give you a ring! Thanks for the comment
I actually have my old handheld aviation. VHF from my pilot days onboard now. Though not changed. I am going to have to print out the Aviation Frequencies so I can reach a plane if I have to in an emergency with my 706MKIIG Good idea. Ken
Thanks for the useful information. Would you mind to share the step by step of how to activate, setup and apps necessary for the iridium Go!, I just ordered one with a couple of spare SIM cards and scratching my had for the moment I will have to instal the hardware and setup the system to have access to email, calls and especially transmit the position for the next few months….. well done Sailor. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Great video and nice summary. I can add one small bits about sat phone service. We use a iridium 9555 since we had one and with a thing called a sidekick from ocens to download predictwind. Allowed us to avoid buying a go. Second - I so totally agree about pactor modems: So finicky. Wishing you great luck across the Indian ocean!
Hi, great episode. I really like how you went into depth on some things. You are really well setup on safety and backup systems. Kudos to that. I would like to give some feedback on some things. The Icom 706 is a pretty good HF (and VHF) radio, actually the receiver itself is better than what you would get if you buy a purpose made marine SSB as it is intended for Amatuer radio where low signal communication is key. It's speaker kind of sucks though and anyone buying one should be buying a separate speaker. The microphone is not all that good either (Icom has never been known for good stock microphones) and if one feel one could spend some extra there I would recommend one from Heil (you know Heil sound, that makes microphones and guitar distortion gear). What is good to know is, that doing the All-TX or MARS modification, where you can transmit all over the spectrum is illegal in some countries, it may also be illegal to use, for instance, a ham radio on the marine SSB frequencies. Now, for emergency Mayday calls, no-one is going to care what radio you have and what modifications you have made to make a Mayday. Just saying, in my country Sweden you may own the equipment, you may modify it, but you are not allowed to use it on the marine frequencies. I also know that for the US, FCC does not allow you to use a radio on frequencies that it is not type approved for. You can listen anywhere, but not transmit, unless a disaster situation. Now, most dont care, and I have never heard about any cruiser that has got in trouble with it, anywhere. And there are a lot of cruisers having modified ham equipment. The IC-706 is a decent radio, it has however gone 27 years since the first generation 706 came out so, not saying it is outdated, but it is not the most modern radio out there. The IC-706 been modified also has some risks. Even though the TX (transmit) has been opened up there are some frequencies that the radio just don't like to transmit. It will do it, but, it creates issues that can much sooner than later break the radio. I know the 4 meter band is particularly difficult and breaks the IC-706 quickly, but have also heard there are frequencies on the HF that causes some kind of oscillation that the radio don't like. When it comes to VHF distance. Most people will use their squelch because the white noise of frequency modulation is very tiresome to listen to on days in end. But if both stations (boats) will unsquelch you will usually get a much longer distance than the 20 nautical miles you are talking about. The sound wont be perfect, but you can communicate. The distance is actually not only to the horizon but to the horizon in between the 2 stations. You talked about the coax cable distance on your Iridium, well, convert this to VHF as well. The marine VHF runs up 156-174 MHz and channel 16 on 156.8 MHz (you could even use your IC-706 here). A big mistake, often from the boat manufacturers and boaters is to use a RG-58 coax between the VHF radio and the antenna. This cable leaves a lot to desire when it comes to loss as well as the coax connectors are also pretty lossy and difficult to seal. I would recommend to have at least RG-8 or RG-213 to be used for your VHF. The benefits. 1. Much lower loss (this goes on reception and transmitted power). 2. Better connectors less prone to water ingress 3. Better protection from RFI or noise from other equipment on the boat like solar panel equipment, fan regulators, square sinus equipment and so on. 4. Better longevity (need to replace less often) 5. Better UV protection. The Ionosphere has different layers where the signal can bounce, the D-layer is a common in the daytime on lower frequencies near the MW, then we have the E-layer and the F1 and the F2 layer. Many times the communication can have multi-hop which means the signal leaves the antenna, bounces in one of the layers in the Ionosphere, bounces in ground or water, back to another bounce in the Ionosphere and down again to the receivers antenna. There is about 5 bounces in the F-layer required to reach the opposite side of the world. When it comes to using a Pactor-II modem to downloading grib files and sending emails it has it's limitations. 1. You need a special modem that is overcharged in price. 2. The land based stations you are working against is, hmmm, many times to the best fit for purpose. I am not saying they all suck equipment wise, but very few of them have good equipment. 3. You need to pay for a service Now, instead, if you have gotten your Amateur Radio license you could. 1. Do this without a modem, there are hamware (amateur radio software) that is free, as good if not better than Pactor-II that utilize the soundcard in your computer and the computer itself to act as a modem. 2. The stations, other hams, across the globe that you can use to connect to in order to forward your mail many times uses better radios and most importantly antennas in order to get the job done. 3. It is free. The Iridium is a great tool. Currently one can get Starlink at land but apperantly it is not working at sea. I used it while in Ukraine, it was free, thank you Musk, but also very stable and fast. Cant wait to get it to work over the milk run. $110 a month, no data limits.
WOW, there are some smart people watching our videos! Thanks Magnus, I do believe that I will get my HAM license this summer while in the USA... Any suggestions on a school/class?
@@SailingAquarius Sorry about my rant, I just get a bit fired up sometimes. OK, so not so long ago it has gotten a lot easier to become a licensed amatuer radio operator in USA. First, they made 5 classes (Novice, Technician, General, Advanced and Extra) into only 3 classes (Technician, General & Extra). Secondly, they have removed the morse code requirement. Now, each class has benefits. Being a Technician allows you on many bands but very little on SSB, more CW (morse code) and different digital modes. When you update to General you get a whole lot more frequency benefits and when you finally become an Extra you will have access to all of the ham bands full spectrum and full legal power everywhere, where applies. The problem is that you cant just go and do the test for extra and be done. No, in USA you have to first pass the Technician exam, then the General exam and finally the Extra exam. You can however do all of them in the same day. Technician will give you all VHF bands and up full legal power, that is, 30MHz and up. The only HF the Technician class operator can use SSB on is 10m, 28MHz, which will take you far when the sun spots are up but outside that it is basically like CB (27MHz). The Technician also has access to small segments of the bands on 40m (7 MHz) and 15m (21 MHz) but only on CW (Morse code). Now, to answer your question, since the pandemic FCC now allows remote testing. You can be in Reunion, Madagascar or whereever and do your test with some different clubs. It requires a Teams/Zoom or similar and a webcam where they can monitor you. This site gives links to a few places where you can test remotly. hamradioprep.com/ham-radio-license-test-online/ There are numerous sites where you can buy an online course. For better or worse. I would recommend that you visit the youtube channel called Ham Radio 2.0, this guy has a lot of videos and it can be a bit of a mess to find things but there is FREE online course for all Technician, General and Extra. It is very well done and easy to understand. And again, it is free.
Excellent detail and descriptions. Very well done, and even entertaining video. Subscribed. Pro-Tip: Amateur Radio licenses are very easy to obtain, with basic knowledge. Setting up a permanent bipole antenna on a sailboat is easier than you might imagine. You're doing great, better than most blue water SV's. "SSB" = Single-Side Band. It's ok to refer to it that way, but at least once in every explanation that should be spoken or spelled out. 73's DE KG7STF
Have you considered getting rid of the splitter and just adding a second antenna (maybe on the mizzen mast) for the AIS? Splitters KILL RF power as will using most factory provided antenna cable.
@@SailingAquarius from different perspective: If i sail offshore , but do not cross Oceans, do i need such internet hardware? Maybe You know cheaper internet than 40K
@@svamateria9912 If you want fast internet, I don't know of anything cheap. Slow internet is available with Iridium, but everything else will need special antenna systems...... Fully motorized antennas that automatically focus on a geosynchronous Satellite. IridiumGo is slower than dial up speeds from the 1990's. It's ok to download short emails and texts, and Grab files for weather, but that's about it... Best, Ken
Enjoyed hearing about the icom 706. As a ham radio operator I cringed everytime you refered to it as the "ssb" that's just one of many modes it works on.
I know UNIDEN Marine and FRS?GMRS combo radio. I think ICOM may want see about coming with Marine VHF and MURS this way can communicate stations on land ,
Great Tips on Tuesday! Very practical information to consider. Did you set up the NMEA system on Aquarius or did she come set up? Do you run a secondary mapping/plotting system with a laptop/external gps antenna or do you primarily on your chart plotter? And which platform (Windows/Android or Apple based) do you guys find more useful?
I set up the NMEA 2000 bus. Supper easy to set up the NMEA 2000 bus! The Vesper XB8000 sends all the NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 data over the WIFI, this data included the location data. Our computers and tablets use the Vesper location if connected. This way we can also use the AIS alarms.... If any boat gets within a few miles of us, the alarm goes off... Both Z and I use Apple based computers, but Z has and iPhone and iPad, and I have Androids. Ken
The ICOM 706 has been discontinued, mainly due to some components being discontinued. It is also HAM-only radio--it cannot be used for marine SSB. This video is misleading in that regard. YOU HAVE AN ICOM 706 BUT NO HAM LICENSE? Unless an emergency, this radio is worthless for more than listening. Spend a little study time, and get the HAM license. You still won't be able to use marine SSB, but it's better than just listening. Also, you can buy a receive-only radio for ~$200, and an EPIRB (much better for emergencies) for ~$350. So you have much better communications for half the price of an ICOM 706.
Hey Ken, did you hear that Viasat is in the process of buying Inmarsat? It will be a maritime communications cornucopia! 🙂 Now I'll watch the rest of your video.
Hi Jeff, If I could only get ViaSat to sponsor me... Yeah, then I could afford it! Still mega EXPENSIVE! Maybe you know the marketing guy over there?? Just kidding! All the best, Ken
@@SailingAquarius I do know those folks, but you are probably right about 2025 for low cost solutions. Viasat installed a system on SV Delos a while ago. Check the 10 minute mark of this video: ruclips.net/video/BmNTJrdLHMc/видео.html
legally, there is no license required for emergencies at sea (not sure about emergency's on land or not). there's a lot of bad how to video's out there. care to share a link to a reliable link for removing that resister? oh, yea, very good video. thank you. not sure if that's my exact radio (I'm not on the boat at the moment, but it sure sounds right. My back stay is my antenna on my 70ft mast. i hope to hook up a land based ham also, (or two)
No problems at all..... There are three GPS antennas in that drawer, and all work well. One - The VHF, Two - The AIS, and Three - Furuno GPS Navigator.....
No, we don't ..... If you are out in the middle of the ocean, I would say your only hope with a serious injury or medical issue is a Large Ship with a Doctor. And if you saw how many ships are on the ocean (Look at Marine Traffic dot com) we are probably within 5 hours of one at all times. For a REAL mayday ships will deviate course to help. They will remove you, but they will not save your boat... But there are times when you're shit out of luck! We have a fairly large set of tools to try to save someone with various issues. Injectables included. The best solution though .... Don't get injured, and stay healthy... Work out, eat right, and drink less... And then.... hope for a quick transition to the next adventure. Best, Ken
As much as I want to say I since I was in high school was a dream. I was in the Navy for five years after that I want to really sail. I got out in 1985 went school for automotive Technician. Graduating with honors in science degree. I suffered a catastrophe in 1998 I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease my life to hell April 8 I’ll be 60
My hat off for you Ken; I'm wondering if some parts of your explanation gets caught in one 'take' .... The vesper 1234q5 which gets its signal through the xm234qt5000 then through the splitter pt1234.... Let Zivile answer this for me please ;-)) Grtz Scinti
Hi Ken, wanted to buy the Icom M94D handheld with ais, but in Belgium and the Netherlands you have to register it with the authorities to receive an Atis number. Unfortunately, that atis has to be always attached to a vessel ... Not to a person. (I have to send a copy of the vessels manifest) Means I can't take it to another boat (when I charter a boat). I could only listen out and not transmit, because if I transmit, they will see a blank atis and therefore they could fine me or confiscate my handheld. Are your handhelds all registered Ken? Grtz Scinti
Yes, but we just buy local SIM cards once we get into port, and turn down the IridiumGO to the lowest cost plan (Or turn it off as long as it has been active for over one full month). Then when we take off for the next country we activate our IridiumGO or turn up the IridiumGo to Unlimited Plan, and I always try to do it on the last day of the Month. If we plan to make the crossing to Tanzania on May 5th, I would change the IridiumGO plan to Unlimited on April 30th. Then I would be billed for one day at the higher plan. There are no refunds on unused days, so I would use the unlimited plan for the month of May, then on May 31st I would cancel the IridiumGO since we are planing to stay in Tanzania for at least a few months and it has been active for 3 months. When I activate the IridiumGO again I will need a new SIM card that costs $10, but I have 6 on board Aquarius. I should have included this in the video, but can't include everything... Best... Ken
@@SailingAquarius I was also thinking of something a bit more. I like the Pepwave MAX Transit DUO "PrimeCare Edition" Dual CAT-12 LTEA Router. The Prime care provides proprietary licensing which gives the user access to Speedfusion Cloud dual simcard cellular bonding. This coupled with the Pepwave 40G marine antenna and the OMNI-496 Dual-Band Wi-Fi antenna is the next level in cellar and WiFi data connects.
We have the IridiumGO. We use the IridiumGO with an iPhone or Android Phone to make calls and download the weather. Both Z and I can download whether, and text or our friends with our cell phones when they are connected to the IridiumGO WiFi. But, only one person can make calls or send messages at a time. Best, Ken
At sea level you may get 1 to 2 miles. The h in the distance equation is antenna height! With two antennas, each at 20 meters high, you get about 20 miles. But, yes, 10 to 15 miles is about the max you get with decent radios and two antennas at 20 meters. That's just real world experience.
My experience with FM modulated 2 meter VHF radio, which is close in frequency, is about the same. In flatlander Michigan, with a 4/5 watt handheld and a magnet mount 1/4 wave antenna on a car I was probably topping out at 25 miles directly talking to other stations simplex. I don't know what their antenna height was. Doing my own tests where I live in Pennsylvania in a wide valley with a lot of hills and buildings in it, it varies. Like with using a 10 watt radio and a roof mounted antenna on a car going back to a base antenna 40 feet up....in one direction it may only go 5 miles, in the opposite direction where it's more flat, more like 12 miles.
And the MARS mod is legal for those who have a MARS license. This video is so deceiving and will make a lot of people use ham radio frequencies illegally ahh. Needs to be clear to don't confuse people make then use bands illegally. It's friking easy to get a ham radio license, even easier than a captain license, come on, do things right!
Iridium Go download? 2.4 Kbits/s fast 🐢 So let's say a paired down PredictWind download will take about 45 minutes to an hour. Is that what you are finding?
To download the GRIB files for a 100K radius around Aquarius take about 15 to 20 minutes. If you want more data, like the currents, and all four wind, rain, cloud models...Then you might be looking at 40 minutes. But we usually request smaller files that take about 15 minutes to download. And we do this about 3 times per day on a passage.
@@SailingAquarius I was thinking of a more in-between slow Iridium Go and super expensive Ku-Band Marine VSAT Antenna System. The Intellian C700 maritime satellite terminal. Using the Iridium Certus service, the Intellian C700 provides three high-quality voice lines and the highest IP data speeds among L-band terminals. Developed for Iridium’s global network and designed to provide the fastest L-band broadband service in the industry, the C700 advertise deliver speed up to 352kbps, transmission and 704kbps. Reception and speeds is a game changer, through Its 12-element patch receiver which also ensures seamless connectivity. The cost for the antenna runs around 5K and service for pay as you go is $130 per month or the use one month 50MB for $395
@@SailingAquarius Keep in mind, as far as cellular data performance is concerned, boosters are not always the optimal signal enhancing strategy. While a booster can play a role in a mobile internet setup in weak signal areas and when upload capacity is of importance - many cellular reliant boaters depend on directly connected MIMO antennas for use with routers and mobile hotspots. Despite the high price tag, boosters are not always the best signal enhancing option for data performance - which should be your focus. And the reason boosters are often not so great for data performance is because of a core technology called MIMO, or Multi-In Multi-Out. Much better to first invest in a proper router and 4x4 MIMO antenna. It's not at all uncommon for a booster to actually result in decreased data speeds, despite a better signal reading. Using a cellular device's built-in antennas or externally connected antennas can often outperform a booster.
Great video, thank you. And equally good and informative comments. Thanks all. Tips on Tuesday, keep ‘em coming!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I watched it twice...excellent..
Glad it was helpful!
Very good tutorial on marine communications!! Thank you,
Glad it was helpful!
our tower at our charter hq was over 85 ft. and we could talk to our boats in key west and dry tortugas from ft. myers on standard vhf radios
Yeah, I haven't been able to talk to anyone farther than 15 miles... And most of the boats I sail with also can't communicate farther than about 15 miles.. Yes, I could be wrong.... Ken
Excellent vid.
Thanks!
Goodie…Tips on Tuesday Returns…Always Good Info for Cruisers👍 Continue to Stay Safe & Enjoy😎
Thanks 👍
I think if I was a sailor doing transoceanic crossing the HF SSB would be my friend on those long night watches. Even my 4W SSB CB has talked as far as from Canberra to Hawaii. And talking to West Australia and New Zealand was very common when the skip was running.
Yeah, late at night you can tune into dozens of radio stations... But, I didn't hear many Hammers. Ken
Great vid easy pleasey lol Great job explaining it all.
Glad you liked it!
The US FCC, specifically prohibits the use of SSB radio, when a vessel is in range of VHF transmission. However, I agree with you Ken, when in an emergency situation, use all the tools available to resolve the emergency as soon as possible. Another great video.
Thanks Captain!!!
Could you elaborate on what’s prohibited precisely please.
A vessel is almost always in vhf range of another base station or vessel
I have been a licensed Ham Radio Opperator for 20 years and there are no such laws restricting you communicating as you stated . Grant it you do have to Opperate in the allocated frequency of your license class . Also there are other restrictionsin to be aware of when you are in other country's.
Thanks for the information. I think I would have an Epirb even with other satellite communication as it design for emergency. You push a button and people will look for you. In the best of time, it take a few minutes to set a call with Iridium and explain what is going on and where you are.
You are correct about one button to press on the Eprib, but IridiumGo also has one button for emergencies. We also have Eprib's on Aquarius, so I also think it's a requirement for passages. If I was running out of the boat, and could only take a few items, I think I would rather have the IGO and and iPhone rather than the Eprib. All the best and thanks for the comment! Ken
This is one the better videos I've seen on explaining these systems!enjoyable and easy to follow.
Is also nice to see another emel on the tubes. Seem to make it into background shots of a few other videos!thanks for your video.
Greetings from Dundas Ontario!
Glad you liked it!
Good morning, I have been an avid watcher of about 6 youtube sailing channels and I commend you all . I am a licensed Ham Radio Opperator and have found myself always asking why don't any of then use Ham Radio to communicate or even mention anything about Ham Radio . As it is of my opinion, a very crushal peace a commcation gear that can keep you in touch with the world and especially in case of an emergency ! The icom you have is a very good mobile Radio. A few points if you're interested are, # 1 For any' Emergency Only' you are allowed by the U.s FCC and other country's communications regulators do allow you to use Ham Radio without a license. #2 ... 14.300 mhz or also know as the 20 meter band is a world wide emergency and non emergency channel/ net that run daily that you can check-in with the net Opperator . We always love contacts from maritime mobiles. #3 the antenna you assembled was called a long wire but your missing a few steps for it properly work well which is very critical. Such as a long wire to properly work it needs a 9-1 current bauln at the feed point which in return would consist of you cutting your wire to the proper langth And having an auto tuner to tune the antenna to operate properly on 20 meters. The Ic 706 doesn't have one built in , therefore you would need an external tuner if your antenna is not properly tune . Also along with that you should have a swr meter to tune your antenna. You could make a half wave end fed antenna with a 49-1 current bauln at the feed point. As the antenna would have to be cut to the proper langth to be efficient . I am extremely knowledgeable in the field of HF communications. I would love to talk with you further about this as you could safely assume there a bit to know in the antenna and HF world . It would be a great pleasure to teach you . Happy sailing . My email is jao33333@hotmail.com. Ps when shit hits the fan out in the open waters and everythings is down you can aways rely on Ham Radio !!
Hello Jason, Yes!! I would like to talk... But for your information, there is a tuner in between my rope antenna and the radio. It is the SG-230 Smartuner. Do you know this tuner? I will give you a ring!
Thanks for the comment
Always thumbs up for Tips on Tuesday :-). Finally! best!
Glad you like them!
Thanks again Ken , great episode
Very welcome
Great and informative vlog . Thanks Ken and z
Glad you enjoyed it
In an emergency an aviation VHF radio would probably be a good idea to have with you too.
I actually have my old handheld aviation. VHF from my pilot days onboard now. Though not changed. I am going to have to print out the Aviation Frequencies so I can reach a plane if I have to in an emergency with my 706MKIIG Good idea. Ken
OHoo very useful information 👌. Really enjoyed every moment of this. Take care and stay safe
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for the useful information. Would you mind to share the step by step of how to activate, setup and apps necessary for the iridium Go!, I just ordered one with a couple of spare SIM cards and scratching my had for the moment I will have to instal the hardware and setup the system to have access to email, calls and especially transmit the position for the next few months…..
well done Sailor. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Great video and nice summary. I can add one small bits about sat phone service. We use a iridium 9555 since we had one and with a thing called a sidekick from ocens to download predictwind. Allowed us to avoid buying a go. Second - I so totally agree about pactor modems: So finicky.
Wishing you great luck across the Indian ocean!
Thanks Jay! I'll look up the sidekick... But we already have the GO.. Best. Ken
Hi, great episode. I really like how you went into depth on some things. You are really well setup on safety and backup systems. Kudos to that.
I would like to give some feedback on some things.
The Icom 706 is a pretty good HF (and VHF) radio, actually the receiver itself is better than what you would get if you buy a purpose made marine SSB as it is intended for Amatuer radio where low signal communication is key. It's speaker kind of sucks though and anyone buying one should be buying a separate speaker. The microphone is not all that good either (Icom has never been known for good stock microphones) and if one feel one could spend some extra there I would recommend one from Heil (you know Heil sound, that makes microphones and guitar distortion gear).
What is good to know is, that doing the All-TX or MARS modification, where you can transmit all over the spectrum is illegal in some countries, it may also be illegal to use, for instance, a ham radio on the marine SSB frequencies. Now, for emergency Mayday calls, no-one is going to care what radio you have and what modifications you have made to make a Mayday. Just saying, in my country Sweden you may own the equipment, you may modify it, but you are not allowed to use it on the marine frequencies. I also know that for the US, FCC does not allow you to use a radio on frequencies that it is not type approved for. You can listen anywhere, but not transmit, unless a disaster situation.
Now, most dont care, and I have never heard about any cruiser that has got in trouble with it, anywhere. And there are a lot of cruisers having modified ham equipment.
The IC-706 is a decent radio, it has however gone 27 years since the first generation 706 came out so, not saying it is outdated, but it is not the most modern radio out there.
The IC-706 been modified also has some risks. Even though the TX (transmit) has been opened up there are some frequencies that the radio just don't like to transmit. It will do it, but, it creates issues that can much sooner than later break the radio. I know the 4 meter band is particularly difficult and breaks the IC-706 quickly, but have also heard there are frequencies on the HF that causes some kind of oscillation that the radio don't like.
When it comes to VHF distance. Most people will use their squelch because the white noise of frequency modulation is very tiresome to listen to on days in end. But if both stations (boats) will unsquelch you will usually get a much longer distance than the 20 nautical miles you are talking about. The sound wont be perfect, but you can communicate. The distance is actually not only to the horizon but to the horizon in between the 2 stations.
You talked about the coax cable distance on your Iridium, well, convert this to VHF as well. The marine VHF runs up 156-174 MHz and channel 16 on 156.8 MHz (you could even use your IC-706 here). A big mistake, often from the boat manufacturers and boaters is to use a RG-58 coax between the VHF radio and the antenna. This cable leaves a lot to desire when it comes to loss as well as the coax connectors are also pretty lossy and difficult to seal. I would recommend to have at least RG-8 or RG-213 to be used for your VHF.
The benefits.
1. Much lower loss (this goes on reception and transmitted power).
2. Better connectors less prone to water ingress
3. Better protection from RFI or noise from other equipment on the boat like solar panel equipment, fan regulators, square sinus equipment and so on.
4. Better longevity (need to replace less often)
5. Better UV protection.
The Ionosphere has different layers where the signal can bounce, the D-layer is a common in the daytime on lower frequencies near the MW, then we have the E-layer and the F1 and the F2 layer. Many times the communication can have multi-hop which means the signal leaves the antenna, bounces in one of the layers in the Ionosphere, bounces in ground or water, back to another bounce in the Ionosphere and down again to the receivers antenna. There is about 5 bounces in the F-layer required to reach the opposite side of the world.
When it comes to using a Pactor-II modem to downloading grib files and sending emails it has it's limitations.
1. You need a special modem that is overcharged in price.
2. The land based stations you are working against is, hmmm, many times to the best fit for purpose. I am not saying they all suck equipment wise, but very few of them have good equipment.
3. You need to pay for a service
Now, instead, if you have gotten your Amateur Radio license you could.
1. Do this without a modem, there are hamware (amateur radio software) that is free, as good if not better than Pactor-II that utilize the soundcard in your computer and the computer itself to act as a modem.
2. The stations, other hams, across the globe that you can use to connect to in order to forward your mail many times uses better radios and most importantly antennas in order to get the job done.
3. It is free.
The Iridium is a great tool.
Currently one can get Starlink at land but apperantly it is not working at sea. I used it while in Ukraine, it was free, thank you Musk, but also very stable and fast. Cant wait to get it to work over the milk run. $110 a month, no data limits.
WOW, there are some smart people watching our videos! Thanks Magnus, I do believe that I will get my HAM license this summer while in the USA... Any suggestions on a school/class?
@@SailingAquarius Sorry about my rant, I just get a bit fired up sometimes.
OK, so not so long ago it has gotten a lot easier to become a licensed amatuer radio operator in USA.
First, they made 5 classes (Novice, Technician, General, Advanced and Extra) into only 3 classes (Technician, General & Extra).
Secondly, they have removed the morse code requirement.
Now, each class has benefits. Being a Technician allows you on many bands but very little on SSB, more CW (morse code) and different digital modes. When you update to General you get a whole lot more frequency benefits and when you finally become an Extra you will have access to all of the ham bands full spectrum and full legal power everywhere, where applies.
The problem is that you cant just go and do the test for extra and be done. No, in USA you have to first pass the Technician exam, then the General exam and finally the Extra exam. You can however do all of them in the same day.
Technician will give you all VHF bands and up full legal power, that is, 30MHz and up. The only HF the Technician class operator can use SSB on is 10m, 28MHz, which will take you far when the sun spots are up but outside that it is basically like CB (27MHz). The Technician also has access to small segments of the bands on 40m (7 MHz) and 15m (21 MHz) but only on CW (Morse code).
Now, to answer your question, since the pandemic FCC now allows remote testing. You can be in Reunion, Madagascar or whereever and do your test with some different clubs. It requires a Teams/Zoom or similar and a webcam where they can monitor you.
This site gives links to a few places where you can test remotly. hamradioprep.com/ham-radio-license-test-online/
There are numerous sites where you can buy an online course. For better or worse. I would recommend that you visit the youtube channel called Ham Radio 2.0, this guy has a lot of videos and it can be a bit of a mess to find things but there is FREE online course for all Technician, General and Extra. It is very well done and easy to understand. And again, it is free.
Excellent detail and descriptions. Very well done, and even entertaining video.
Subscribed.
Pro-Tip: Amateur Radio licenses are very easy to obtain, with basic knowledge. Setting up a permanent bipole antenna on a sailboat is easier than you might imagine. You're doing great, better than most blue water SV's.
"SSB" = Single-Side Band. It's ok to refer to it that way, but at least once in every explanation that should be spoken or spelled out.
73's DE KG7STF
Awesome, thank you!
Great job Ken very useful information!!
Glad it was helpful!
AWESOME Video Great Information THANKS Ken and Z🙏🙏
Our pleasure!
@@SailingAquarius 🙏🙏👍👍
Good video Ken
Thanks 👍
Have you considered getting rid of the splitter and just adding a second antenna (maybe on the mizzen mast) for the AIS? Splitters KILL RF power as will using most factory provided antenna cable.
Yes, I had a separate antenna. But didn't get as good of reception as the active splitter I have now. Ken
Good to know. Thank You for information.
So nice of you! Thanks...
@@SailingAquarius from different perspective: If i sail offshore , but do not cross Oceans, do i need such internet hardware? Maybe You know cheaper internet than 40K
@@svamateria9912 If you want fast internet, I don't know of anything cheap. Slow internet is available with Iridium, but everything else will need special antenna systems...... Fully motorized antennas that automatically focus on a geosynchronous Satellite. IridiumGo is slower than dial up speeds from the 1990's. It's ok to download short emails and texts, and Grab files for weather, but that's about it... Best, Ken
Enjoyed hearing about the icom 706. As a ham radio operator I cringed everytime you refered to it as the "ssb" that's just one of many modes it works on.
Yeah, I didn't know the difference... But, I will learn and get my HAM license this summer. Best, Ken
Always interesting thank u
My pleasure
who else is watching this on Tuesday ?
I don't know.... But please share, so that they will watch it on Wednesday if they don't get to watch on Tuesday! :)
I have the same radio and did use it for MARS so the mod is done. Never really used it very much so it sits in the shack
Lekker man lekker 🇿🇦
Thanks
Thanks for information....
My pleasure. Fair Winds
i think we all have high hopes for Starlink
Yes, but we will probably have to wait for at least 2 to 3 years. :(
@@SailingAquarius yup
I know UNIDEN Marine and FRS?GMRS combo radio. I think ICOM may want see about coming with Marine VHF and MURS this way can communicate stations on land ,
Great Tips on Tuesday! Very practical information to consider. Did you set up the NMEA system on Aquarius or did she come set up? Do you run a secondary mapping/plotting system with a laptop/external gps antenna or do you primarily on your chart plotter? And which platform (Windows/Android or Apple based) do you guys find more useful?
I set up the NMEA 2000 bus. Supper easy to set up the NMEA 2000 bus! The Vesper XB8000 sends all the NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 data over the WIFI, this data included the location data. Our computers and tablets use the Vesper location if connected. This way we can also use the AIS alarms.... If any boat gets within a few miles of us, the alarm goes off... Both Z and I use Apple based computers, but Z has and iPhone and iPad, and I have Androids. Ken
Get a Ham License. You might learn something not only about radio transmissions but your boats electrical system.
Yeah, you're right, and I also think it would be a good idea to get the license!
The ICOM 706 has been discontinued, mainly due to some components being discontinued. It is also HAM-only radio--it cannot be used for marine SSB. This video is misleading in that regard. YOU HAVE AN ICOM 706 BUT NO HAM LICENSE? Unless an emergency, this radio is worthless for more than listening. Spend a little study time, and get the HAM license. You still won't be able to use marine SSB, but it's better than just listening. Also, you can buy a receive-only radio for ~$200, and an EPIRB (much better for emergencies) for ~$350. So you have much better communications for half the price of an ICOM 706.
If you did get into amateur radio, there is some free email that can be done, but it is complicated to set up.
I am going to get a HAM license when back in the states we'll see what happens from there.. Ken
Interesting video
Glad you think so!
Hey Ken, did you hear that Viasat is in the process of buying Inmarsat? It will be a maritime communications cornucopia! 🙂 Now I'll watch the rest of your video.
Hi Jeff, If I could only get ViaSat to sponsor me... Yeah, then I could afford it! Still mega EXPENSIVE! Maybe you know the marketing guy over there?? Just kidding! All the best, Ken
@@SailingAquarius I do know those folks, but you are probably right about 2025 for low cost solutions. Viasat installed a system on SV Delos a while ago. Check the 10 minute mark of this video: ruclips.net/video/BmNTJrdLHMc/видео.html
Too bad We couldn’t join you on that passage…
Yep.... There will be more!
legally, there is no license required for emergencies at sea (not sure about emergency's on land or not).
there's a lot of bad how to video's out there. care to share a link to a reliable link for removing that resister?
oh, yea, very good video. thank you.
not sure if that's my exact radio (I'm not on the boat at the moment, but it sure sounds right. My back stay is my antenna on my 70ft mast.
i hope to hook up a land based ham also, (or two)
Thanks for the nice comment! Let us know how your systems work out! Best, Ken
Any reception problems with your AIS/GPS antenna in a 'drawer' vs. 'open to sky' ? thanks, great info.
No problems at all..... There are three GPS antennas in that drawer, and all work well. One - The VHF, Two - The AIS, and Three - Furuno GPS Navigator.....
Do you have a SAR subscription with any of these or Medivac
No, we don't ..... If you are out in the middle of the ocean, I would say your only hope with a serious injury or medical issue is a Large Ship with a Doctor. And if you saw how many ships are on the ocean (Look at Marine Traffic dot com) we are probably within 5 hours of one at all times. For a REAL mayday ships will deviate course to help. They will remove you, but they will not save your boat... But there are times when you're shit out of luck! We have a fairly large set of tools to try to save someone with various issues. Injectables included. The best solution though .... Don't get injured, and stay healthy... Work out, eat right, and drink less... And then.... hope for a quick transition to the next adventure. Best, Ken
As much as I want to say I since I was in high school was a dream. I was in the Navy for five years after that I want to really sail. I got out in 1985 went school for automotive Technician. Graduating with honors in science degree. I suffered a catastrophe in 1998 I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease my life to hell April 8 I’ll be 60
Very sorry to hear that you have Parkinson's. I'll also be 60 just a few months after your birthday. Cheers and thanks for the comment! Ken
My hat off for you Ken; I'm wondering if some parts of your explanation gets caught in one 'take' .... The vesper 1234q5 which gets its signal through the xm234qt5000 then through the splitter pt1234.... Let Zivile answer this for me please ;-)) Grtz Scinti
Some of those edits.... OMG seem to take forever! No LIES here... You would be laughing at me for a week if you watched it live!
Hi Ken, wanted to buy the Icom M94D handheld with ais, but in Belgium and the Netherlands you have to register it with the authorities to receive an Atis number. Unfortunately, that atis has to be always attached to a vessel ... Not to a person. (I have to send a copy of the vessels manifest) Means I can't take it to another boat (when I charter a boat). I could only listen out and not transmit, because if I transmit, they will see a blank atis and therefore they could fine me or confiscate my handheld. Are your handhelds all registered Ken? Grtz Scinti
That’s a great overview of modern yachtie electronics do you get much use out of HF SSB radio?
Thanks Edward!
A big area left untouched.....what have you setup for cellular data and WiFi?
Yes, but we just buy local SIM cards once we get into port, and turn down the IridiumGO to the lowest cost plan (Or turn it off as long as it has been active for over one full month). Then when we take off for the next country we activate our IridiumGO or turn up the IridiumGo to Unlimited Plan, and I always try to do it on the last day of the Month. If we plan to make the crossing to Tanzania on May 5th, I would change the IridiumGO plan to Unlimited on April 30th. Then I would be billed for one day at the higher plan. There are no refunds on unused days, so I would use the unlimited plan for the month of May, then on May 31st I would cancel the IridiumGO since we are planing to stay in Tanzania for at least a few months and it has been active for 3 months. When I activate the IridiumGO again I will need a new SIM card that costs $10, but I have 6 on board Aquarius. I should have included this in the video, but can't include everything... Best... Ken
@@SailingAquarius I was also thinking of something a bit more. I like the Pepwave MAX Transit DUO "PrimeCare Edition" Dual CAT-12 LTEA Router. The Prime care provides proprietary licensing which gives the user access to Speedfusion Cloud dual simcard cellular bonding. This coupled with the Pepwave 40G marine antenna and the OMNI-496 Dual-Band Wi-Fi antenna is the next level in cellar and WiFi data connects.
Great Video, what about an Iridium phone ? Do you have one ? And if you don’t, why not ?
Thanks! Klaus
We have the IridiumGO. We use the IridiumGO with an iPhone or Android Phone to make calls and download the weather. Both Z and I can download whether, and text or our friends with our cell phones when they are connected to the IridiumGO WiFi. But, only one person can make calls or send messages at a time. Best, Ken
26 miles at sea level. Further with antenna height. 10 or 15 miles???
At sea level you may get 1 to 2 miles. The h in the distance equation is antenna height! With two antennas, each at 20 meters high, you get about 20 miles. But, yes, 10 to 15 miles is about the max you get with decent radios and two antennas at 20 meters. That's just real world experience.
My experience with FM modulated 2 meter VHF radio, which is close in frequency, is about the same.
In flatlander Michigan, with a 4/5 watt handheld and a magnet mount 1/4 wave antenna on a car I was probably topping out at 25 miles directly talking to other stations simplex. I don't know what their antenna height was.
Doing my own tests where I live in Pennsylvania in a wide valley with a lot of hills and buildings in it, it varies.
Like with using a 10 watt radio and a roof mounted antenna on a car going back to a base antenna 40 feet up....in one direction it may only go 5 miles, in the opposite direction where it's more flat, more like 12 miles.
Transmit on any band? Without a license ? Please leave your name in case the FCC ever visits your blog. DE KM0E
I said in an emergency, I would transmit any band. And I would... Please send them right over...
Why do u keep calling the 706 a ssb
It’s a all mode all band radio
Thanks, I guess I won't be calling it an SSB any longer....
And the MARS mod is legal for those who have a MARS license. This video is so deceiving and will make a lot of people use ham radio frequencies illegally ahh. Needs to be clear to don't confuse people make then use bands illegally. It's friking easy to get a ham radio license, even easier than a captain license, come on, do things right!
Iridium Go download? 2.4 Kbits/s fast 🐢 So let's say a paired down PredictWind download will take about 45 minutes to an hour. Is that what you are finding?
To download the GRIB files for a 100K radius around Aquarius take about 15 to 20 minutes. If you want more data, like the currents, and all four wind, rain, cloud models...Then you might be looking at 40 minutes. But we usually request smaller files that take about 15 minutes to download. And we do this about 3 times per day on a passage.
@@SailingAquarius I was thinking of a more in-between slow Iridium Go and super expensive Ku-Band Marine VSAT Antenna System. The Intellian C700 maritime satellite terminal. Using the Iridium Certus service, the Intellian C700 provides three high-quality voice lines and the highest IP data speeds among L-band terminals. Developed for Iridium’s global network and designed to provide the fastest L-band broadband service in the industry, the C700 advertise deliver speed up to 352kbps, transmission and 704kbps. Reception and speeds is a game changer, through Its 12-element patch receiver which also ensures seamless connectivity. The cost for the antenna runs around 5K and service for pay as you go is $130 per month or the use one month 50MB for $395
@@SailingAquarius Keep in mind, as far as cellular data performance is concerned, boosters are not always the optimal signal enhancing strategy. While a booster can play a role in a mobile internet setup in weak signal areas and when upload capacity is of importance - many cellular reliant boaters depend on directly connected MIMO antennas for use with routers and mobile hotspots. Despite the high price tag, boosters are not always the best signal enhancing option for data performance - which should be your focus. And the reason boosters are often not so great for data performance is because of a core technology called MIMO, or Multi-In Multi-Out. Much better to first invest in a proper router and 4x4 MIMO antenna. It's not at all uncommon for a booster to actually result in decreased data speeds, despite a better signal reading. Using a cellular device's built-in antennas or externally connected antennas can often outperform a booster.