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HF/SSB radio services


Cruising this side (of the world).

SE Asia, the NW Pacific and Indian Oceans contain thousands of venues, anchorages, islands, shore attractions, communities, sailing trips, deserted atolls and visitor experiences for cruising yachts which take the opportunity to explore the area, venturing away from marinas, town anchorages and commercialised regions. 

For many years, cruising yachts plied a rather direct route from Darwin to Bali to Singapore to Phuket and ticked off SE Asia. But over the last five to ten years, many yacht owners have ventured away from this highway to enjoy beautiful places, friendly people, cheaper living, great sailing and great cruising.  

Cruising the west and north coasts of Borneo, the Spice Islands, Sulawesi, Palawan, Irian Jaya/PNG/Solomons, and the southern Philippines have proven to provide exceptional cruising and shore experiences.

Some of the rewards for venturing into these less developed areas include:

• Low cost living away from hotels, marinas and towns

• Uncrowded anchorages, beaches and islands

• Amazing natural and cultural heritage

• Enjoyable sailing passages in favourable conditions

• Interaction with local people, families and communities

• Great diving, forest walks, mountain hikes, river rafting

• Local festivals, celebrations and musical events
   

Organised events - such as the Darwin to Ambon Race, Sail Indonesia and Sail Malaysia have helped introduce many people to the delights of SE Asian yacht cruising, away from  the beaten track.  The new rallies organised by BRUNEI BAY RADIO in combination with our BIMP-EAGA tourism partners will further expand the opportunities for cruising yachts to explore and enjoy some of the world's most diverse and amazing natural and cultural treasures; by participating in Sail BIMP-EAGA 

However, for cruisers accustomed to the support facilities of Europe/UK and North America, I hope the following will help highlight some of the differences, and how to prepare for them:

Cruising yachts need to be self-sufficient on this side:   

The town facilities, rescue services and shipping densities that provide a safety net in North America and Europe do not exist in most parts of the Pacific, around Australia, in SE Asia and the Indian Ocean.

These differences are reflected in the naming of Yachtmaster scheme training programmes. For example, the entry level RYA skipper course in the UK is called a Day Skipper. In Australia that - expanded course - is called Inshore Skipper; because you may not get to another significant port/anchorage in a day. The next level in the RYA scheme is called Coastal Skipper, in Australia it's called Offshore Skipper and is oriented to sailing more than 15nm from shorelines; because distances are greater and a passage between headlands might be well offshore.

These differences also occur in yacht equipment regulations for yacht racing; and recommended for yacht cruising. For example, the RORC/ORC (ie: UK) Category 2 and 1 race equipment requirements do not mention a HF/SSB radio. But in Australia a HF/SSB radio is compulsory at Cat 1 and recommended at Cat 2.  A life-raft in the UK/ISAF regulations is not required to be pre-packed with food and water; in Australia it is.

Australia's "Blue Book" - containing the ISAF racing rules and the YA Special Regulations for yacht equipment - has a substantially more detailed and extensive set of equipment requirements and yacht structure/design features. On this side of the world, yachts need to be more self-sufficient. The relatively low shipping densities and large distances mean help could be days away.  Coast Guard Cutters and RNLI rescue boats don't exist here. 

The equipment and yacht specifications contained in the "Blue-Book" incorporate the accumulated wisdom from years of yacht racing and cruising, by thousands of yachts,  on this side of the world. It is a very useful document and well worth having when buying and equipping a cruising yacht.

Yachts need to be well prepared, well equipped, and have effective long distance radio communication for this side of the world.

A marine HF/SSB radio is important for cruising this side of the world: 

Radio communication services on this side of the world are quite different to what racing and cruising sailors experience in Europe and North America. In particular, the almost total absence of VHF networks based upon mountaintop relays and repeaters. For example, the UK's Fastnet race can use marine VHF radio communications because there are numerous marine VHF relays and repeaters on high mountains with a large coverage area, and because the race is within sight of land at most times.

Marine VHF repeaters/relays are common around Europe. But in Australia, the  network of VHF mountain top relays/repeaters along most of the east coast was dismantled following the introduction of GMDSS for commercial vessels.  In SE Asia, marine VHF relays/repeater networks have never existed.

The differences reflect lower coastal population densities, the relatively small numbers of recreational vessels and the much larger distances.

It's therefore important to have a fully functioning and reliable marine HF/SSB radio with all the ITU marine channels/frequencies.  Whether you are participating in organised rallies or exploring independently, maintaining regular contact, calling another yacht for advice - about a piece of electronics, the autopilot function or a faulty toilet - will likely require talking beyond VHF radio range.

When participating in an organised rally, it is a considerable burden to be the relay yacht that must do all the email communication with event organisers because other participants only have a VHF radio, or their HF/SSB radio installation is not working well, or they do not have an on-board email service.

When all rally participants have a functional HF/SSB radio and their own on-board email capability, distributing information becomes simple and accurate for everyone. Misinformation - which can cause considerable consternation and become the basis of unjustified concern and wasted emotional energy -  can be largely eliminated.

The HF/SSB radio will lower cruising communication costs,  prevent premature aging - for example, because your cruising buddy who made it into the same anchorage in daylight a few days beforehand can tell you the safe waypoints to use in the dark - and give you the confidence to venture away from the confines of Wi-Fi equipped marinas or congested cruising grounds and town internet cafes; to places where living expenses are much lower and the special delights of owning a yacht can be fully enjoyed.

A Marine HF/SSB radio is important for your safety:

VHF communication might work to manage safety or disabled yacht situations in Europe and North America and around some towns and harbours in Australia and SE Asia, but a reliable HF/SSB radio installation is needed by cruisers on this side of the world because of the longer distances and lack of VHF networks.

In an emergency situation, rescue co-ordination centres can broadcast to all vessels, planes, helicopters etc simultaneously over large distances using the official Marine HF/SSB emergency frequencies. In addition, rescue helicopters, search aircraft and search ships will not be using satellite phones. They will be listening to the HF/SSB emergency frequencies to monitor ongoing developments and instructions going to different vessels, aircraft etc. This important broadcast feature of emergency HF/SSB communication allows the vessel in distress and all rescue resources to simultaneously receive instructions and be aware of developments.

This broadcast communications capability cannot occur with a satellite phones.  A satellite phone is NOT A SUBSTITUTE for a Marine HF/SSB radio, either in an emergency, when maintaining regular self-help contact skeds with other yachts on a long passage or when spread over a cruising area, or when obtaining weather information. 

The Marine HF/SSB radio becomes particularly important in emergency situations, such as medical problems, dismasting etc. For example, MRCC Australia has two very large HF/SSB radio bases for talking with vessels in distress. These provide broadcast capability for thousands of miles beyond Australia's shoreline.  

There was an incident some years ago with a group of yachts on passage in the Pacific Ocean. One developed a serious rig problem. That yacht only had marine VHF, so could not instigate any emergency contact at all. They alerted another yacht in VHF range which then called MRCC Australia on his satphone and MRCC Australia responded using the official Marine HF/SSB Emergency frequencies. The nearby yacht with HF/SSB had to relay information to the disabled yacht with only a VHF radio. All yachts - apart from the yacht in distress - and potential support ships were simultaneously aware of the situation and MRCC Australia's intentions and able to talk to MRCC Australia to manage the situation.

An Amateur Radio is NOT A SUBSTITUTE for a proper Marine HF/SSB radio. HAM radios do not have Marine Radio DSC functions, are not sold pre-programmed with the official Marine Emergency frequencies, and are not pre-programmed with the full marine radio band-plan of duplex channels and simplex frequencies. They are often cheaper radios designed for hobby type use in the protected environment of a building, on a deliberately limited range of frequencies.
 

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