- V8V2222 -
HF/SSB radio services


Marine Communications for Cruising this side (of the world).

SE Asia, the 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. 

Marine communications capabilities for cruising yachts must be significantly different to what might be relevant in the UK/Europe or North America. The Pacific and Indian Oceans, and SE Asia present vastly different operating circumstances, with large distances, and minimal support and rescue services.  HF (or SSB) radio is essential to communicate over these distances, and to participate in the maritime safety network that helps all seafarers.

In SE Asia, most circumnavigation yachts previously followed a simple route from Darwin to Bali to Singapore to Phuket and concluded they'd seen the region. But during the last ten years, an increasing number of cruisers have ventured away from this commercialised 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 being developed 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 nearby and well established shore support facilities and communication services for recreational small-craft in Europe/UK and North America, enjoying the Pacific Ocean, SE Asia and the Indian Ocean means adapting to some very different operating circumstances. I hope the following will help highlight some of these differences.

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

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

These differences are apparent in:

1. The naming of Yachtmaster scheme training programmes. The entry level RYA skipper course in the UK is called a Day Skipper. In Australia the entry level skipper course is called Inshore Skipper; because you may not get to another significant port/anchorage within 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.
    

2. HF/SSB radio requirements for yacht racing. The ISAF/ORC Category 1 and 2 race equipment requirements do not mention a HF/SSB radio; a VHF marine radio is sufficient. But in Australia a HF/SSB radio is compulsory at Category 1 and recommended at Category 2 races.  Some Category 3 races along Australian coasts require a HF/SSB radio; because there may be no VHF shore stations to contact.
    

3. A life-raft in the ORC/ISAF regulations is not required to be pre-packed with food and water; in Yachting Australia's Special Regulations it is. When you step into a life-raft in the UK/Europe or North America, you can reasonably expect to be picked up quickly, because of commercial shipping densities, RNLI lifeboats, Coast Guard cutters  etc. But in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, SE Asia and most parts of Australia's coastline, it could be days.  
    

4. There is no marine VHF DSC/GMDSS service in Australia's maritime communications area. Australia's Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has declared it officially has no GMDSS/DSC VHF service; only a HF/SSB GMDSS/DSC service.  Australia's MRCC does not monitor for DSC calls on VHF, only on HF/SSB.  The range of marine VHF makes it almost irrelevant for emergency communication in coastal and ocean areas around Australia, for Australia's Search and Rescue Region (SRR) and for a lot of routine communication between cruising yachts. 
    

5. Dedicated Search and Rescue services/facilities are limited on this side. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCCs) must co-ordinate with navies, merchant ships, fishing vessels and other yachts to provide a rescue capability. Australia is an example of a well developed and co-ordinated maritime emergency response service on this side, but they acknowledge the limitations. From the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) website: "The arrangements for search and rescue (SAR) in Australia have been influenced by the physical size of the island continent, the large size of the search and rescue region, Australia's relatively small population and the nature of governmental processes. Dedicated SAR facilities are limited in Australia. When necessary, other facilities are diverted from their primary function by arrangement or request."
    

6. Yacht equipment regulations for yacht racing and recommended for yacht cruising. Yachting 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 specifications and yacht structure/design features than the standard ISAF/ORC Special Regulations.
   
   The equipment and yacht specifications contained in Yachting Australia's "Blue-Book" incorporate the accumulated wisdom from years of yacht racing and cruising, by thousands of yachts,  on this side of the world. These specifications acknowledge the large distances, empty spaces and the need to be more self-sufficient.  Yachting Australia's "Blue Book" is a very useful reference when buying and equipping a cruising yacht for this side of the world. 

These few examples highlight the operational differences on this side of the world, away from the great support facilities and services available for recreational small-craft in Europe and North America. The relatively low shipping densities, large distances, lightly populated and relatively undeveloped coastlines mean help could be days away. 

On this side, VHF radio repeaters on coastal mountains, Coast Guard Cutters and RNLI rescue boats simply don't exist.  

Yachts need to be more self sufficient 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 the UK, Europe and North America.

Whereas VHF radio is sufficient for operations in many cruising areas of Europe and North America, the much greater distances in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and the almost complete absence of marine VHF networks, make VHF communications relevant principally for boat to boat communication in anchorages and when sailing nearby in groups.

For example, in Australia, VHF mountain top relays/repeaters do not exist. VHF marine communication is limited to relatively short range in the occasional places where VHF shore stations exist. Under GMDSS regulations, Australia has declared it has no VHF marine DSC service.  

In SE Asia, marine VHF relays/repeater networks have never existed. And  the MRCCs monitor principally HF/SSB frequencies for DSC calls.

In contrast, marine VHF repeaters/relays are common around UK and Europe. 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 which create large coverage areas, and because the race is within sight of land at most times.

These differences in marine radio services and MRCC operations reflect lower coastal population densities, the relatively small number of recreational vessels and the vastly greater distances.

It's therefore important to have a marine HF/SSB radio with all the ITU marine channels/frequencies and marine emergency frequencies when cruising this side.  Whether you are participating in organised rallies or exploring independently, maintaining regular contact with other yachts, or calling another yacht for advice, communication will normally require talking beyond VHF radio range.

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

A marine HF/SSB radio with email will lower cruising communication costs,  help your pilotage - because another cruiser who made it into the same anchorage in daylight a few days beforehand can email you the 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 high shipping density cruising areas such as UK/Europe, North America around the coast of New Zealand some towns and harbours in Australia and SE Asia. But a HF/SSB radio is essential outside these areas.

In an emergency situation, rescue co-ordination centres can broadcast on the official marine HF/SSB emergency frequencies to all vessels, planes, helicopters etc simultaneously, over a large area.  Aircraft and vessels redirected to assist the vessel in distress will be listening to the same marine HF/SSB emergency frequencies to monitor ongoing developments and hear 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.

MRCC Australia has two very large and powerful HF/SSB radio stations for talking with vessels in distress. These provide broadcast capability for maritime safety operations for thousands of nautical miles beyond Australia's shoreline, including all of SE Asia, approximately half the South  Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean as far west as Mauritius.    

Here are some quotes from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)website:

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

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 designed for hobby type use in the protected environment of a building, on a deliberately limited range of frequencies. Their design, construction and components may not be sufficiently robust for a bumpy life in the high humidity and salt air atmosphere of a cruising yacht or other small-craft. In addition, they usually have a lot of dials, small displays and control features that can be incorrectly set - especially by a non-Amateur attempting to use the radio in an emergency - and prevent communication.

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, race or rally, or when spread over a cruising area, or when obtaining weather information.  The lack of broadcast capability, the inability to listen to skeds, and the high cost of calls are serious limitations that work against effective communications to keep people up-to-date with weather, anchorage and other self-help and safety related information.

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