HF/SSB Radio Email

Brunei Bay Radio operates two HF/SSB radio e-mail services covering SE Asia and beyond, in an approximately 3000 nautical mile radius from our base here at Brunei; on the west coast of Borneo, at the geographic centre of SE Asia.

SailMail:
This is the low-cost HF/SSB radio e-mail service developed specifically for cruising yachts with basic email requirements. With a daily connection time allowance of 12 minutes, most cruisers find this service excellent for basic email needs, and the reception of weather and safety related information. 

Designed, programmed and supported by sailors (who are also smart computer people), this service has been developed to maximise data speeds despite the relatively poor power supplies and limited antenna configurations on most cruising yachts.

SailMail has become the first choice for circumnavigating power and sailing yachts because of the extremely reliable message management, efficient operation, low cost, and extensive network of seventeen relay stations around the world.

Unlike commercial email services that aim to maximise their income through pricing and sale of additional connection time, the SailMail system has been designed from the opposite perspective, to function efficiently with the minimum of resources, low-cost network integration, simple administration & accounting, extreme reliability, and effective data transfer speeds. All because the designers and programmers want to spend their time sailing and living on their boats rather than managing a system. (The sailor who developed the SailMail base-station software and message management system is also the navigator on Playstation and ABN Ambro One and is now part of the next UK Americas Cup team.)

Brunei Bay Radio HF/SSB Email:
This service has been developed to meet  the requirements of small commercial vessels, remote jungle eco-resorts, live-aboard dive, surf and charter boats, or island resorts and dive centres. 

It also suits cruisers with greater email requirements, such as families with children doing correspondence schooling, and cruisers who need to maintain business contact, or manage investments - such as real estate - while cruising. It gives these cruisers the opportunity to also enjoy the quiet anchorages, jungle rivers, wildlife venues and remote islands of this region; rather than be “cruising” from one Wi-Fi equipped marina or town internet facility to the next.    

In addition to the normal SailMail capabilities, our Brunei Bay Radio email  service offers higher daily data traffic allowances ( 20, 30 or 40 mins per day), and transfer of attachments, such as Word, Excel, pdf, jpg etc.

The base station hardware/software and subscriber hardware/software is identical to SailMail. Therefore this BBR HF/SSB Email service has the same great system reliability, and the same goals of transferring the most data in the most efficient manner with the least resources, low administrative overheads and minimal human intervention.

Because the on-board software is the same as SailMail, the one copy can manage a subscription to SailMail and BBRemail for those people who feel they need a lot of connection time, or for circumnavigating SailMail users who decide to spend a year or more cruising SE Asia.

Operated from commercial vessels, islands or jungle locations with better power supplies and more effective antennas than most cruising yachts, this service gives extremely convenient, reliable, fast and cost-effective email communications. 

For small businesses in isolated locations, this convenient and low cost email facility greatly improves business efficiency, operational safety for staff and clients, and opens new markets and ways of doing business that previously seemed impossible. This is especially true for isolated eco-tourism facilities, where email puts them in contact with international agents for bookings, and streamlines ordering supplies. 

Advantages of HF/SSB radio email: 

• Reliable exchange of messages about spare part requirements, crew and guest arrivals/departure details, marina berth reservations, food re-supplies, and finances.  

• Reliable reception of weather forecasts and  warnings, including GRIB files (weather charts with isobars and wind direction/strength information), official METAREA forecasts and Buoyweather wind/wave  predictions - with thunderstorm risk level.

• Convenient position reporting and automated website display using the free YOTREPS system.

• More confidential than radio voice communication.  

• Messages are transferred accurately.

• Messages get through despite difficult propagation or interference which can disrupt voice communication. 

• Comparable in speed to the "low-cost" satellite systems such as Iridium and Mini M.

• More reliable than "low-cost" satellite systems; communication is not lost during heavy cloud cover or rain. 

• Approx 10% to 40% (depending on traffic levels) of the operating cost of "low-cost" satellite email systems. No big monthly bills.

• An Amateur Radio license is not required. The normal radio licence and assigned call-sign is all that is required.
   

Equipment used for HF/SSB e-mail has multiple uses:

• An existing HF/SSB radio voice installation can be the basis for a radio e-mail service.  Many modern HF marine radios are suitable. Correct cabling is required to link different radio brands/models with the HF radio modem and on-board computer. 

• The high speed HF/SSB radio modem sits between the PC or notebook and the radio. With some radios the modem can control the radio frequency directly on instructions from the software. This German made modem can also receive weather fax and NAVTEX transmissions where these services are available.  

• The computer running the software to create, send and receive e-mail messages can also be used for navigation software, tide software, accounting packages, guest booking software, staff administration etc. 

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Call-sign: V8V2222    SelCall ID: 2222

For inquiries click here to email Brunei Bay Radio

Brunei Bay Radio 
PO Box 2234
Bandar Seri Begawan  BS8674
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Phn: 673 2 262676     Fax: 673 2 262675

Unit 105, 1st Floor, PGGMB Building
Jalan Sungai Kianggeh
Bandar Seri Begawan BS8111
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
 

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