Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Long Range HF Radio Communication on Sailboats

For most people sailing is synonymous to adventure and thrill. It was in deed an adventure in the olden times, when the communication technology was not that developed. However, still the ocean can be a lonely place to be. Nowadays, with the innovative progression in the communication scenario, the intensity of this adventure is not like the olden days. The introduction of VHF, Satellite phones, SSB radios, internet etc. has made the world so small that even sailing in the ocean is luxurious like sitting at home. The improvement in the safety aspect of the sailing is the most important impact of these innovations. Most of the Sailboats have these facilities on them so that they get the safety they require.

VHF Radio
VHF radio sets are great help to the sailors. It consists of both a receiver and transmitter and works on a frequency range between 156 and 176 MHz. It can be used as a medium of communication to the harbors and other ships or vessels sailing. However, the major drawback of using a VHF radio set is the distance up to which you can communicate. This distance is dependent on the height of antenna in the vessel, curvature of earth and the converging point of the two. Further distance can only be covered by relying on other vessels. The quality of the communication is also dependent on the radio signal strength in VHF radio sets.

SSB Radio
Single side band or SSB radio sets work on medium frequency as well as high frequency. Medium frequency works as the ground wave that is suitable for ranges from 30 to 300 miles. Beyond this point, the set requires high frequency in which the signal will be sent to the ionosphere and then reflected back to the earth surface. The major drawback of using this radio is that the user has to tune the set to the conditions of the ionosphere and particular time of the day. The set also allows the user to send emails but the slow speed may make this a tedious thing to do.

Satellite Phone
Satellite phones make direct use of orbital satellites for communication. Most of the new age HF sailboats are making use of this mode of communication cause of the high efficiency of the medium. There are four major communication networks present now. The four existing communication networks are Inmarsat, Iridium, Globalstar and Thuraya.

The long distance sailboats make use of Iridium as it uses a large network of low-orbit satellites. In fact, there are low orbit satellites in the network that are just 480 miles above the surface of earth. This is the reason why the network offers global coverage. The network even works in the polar areas. Internet connection is also considerably fast in this network. You can send up to twenty emails a minute using this network.

EPIRB
Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon, which is also known as EPIRB is used for communicating the distress signal when the sailboat is in danger. It is safety equipment and is not used for the normal communication purpose. When water enters the device, it will automatically send a distress signal that has the longitude as well as latitude positions of your boat to the nearest base.

Most of the HF sailboats make use of these new age communication mediums and ensure the safety of the boat as well as the sailors.




HF Radio Communication Systems

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