This document provides an overview of marine communication options for cruise ships, including radio communication, antennas, emergencies, automatic identification systems, satellite phones, internet access, and online applications. It discusses VHF and HF radio, typical antenna radiation patterns, the effect of ship heel on transmission, distance to radio horizon, repeaters, and emergency communications procedures. Options for satellite communication like Inmarsat, Iridium, and Globalstar are presented. The document also covers using services like Skipr.net for position reporting and managing prepaid data plans from Telstra for onboard internet access.

1. Cruise
Communications
Marius Coomans

2. The Way We Were

3. Here and Now…

4. Marine Communication
• Radio Communication
• Antennas
•Emergencies
• Automatic Identification (AIS)
• Satellite Phones

5. Online Communication
• Internet Access
• Managing Telstra
• Position reporting with Skipr.net
• Online Applications

6. The Radio

7. VHF v HF

8. Fixed and Mobile

9. Antennas

10. Antennas

11. Antennas

12. Antennas

13. Typical whip antenna
radiation pattern
The higher the gain, the narrower the beam

14. The effect of heel on transmission

15. Distance to Horizon
Yacht A (10 m) - 11.3km (6 NM)
Yacht B (20m) - 16 km (8.6 NM)
Tower (100m) - 35.7 km (19.3 NM)

16. Repeaters (ch 20-22 , 80-82)

17. Antennas
• Antennas are matched to a Frequency (band)
• What matters is Power Delivered rather than
transmitter power
• VHF and higher bands operate on the basis of
"line of sight“
• The gain and radiation pattern of an antenna
are critical.

18. Emergency
Communications

19. Mayday Call
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is Boatname,
Boatname, Boatname. [break]
Mayday, this is Boatname, we are taking on
water and are about to abandon ship.
Our position is:
31 degrees, 23 decimal 45 minutes South,
152 degrees, 15decimal 67 minutes East.
We have two people on board.

20. Mayday?

21. Mayday?

22. AIS instruments

25. Satellite Phones
• Inmarsat
• Iridium
• Globalstar

26. Inmarsat
Geo Stationary Orbit

27. Iridium
Low Earth Orbit

28. Globalstar
Low Earth Orbit

29. Selecting a Satphone
• Rent or Buy
• Emergency or Routine Comms
• Voice, Data and/or Text
• Coverage
• Price

30. Satellite Communications
more than mere phones…

31. Online Communication
• Mobile Internet
• Position reporting with Skipr
• Online Applications

32. + Familiar, flexible, no commitment
- Poor battery life, limited coverage
+ Economical, flexible, multi-user
- Another battery, another plan
+ Best coverage, set & forget, always on
- Requires installation, another plan

33. 850 MHz v 2100 MHz
Number of Phone Towers

38. Permanent Antenna

39. Internet in a Sock

40. Telstra Pre-paid Data

41. Telstra Pre-paid Data 2011

42. Telstra Pre-paid Data 2014

43. Gigabyte 2011 2014
1 $40 -30 days $15 - 10 days
4 $80 - 60 days $50 - 60 days
10 $150 - 365 days $100 - 90 days
12 $200 - 365 days
Telstra Pre-paid Data

44. Skipr.net

55. Online Applications
On the Internet,
nobody knows you’re “away”.

56. Online Communication
• Internet Access Alternatives
• Managing Telstra
• Position reporting with Skipr

57. Cruise Communication
Links
Credits, further reading:
Rob’s Passage Planner – http://skipr.net/goodies/robs-passage-planner/
Skipr.net - http://skipr.net/
Telstra references – downloaded March 2011 - http://telstra.com.au/
VHF Marina Antenna Fundamentals - http://boat-project.com/tutorials/vhfant.htm
Wikipedia on AIS - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Identification_System
Iridium Go https://www.iridium.com/products/Iridium-GO.aspx?section=support
Also see handout.
Marius Coomans – skipper@skipr.net