HF Radio E-Mail for “Idi-Yachts” – A Guide for Setting Up and Using Wireless E-mail Through Ham/Marine SSB Radio (by Marti Brown)
Despite the awkward title, this latest guide to the ever-changing high-tech world of offshore communication is an invaluable resource. The author, an accomplished sailor and licensed ham operator who lives aboard her 31-foot sloop in Florida, provides all the information required to make equipment choices — including cost comparison — and then walks the reader through setup and operation of the gear.
The book offers the information simply, assumes limited knowledge on the part of the reader without being overly simplistic. Chapters include discussion of HF equipment, both ham and single-sideband radios and modem choices; rigging an HF radio in a sailboat; a discussion of various service providers and their offerings; a valuable chapter that describes how to make all your communications gear work together; and discussions on HF operation. The book’s CD-ROM includes related articles, software programs and samples of data sounds encountered in HF comms.
Seaworthy Publications, Port Washington, Wis.; 193 pages; $29.95.