Out of the sun for awhile.

I need to stay out of the sun for a while. The blisters on my legs are popping and the skin is peeling. I feel so stupid about this. I preach sun protection and then get fried. Dumb!
Stayed inside on the computer most of the day. As usual, that can be an expensive hobby.
I'm looking for a method of world-wide communication via email that doesn't have ongoing subscription or usage fees.
I am a licensed amateur radio operator with privileges on all Ham frequencies. I've already setup a station on the boat, RV and in our home. The home station is running a wire antenna strung up in the trees. That's not possible in the boat or RV. I have what is called a "screwdriver" antenna mounted on the bimini frame and the side of the RV. It is a noisy and inefficent solution. The efficiency of an antenna is not related to whether it works, but in how much current it converts to RF energy.
On sailboats, the common method is to insulate the backstay and use a tuner to turn it into a antenna. My Hunter has a split backstay with the radar mounted on it. That pretty much rules it out as an antenna.
I've been loking for a way to deploy an antenna separate from the rigging. One solution is to run the wire up like a topping lift. I plan to sink a suitable wire inside a section of line and then use the line to take the load. This is not a new idea, but the execution of it requires an antenna tuner. Without getting more technical than I already am, an antenna tuner adds different capacitors and inductors into the antenna line to make the radio think the antenna is perfect.
You can do this manually if you only want to operate on one frequency, but that won't work.
So today I bought a used automatic tuner for use on the boat and RV.

Why post all this techno-crap? The same method and equipment works with a standard Marine SSB radio. If you don't have either an amateur radio or a Marine SSB in your plans, you need to change your plans! VHF and cellphones won't work over the horizon. Reliance on an expensive satellite phone in a small boat without a dedicated satellite antenna is not a good idea. The problem is in a raging storm you would have to leave the relative safety of the cabin (think drum of a washing machine) for the cockpit to make a call. Most of the phones will quickly die when exposed to breaking waves and heavy spray. And you will find it impossible to hear and be heard over the roar of even 30 knots of wind and flogging sails.

Amateur radio has dropped the Morse code requirement, and a General-class license is just a matter of study. Marine SSB is a license for the boat, and a no-test license for the operator. The fee isn't bad.

Both amateur and commercial systems use the same equipment with costs in the $3400.00 range installed on the boat. And it's a one-time cost for the amateur system with no user fees afterwards. You can use the same radio to get weatherfax, call for help, relay messages home, and even do phone patches to your homies. But you can't do business. If it makes you money, it's illegal on the amateur bands. Commercial doesn't care.

In reality, the speed of the systems will restrict photos to very small and very rare. Web-surfing and web page downloads will not be practical. Satellite phone and sat email will allow that usage, but the expense of even a rented phone is nuts!

A year out is the time for making preparations for sailing away, so for those of you heading out like Micky and I next year, get the license, install and test the gear before you go.