[Paddlewise] Morse was HF Internet

G'Day Craig,
 
I have operator licenses for VHF and HF marine radio transceivers but not
the amateur radio license. Unfortunately the VHF repeater stations have been
closed down along much of our coast line. So far I've only been involved in
two or three rescues that involved VHF radio and we managed, just barely, to
get by relaying VHF signals around headlands. Interesting that rescue
authorities here worry about EPIRBs but have little compunction about
shutting down radio repeater services. Different departments of gov't! 
 
IMHO it was the loss of a really important resource when morse was abandoned
as an international radio distress signal. These days I don't know anyone
who knows morse except perhaps Peter Rattenbury and yourself. SSB should be
almost as good as far as signal propagation goes but not as far as the
capacity of an ear to pick signal out of noise. 
 
I hadn't thought about QRP transmitters - that just might be transportable
(and waterproofable) in a larger kayak. Not sure where radio amateurs would
stand using such a transmitter on marine frequencies? Also I'm in a kayak so
any such transmissions would only be practical from shore I think. 

All the best, PeterO
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