Cruisers
Staying
In Touch

In the past the VHF, Ham and SSB radios have been the tried and true method of cruisers communication. With the advent of the cell phone, sat phone and Starlink things have changed significantly. Which is the more useful? That depends very much on your preferences, your personal style, your budget, and what you intend to do with it.

Starlink

A massive game-changer for cruisers in Mexico — and many other parts of the world. The ramifications of Starlink are massive. The fast-growing number of cruisers who want to run businesses or work from their boats now have no geographical limitations.
For most Mexico cruisers, the residential Starlink dish seems to be the way to go. If you buy your equipment in the US the cost is $600, and $150 per month for the Mobile Regional plan. The offshore in-motion fee is $2 per GB. If your cruising plans will take you past the continent, you can upgrade to the Mobile Global plan for $200 USD per month. If you are in Mexico you can buy the equipment for 8,300 pesos (466 USD), and $1,350 (78 USD) per month, depending on the exchange rate at the time. Most marinas will allow you to use their address for shipping Starlink.

Internet Without Starlink

From using social media, to working, to getting vital weather information, the internet is a necessity. Without Starlink the second best for cruisers in Mexico can be found in a marina with a wired Ethernet connection — such as Marina de La Paz. This insures reliability and very fast speeds. Wifi is next, and it can be found in countless restaurants, internet cafés, resorts — just about everywhere. Most marinas, but not all, have decent wifi included in the slip fee, but is only available at a central location or some slips, not all slips. For those anchored out the downside of wifi is the dreaded padlock icon. There were a lot more open wifi connections just a few years ago, but now most locations require knowing the password.

Cell Phones

A common cruiser option for connecting to the internet is a cell phone, either for accessing the internet through the phone itself or using it as a hotspot for iPads and computers. There are loads of cell towers along most of coastal Mexico, north of La Paz in the Sea of Cortez being a big exception.
You can buy reasonably-priced phones with short term prepaid phone and data plans in Mexico through TelCel, Movistar and AT&T. If you have an iPhone or other smart phone, make sure you get it unlocked before leaving the States. Dual SIM card phones are particularly handy with both a Mexican number and your US or CA number.
When you arrive in Mexico, buy a SIM card and phone/data plan for it. Then use it as a hotspot for multiple devices. The Mexican phone number will work for texting, Whatsapp and may come in handy for voice communication.
If you do the Puddle Jump, get a local SIM card when you arrive in French Polynesia, and continue to use your smart phone as a hotspot.
Many cruisers continue to use their current unlimited Mexico/Canada plans with T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and others. Be careful as these plans can be misleading as they are designed for short term travelers, not for people living out of the USA. As a result, if you access the internet from Mexico for too long, you’ll get a dreaded “this line is scheduled for disconnection” text.

VHF Radio

For short range the VHF is a great communication method and is used throughout the Sea of Cortez and in La Paz. See our VHF Procedures page for some valuable information regarding etiquette and proper use of the VHF in Mexico and in La Paz.

Satellite Phones

Satphone technology  is a point-to-point technology based on satellites. Just like a cell phone, you talk to (and only to) the person you're calling or who has called you. Other boats and shore-based stations cannot hear you. Sat  phones are very useful for personal and business  calls, for downloading weather files and sending  email . But they aren't  cheap  to use. Every time you connect you are paying for  service. The cost of sat phone  service  varies a lot, depending on your plan and on the amount of use. The average expense reported by cruisers runs $75 to $125 per month. Not inconsequential for a cruiser on a budget. Many sat phones have limited coverage and power  consumption  can be an issue.

High Frequency Radio

HF radio (SSB or Ham)  is a two-way long-distance  communications  technology using  radio  waves, broadcast from your  antenna. Anyone can listen and participate. While the Ham and SSB equipment can be quite expensive it is extremely useful for keeping in touch with other boats, getting  weather  forecasts and broadcasts, participating in the various maritime nets, making  phone  calls through a  marine  radio operator, just listening to other boats and  boating  news, and sending/receiving  email. To use HF radio effectively you must learn some things, and this takes time and patience. You can't just walk up to a HF radio installation and expect to use it effectively. The HF receiver (Sony, Grundig, etc.) can be used to listen to the nets or hooked up to receive weather files on your  laptop  or  iPad  for a low cost alternative. See our Ham & SSB Nets page for information about the radio nets in our area. Need a ham license? Ham Radio License Exams are administered in La Paz occasionally. Click here for more information.

Garmin InReach

The InReach is a very inexpensive and handy tool for cruisers offering many features as a two-way, long distance communication device. The weather feature allows you to request weather for your location or a remote location of your choice. Text messages can be sent and received to phone numbers or email addresses from anywhere in the world. There is a map share web page feature showing your location and breadcrumb trail 24/7. A necessary plus for worried families back at home who are unaccustomed to the cruising lifestyle. The SOS button sends a message for immediate help from medical or any emergency responder. For under $200 per year you can add the medical evacuation service to your home hospital. You will want to link your InReach to an iPad, smart phone or tablet for easier use and a bigger screen. It is inexpensive to purchase and monthly plans range from $12 to $100 with an average of $25 per month with 40 text messages included.

EPIRB or Personal Locater Beacon

An EPIRB or PLB should still be your primary tool for distress signaling on offshore passages. PLBs work in exactly the same way as EPIRBs by sending a coded message on the satellite system. PLBs will transmit for 24 hours while an EPIRB is at least double. An EPIRB is registered to a vessel and a PLB is registered to a person.