I'm sure that in 4-5 years the world will have changed alot. Right
now a SSB with Sailmail seems like a good solution. I don't consider
$250/yr to be prohibitive. But the up front cost of the equipment is
several BU. Then again it is multipurpose so not all that cost can be
applied to support the writing activity.

Doug
s/v Callista

"rhys" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 17:44:38 -0500, "Doug Dotson"
wrote:

If you have Marine SSB, I suggest that you check out SailMail.
You can do commercial work such as your writings for a pretty
nominal flat fee ($250/yr now I think). Tool up is probably
around 1BU.

I actually have zero equipment at this point in the offshore
communications department (OK, excepting VHF units).

I will qualify for SSB licencing before I buy in the next five years
(projected departure 2008-09) because the advancements are coming so
rapidly in this area I don't want to be stuck with the next Iridium
phone.

It is possible that cruisers will have more and./or cheaper options by
then. I certainly hope so. Writing for a living while offshore is
possible today (half the writers for the sailing magazines seem to do
it), but it's neither cheap nor convenient. I expect that will change.

R.