HF radio or sat comms?

It’s possible to stream Netflix videos straight to your boat, make direct calls to anyone, stream music and fire off and receive emails 24/7. But unless you own a boat the size of a superyacht, (preferably with a built-in cinema) it is simply not practical to fit the large satellite dome required onboard. Satellite technology, however, has had a major impact on marine communications, making traditional radiotelephone communications all but redundant. Many of the coastal and global radio stations around the world have closed down, including Niton Radio on the Isle of Wight, which could patch a VHF radio call to a landline, and Portishead Radio in the West Country, which could do much the same across the globe via HF.

So what is available for us cruising folk planning an extended voyage, without having to pay through the nose to keep in touch with the outside world? Quite