The blog
Global satellite company aims at the consumer market with Iridium GO!™ : pack it for camping or world travel.
In all public places where you can wirelessly connect to the Internet today, Wi-Fi isn't ubiquitous yet. And if you are a boater, hiker, pilot, in a campervan or someone who spends a lot of time in nature, The chances of connecting to cyberspace in some remote locations is nearly impossible. It's not just about the data. Try making a cellular phone call in such places !
In coastal navigation, sometimes it's easier to connect to the 3G cellular network than to get a WiFi connection with a land-based hotspot. Cellular transmission antennas are becoming more and more numerous on the coast and on the islands. But as you follow my recommendations scrupulously (¹), I have no doubt about it, you have a WiFi+3G iPad without having taken out a subscription, i.e. without a SIM card, and you are quite right. So how do you do it ? Read more …
Request more frequent from boat owners is for the installation of a WiFi reception onboard. The proliferation of computers, tablets and smartphones on boats incentive to maintain a connection with the Internet, even while sailing. Exchange emails, Follow social media, Receive weather files, and how many other reasons lead to an irrepressible addiction. C’est la vie !
I have already mentioned on my website, in chapter about means for receiving GRIB files, some available solutions : Read more …
As promised in my post on 15 July, here are the results of the comparative test conducted aboard "Prince d'Oc" for our trip from Port Leucate to Dubrovnik.
Thanks to the loan of a complete IsatPhone Pro, with docking station and outdoor antenna (a big thank you to PYG @voilier_xhosa, who sent me all this from Belgium), and the presence of a similar facility Iridium on board Olivier's boat : Iridium 9575 with Sailor outdoor fixed antenna, We were able to carry out tests in real use situations.
Prince d'Oc on his way to Croatia
The use of Iridium is taking a growing place among offshore sailors. The security of being able to join your family at sea at any time, or to be able to contact a medical service in the event of an emergency, are arguments often raised by buyers. In addition, The satellite phone offers data services to send and receive SMS and emails, and above all make GRIB weather file requests. Unfortunately, To date, the bandwidth offered for data exchanges is extremely low, not authorizing more than 2400 bits per second on average for use from a mobile phone. Only large fixed installations, out of reach of the average boater, offer speeds up to 128 Kbps.
And tomorrow ? Iridium Communications Inc., based in McLean, Virginia (USA), announced in June 2010, the launch of a major programme to develop a constellation of next-generation satellites, gradually replacing the current one : Iridium NEXT. Read more …
I just read, in the latest issue of Voiles et Voiliers dated May 2012, A comparison Inmarsat-Iridium that leaves me unsatisfied. Quite interesting in form, it presents a lot of approximations in substance, and does not allow the reader to form an opinion on precise and quantified elements of comparison. On the other hand, with all due respect to François-Xavier Ricardou, Mac software solutions have been around for a long time and are perfectly proven : just to see the number of participants provided with Mac or iPad at ARC 2011. I will try to contribute complementary, I hope so, enlighten potential buyers. Read more …
After Jean Debèze, avid supporter of Navigation Mac, made me the pleasure of a detailed tutorial about installing a multiplexer aboard his sailboat, here's a ticket by Jacques Vermeulen, who testifies in a very didactic way to his experience during the recent Transquadra, on board "Bluestairs", with the owner and friend Marc Bolla.
—
Placed at the Transquadra 2011/2012, We met, during the first stage of the Mediterranean Barcelona-Porto Santo (Madeira), problems receiving and sending GRIB and data files via the Iridium network. Email was impossible to use with the Iridium Airtime cards we used. All we were left with was the possibility of calling with the Iridium.
Back after this first stage, I decided to deepen the subject and educate myself with Francis Fustier whom I had knowledge, Until now, than through his blog, really comprehensive. Read more …
MailaSail informs us : you can now update your Tweets directly from your Iridium satellite phone (*). Start by sending an SMS from your Iridium with words START or SIGNUP to short code 40404… Read more …
With Weather4D PRO and Iridium Mail, associated with a satellite phone Iridium, we now have a complete solution, reliable and low cost to receive, display and manage GRIB files in open seas with iPad.
iNavX and Navionics cartography also provide a complete navigation solution, supporting files transfers with Weather4D PRO : GRIB, routes, tracks, that allows simultaneous display in both applications.
These solutions, perfectly complementary and consistent with each other, have been tested on more than 2800 NM in the automn during a crossing from Canaria to the Caribbean, on board Catana 47 "Burst", token place in ARC rally 2011. In addition, Olivier Bouyssou was able to improve his Weather4D Pro application "over time", correcting, adding and optimizing daily development onboard. Read more …
I dont like to advertise products or features before they are available, but in this case the subject can guide choices or postponements of purchase among potential users.
Iridium announced on last 7 September the creation of a free service called Iridium AxcessPoint Mail & Web app which will be available before the end of the year 2011. This will be a mail and web compression service, hosted by Iridium, specially designed to optimize data transmission with the new Iridium WiFi router Iridium Mail. Read more …