Iridium – Navigation Mac

Iridium Communications acquires Satelles

Posted on9 March 2024Comment

Iridium to Expand its Reach as a Global Alternative PNT Service."

Here's how Iridium presents the acquisition of its partner Satelles. On September 4 March 2024, Iridium Communications, strategic partner of the company Satelles of which he already owns 20% of capital, has announced its full acquisition, to become Iridium's Satellite Time and Location business unit. Iridium buys the 80% of remaining capital for approximately 115 million dollars (¹).

With this acquisition, Iridium's ambition is to provide a PNT service (²) more robust and reliable than current GNSS networks (³). Read more …

Iridium GO! exec® adopts the Certus®100 service [Update]

Posted on15 th 202312 th 20243 Comments

The latest device Iridium GO! Exec® (What a funny name !) is available since March. It represents the first standalone device produced by Iridium to adopt the Certus®100 (¹) up to 88 Kbps download, 22 Kbps upload.

This big brother of the Iridium GO!® appeared in 2014 provides download speeds 40 times faster, but at costs clearly related to. Read more …

Iridium Certus 100, a step towards yachting ? [Update]

Posted on15 th 20236 th 20244 Comments

Since the operational commissioning of the constellation Iridium NEXT (¹), the Iridium company has started to offer its new range of services called " Certus® ”. These services are based on the considerably increased technological capabilities of the new satellites., which allowed, among others, Iridium to be approved as a second satellite communications provider for the GMDSS maritime security service (²), whose competitor Inmarsat had held a monopoly for 1979.

Certus®, in addition to demonstrating that American businessmen are also literate. (³), is a range available in six bandwith levels starting from 22 Kb/s up to 704 Kb/s, and up to 1408 Kb/s in the near future.

Iridium emails accessible via webmail

Posted on3 December 20224 December 20222 Comments

On this opening day of the Paris Nautic boatshow, and as Christmas approaches, I can't resist the urge to provide a small gift to satellite messaging app users Iridium Mail & Web app. A tip that has just been reminded to me in the last newsletter of our friend Dominique, to iTabNav.fr, that you can meet on the Stand E11 – Hall 2 to ROM-Arrange.

For those who don't know yet, the email account created for use with the Iridium Mail & Web app (¹) has been accessible for some time by a Webmail from any internet browser. Read more …

Iridium services : Inflation in Low Earth Orbit

Posted on12 November 202212 November 2022Comment

Inflation does not spare satellite telephony services, to believe that the price of radio waves increases with the cost of transport ! Does this mean that the cost of the round trip of a radio wave toward Iridium satellites (about 2 x 780 km) is directly impacted by the increase in fuel prices ? Damned, I will have to be explained !

Still, the bad news has just reached us through our partner iTabNav.fr : Significant overall increase in Iridium subscription rates as of January 1 2023 affecting all resellers. Read more …

Share GRIB files with Air Share [Update]

Posted on30 March 202225 July 2023

You are more likely to have adopted the Iridium GO! for its easy way to request GRIB files, directly from Weather4D and some other applications. But some also want to transfer these files to PC to import them into Windows software (as you know, nobody is perfect !). An easy solution is available : the messaging app Air Share, compatible iOS/iPadOS (¹). [Update 30 March 2022] Warning : the app has changed its ID code on the AppStore. Read more …

Urgent ! Iridium GO!® firmware update and app GO!®

Posted on5 October 202110 October 20214 Comments

A new version of firmware 2.1.22 is now available for the’Iridium GO!®. This release includes an update to fix an incorrect time and date issue for the device Iridium GO!® and the application GO!®. This problem does not affect the functionality of the device/application. The calls, data, SMS, SOS and tracking are still working normally. Only cases where a message (Quick GPS, tracking, SOS) contains a date / time, this one will be incorrect. The order of messages in the Iridium GO application!® may not be observed, as well as missed voice calls. Upgrading the device to the new firmware version 2.1.22 will solve this problem.

Iridium GO! app changes look [brief]

Posted on27 February 20202 March 2020Comment

The app Iridium GO!®, used on our smartphones (iOS/Android) to connect to the Iridium network using the same name device, just undergone an happy facelift. Nothing really fundamental, if only the user interface, but a stylish graphics help for first-time users. Read more …

Iridium GO! A positive feedback [Update]

Posted on17 January 202029 December 20216 Comments

Iridium GO! cruising

Since it was introduced to the market in September 2014 (Eh, yes, 5 years ago !) this device, with its indisputable ergonomics and excellent quality/price ratio, has become a must-have for offshore sailors. Easy to implement, without the need for an external antenna (except metal build) it can be used inside the boat.

A test run of several weeks, conducted in October and November 2016 during a transatlantic delivery, had already demonstrated its ability to download GRIB weather files and weather maps despite the low rate (about 10 KB / mn). With the new Iridium NEXT constellation (¹) we notice since 2019 a real improvement in the global coverage without satellite disconnection.

The new Iridium NEXT constellation is completed

Posted on11 January 20196 th 2024

With a few months late, Iridium has completed its Iridium NEXT satellite launch campaign (¹).

With its 75 new satellites by SpaceX successfully deployed over the past two years, Iridium has managed the feat to fully replace its first constellation in record time. The last ten satellites, successfully orbited this January, 11 with a Falcon rocket 9 during the eighth and last launch, definitely complement the new constellation.