The blog
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) service, 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 …
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.
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, at iTabNav.fr, that you can meet on the Stand E11 – Hall 2 at 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 …
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 …
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 …
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.
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! 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.
With a few months late, Iridium has completed its Iridium NEXT satellite launch campaign (¹).
Disappeared when updating Weather4D Pro to Weather4D Routing (¹), Iridium satellite passage prediction returns as a small stand-alone application : iWatchSat.
Presented with the same interface as Weather4D apps, it optimizes the connection for downloading GRIB files.