Anybody know anything about Skymate?

[johnbobbie]

Have been recommended Skymate as an e-mail/weather comm tool. Anybody know anything about it or how it works?

Almost sounds too good....

Cheers

JJ

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.skymate.com/user_groups/recreational_boating.html

It's not cheap

 

[john_q]

I have come across a couple of people who have Skymate.

It used low orbit satellites to send receive very slow e-mails from most places, you the Skymate box, a Lap top and an arial

It is quite expensive to use, text only, limitation of how big messages and can have patchy coverage e.g. Bequia St Vincent – no coverage.

However compare the costs to a Satellite phone or SSB set up for e-mail and weather and make your choice

 

[MailASail]

It's using a satellite system called ORBCOMM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbcomm
Coverage map:
http://www.skymate.com/coverage_map.html

Orbcomm uses a LEO satellite system like Iridium, but it uses fewer satellites than are needed for full global coverage. Instead I think they chuck them into eliptical orbits so that you kind of get decent coverage, but not all the time (be aware of that limitation)

They seem pretty expensive for data, but like with everything it's going to depend on your usage as to whether it works out cheaper or not

Do bear in mind that a sat phone system like Iridium really is a full telephone and internet connection, not just a limited messaging platform. So you can send relatively large emails and also pickup the phone and talk to people

Horse for courses and all that

Good luck

Ed W

P.S. There are some rumours that Orbcomm are hoping to be bought by Iridium. Iridium claim to be surprised by that...