Artemisia - new build thread for a Prestige 680

The Free data sim card in Cote D'Azur is 50Gb/month @ €19.99 but I agree such a deal is rare. We stream HD netfix movies on this. Free is like many new operators: it has masts/network of its own, but hasn't built full infrastructure yet so it roams onto other operators. The 50Gb is only available when you're connected to Free's own aerials, and it becomes 4Gb/month I think when on another operator's aerials. (On a phone you can see the operator on the screen; on a modem router you annoyingly can't but by good luck Free covers Antibes and nearby anchorages)
 
Gotta say though, I see no point in a wifi extender, and as intimated at Boat Show I think Landau are totally wrong on that recommendation.

Have to say I agree with that. In Carloforte last year we were constantly pissed off with the varying speed of the marina wifi. Towards the end of the season they moved us to another berth which was not more than about 20m from the marina wifi transmitter. We got maximum signal strength from the marina wifi then but of course the actual speed was no better because, like you say, you are fighting with every other marina wifi user for bandwidth.

I did buy a Slingbox http://www.slingbox.com/en-GB with the idea of using it to watch our UK satellite channels and hoping that I could use the marina wifi but it proved to be just too inconsistent. By the end of the season we were using the local Vodafone 3G network through my mobile phone for the Slingbox, even though that was weak at times but it did work. So yes I agree with you. 3G-4G-5G is going to be the way to go in the future for heavy internet use

To that end I have recently bought a Locomarine Micro Yacht Router http://yachtrouter.com/yacht-router-micro/. Yes this does have a marina wifi connection capability but the main reason I've bought it is that it does have a 4G booster as well so I'm hoping it will give a better and more consistent 3G/4G signal than a tethered mobile which will then allow us to use the Slingbox in more remote locations
 
the main reason I've bought it is that it does have a 4G booster as well so I'm hoping it will give a better and more consistent 3G/4G signal than a tethered mobile which will then allow us to use the Slingbox in more remote locations
I wish you it will M, but TBH I wouldn't hold my breath.
From a technical viewpoint, as I understand it (but probably there are more knowledgeable folks around, who could set me straight if appropriate), 4G repeaters are targeted at covering specific, small(ish) areas, and as a result you either get the signal or not. And when you don't, the differences between a cellphone and a much more sophisticated router are marginal.
I mean, it's different from VHF transmissions for instance, where having the aerial on top of a sailboat mast can actually give a larger coverage.
Besides, on paper the Yacht Router you linked seems more targeted to WiFi than 4G connection: for instance, it can handle "only" the so called CAT3 4G connections (100Mbps), whilst my cheap portable router reaches CAT6 (300Mbps).
Mind, ATM you would struggle to find a carrier whose 4G connection actually delivers more than 50Mbps, and the best I've seen so far in some city centers was somewhere between 80 and 90.
But that's just to explain why I suspect that the thing is more aimed at improving WiFi, rather than 4G connection.
Anyway, I hope to be wrong of course, and that it will actually be a big improvement.
Let us know the results! :encouragement:
 
Not really unlimited, but from Vodafone (which has, together with TIM, the best 4G coverage in IT) you can buy for 149 Eur a SIM card that gives you one year of 15Gb/month data connection, which is a lot.
Mind, believe it or not this Vodafone offer is only valid TODAY, Mar 17th (!)…..4G being the way to go! :encouragement:

I got really excited by this, and having got round the requirement for a ''fiscal code'' (sic!), sadly I fell down at the last hurdle since it would seem that Vodafone only accepts an Italian credit card for online purchases… bummer :ambivalence:
 
I got really excited by this, and having got round the requirement for a ''fiscal code'' (sic!), sadly I fell down at the last hurdle since it would seem that Vodafone only accepts an Italian credit card for online purchases… bummer :ambivalence:

Did you try going into a Vodaphone shop?

Normally they can make things work with a foreign credit card whereas online this is not possible.

At least a Vodaphone shop worked things out for me in Spain.
 
Did you try going into a Vodaphone shop?
Good point, BUT:
1) according to Vodafone website, this offer is for online subscription only
2) unless MAFWeiss is already in IT atm, even assuming that a local shop can also accept the subscription, I doubt it's worth for him jumping on a plane right away for this reason alone... :)

That said, MAFWeiss, if you're positively interested in that Vodafone offer, I could purchase the SIM for you, and we can get in touch via email later, to agree how to send it to you as soon as I receive it.
 
From a technical viewpoint, as I understand it (but probably there are more knowledgeable folks around, who could set me straight if appropriate), 4G repeaters are targeted at covering specific, small(ish) areas, and as a result you either get the signal or not. And when you don't, the differences between a cellphone and a much more sophisticated router are marginal.
Well at least it will save the battery on my cellphone which drains very quickly when its tethered as a wifi hotspot!


Besides, on paper the Yacht Router you linked seems more targeted to WiFi than 4G connection: for instance, it can handle "only" the so called CAT3 4G connections (100Mbps), whilst my cheap portable router reaches CAT6 (300Mbps).
You could be right but on the other hand I have tried 3 of these portable routers with so called high speed connection and none of them give any higher speed than my tethered cellphone so I guess the problem is indeed the poor carrier speeds as you say

I have to say that part of the reason I bought the Yacht Router was simply to tidy up the whole system. It is a PITA to faff about tethering a cellphone and keep its batteries charged. Its also a PITA to use a personal router because it needs a power source and 2 of mine have broken anyway. I'm not expecting a huge improvement with the Yacht Router just to be able to consistently latch onto a 3G/4G signal, if its there, and without hassle
 
Agreed. In terms of reliability/quality, that Yacht Router looks indeed solid, and the fact that it can be powered straight from 12V or 24V is also nice.
Besides, if nothing else, I would indeed expect it to be more stable than any cheap battery powered router.
Mine for instance, in a couple of occasions, for some reasons drained the battery completely and died, even if at home it's always connected to its USB charger.
All I had to do is turn it on again, and it slowly recharged up to 100%, working again as if nothing happened, but I suppose it would have been annoying if you were watching EN rugby team beating IT... :D
 
I wish you it will M, but TBH I wouldn't hold my breath.
From a technical viewpoint, as I understand it (but probably there are more knowledgeable folks around, who could set me straight if appropriate), 4G repeaters are targeted at covering specific, small(ish) areas, and as a result you either get the signal or not. And when you don't, the differences between a cellphone and a much more sophisticated router are marginal.
I mean, it's different from VHF transmissions for instance, where having the aerial on top of a sailboat mast can actually give a larger coverage.
Besides, on paper the Yacht Router you linked seems more targeted to WiFi than 4G connection: for instance, it can handle "only" the so called CAT3 4G connections (100Mbps), whilst my cheap portable router reaches CAT6 (300Mbps).
Mind, ATM you would struggle to find a carrier whose 4G connection actually delivers more than 50Mbps, and the best I've seen so far in some city centers was somewhere between 80 and 90.
But that's just to explain why I suspect that the thing is more aimed at improving WiFi, rather than 4G connection.
Anyway, I hope to be wrong of course, and that it will actually be a big improvement.
Let us know the results! :encouragement:
+1 I'd spend the money on SIM cards not a router with a "marine" price premium. Boosting the radio signal strength aint the problem; its bandwidth that's the problem. And if you have an enormous range with a superdooper booster you still cant get the data to flow fast because the data packets you are allocated are time intervals, and if you're a long way from the mast you send/receive less data per packet because your packet time interval is mostly used up by the delay in the transmission time as the data packet moves twixt land station and boat
 
+1 I'd spend the money on SIM cards not a router with a "marine" price premium. Boosting the radio signal strength aint the problem; its bandwidth that's the problem. And if you have an enormous range with a superdooper booster you still cant get the data to flow fast because the data packets you are allocated are time intervals, and if you're a long way from the mast you send/receive less data per packet because your packet time interval is mostly used up by the delay in the transmission time as the data packet moves twixt land station and boat

I agree regarding the antenna booster,
but I have other good reasons to pay a premium for a marine version of such a router, (Locomarine Yachtrouter mini) and I don't have any desire to replace the system after one season.
The features or reasons are maybe not applicable on others boats or in other regions but here for me these are worth every penny, and in dayly use, so very valuable to us, as explained before;
- I can easyly switch between sim card 1 (HR) sim card 2 (MNE) and local wifi source.
Marine Wifi here is good enough for streaming radio on the sonos system.
(I hardly ever watch TV on the boat , neither do my guests!)
- I can "limit" network acces or bandwidth on the "guests" network, while having full bandwidth on the crew network
all easy and quickly selected from my Iphone.
-I use locomarine's cloud service for looking at the immages from the video camera on the quay, aimed at the boat :o
 
When considering routers.
IMO, it is best (as I say above) to split the job between a connection to the internet and the local ship's WiFi network.
Modern domestic routers now support a new WiFi standard (802.11ac) which includes all the previous standards but properly implements a 5Ghz WiFi.
Most modern mobile devices also support this new 802.11ac standard.
A properly configured 5Ghz WiFi connection will be faster than its 2.4Ghz older standard but as I say, the new routers support all the standards.
I know it is complicated and all most people want to do is switch their mobile devices on and connect.
But, in my experience, the domestic market tends to lead the technology.
You will probably find that most marine routers only support up to 802.11n

I may have this wrong but the standards are as follows:-
Oldest (slowest) first

802.11 b
802.11 g
802.11 n
802.11 ac (the latest which covers all the above)

There are others but the above are the standards that you come across in routers and mobile devices.
 
After the boaring telecom discussion :D
Back to real boating again

Here is the brand new shiny stainless steel chain for Artemisia
Packed properly before shipment to France.

chain.jpg


chain2.jpg


My chain business is doing well atm ;-)
 
I've missed something here. Is Bart now the main man for ss chain? If so - I'd like to know how much 80m of 8mm would be. Is it bad form to have ss chain with a galv anchor? I only want ss for the unclumpiness, not bothered about cosmetics.
 
I've missed something here. Is Bart now the main man for ss chain?
Yup, Bart is the main supplier for the Amsterdam S & M market

s it bad form to have ss chain with a galv anchor?
Mmm this sounds like a question for the forum etiquette committee. My feeling is that it could be almost as big a faux pas as flying your forum burgee below the French courtesy flag
 
I've missed something here. Is Bart now the main man for ss chain? If so - I'd like to know how much 80m of 8mm would be. Is it bad form to have ss chain with a galv anchor? I only want ss for the unclumpiness, not bothered about cosmetics.

I might be up for some too. Need to replace 80m of galvanised due to the pile-up problems.
 
I've bought now the second chain at a Wholesale company in Antwerp, who delivers to industry and retailers,
(for boats but also to the food manufacturing industry)
but I guess that you must have similar co's in UK, and even more than in our small country ?
so you can avoid the transportcost and the hassle delivering from Belgium...

so I'm not really planning to start a business in chains, but perhaps Petem, can add this to his offerings ?

here is a link to the co where I buy,
http://kettingendebackereindustrial.be/nl
but I have to say that the owner Daniel Debackere (one man co) doesn't speak Englsih,
and isn't organised to ship abroad
 
I've bought now the second chain at a Wholesale company in Antwerp, who delivers to industry and retailers,
(for boats but also to the food manufacturing industry)
but I guess that you must have similar co's in UK, and even more than in our small country ?
so you can avoid the transportcost and the hassle delivering from Belgium...

so I'm not really planning to start a business in chains, but perhaps Petem, can add this to his offerings ?

here is a link to the co where I buy,
http://kettingendebackereindustrial.be/nl
but I have to say that the owner Daniel Debackere (one man co) doesn't speak Englsih,
and isn't organised to ship abroad

Ah, that's a shame, but fair enough.

Pete - any interest?
 
Interesting,

Bart, give us some prices then!

JTB wants 8mm ss and I'd like 60m of 10mm ISO ss chain. Need to compare with the local prices and see where the guys here are in comparison.

I just found out that there's a Greek manufacturer that does galv chains, need to check him out.

cheers

v.
 

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