Broadband internet

[ QUOTE ]
I need to know would a 50ft boat in a sheltered location well anchored move more than this

[/ QUOTE ]

Almost certainly, the answer to this is Yes - your boat would move much too much even, as Vindleka has said, if you were to put out four anchors! Even if it were theoretically possible, ask yourself these questions:

How many anchorages are there in the Mediterranean with totally quiet water with no swell from the sea and no wash from other vessels where there is the space to moor in such a fashion?

What happens when the wind shifts or gets up?

What will your fellow yachties think of a 50ft yacht that, together with her anchors, takes up the space that 4 yachts could moor in?

Will your children be prepared to sit motionless every time you wish to use the Internet lest they rock the boat?

I can answer the first three for you if you are interested, and take a pretty good stab at the fourth!
 
GPRS gives an ‘always on’ internet connection from your mobile phone. As the connection is always on, you pay for the amount of data downloaded rather than for the period of time on-line. Most modern mobile phones can use GPRS but, unfortunately, charges are still high, particularly when roaming. A few foreign mobile phone companies, most notably Turkcell, allow GPRS connection on their PAYG accounts. If a few more companies would follow suit this would become the best method of connection when cruising, so you would do well to check up on the situation in your cruising area. When you connect to the Internet using GPRS the Mobile Network acts as your ISP as they provide the link between their network and the Internet. Surfing the Internet is quite feasible using GPRS as the connection can be up to four times faster than a dial-up connection but the pricing structure of your contract may make it prohibitive.
 
I used an Inmarsat A system when working in the Xinjaing province in western China . This was to ensure a secure communication system during business negotiation . In the end I stopped using it principally because the Chinese sabotaged it but anyway it was getting too costly with operation costs areound the figures you mentioned .

So I suspect that what you were referring to is Inmarsat . The B unit was aavilable to take with me from the UK , laptop size but I could only legally use the A .

On our construction sites we did use the B in Palkistan but that was for emergency and was particularly useful for evacuating personnel when a tank fired at the local Governors palace during a minor political up set
 
Hi enjoyed your web site. We have been in the La Spezia area for the last 2 years. Particularly enjoyed and overwintered in Le Grazie just round the corner from Portovenere, small village but had most of what you need. Brian
 
Gosh what did you do there?? its a very small key? And part of it has a submerged wreck giving just 2m at most!! The waters so murky i never saw the bottem

Wonderful you stayed in La Grazie, anyway Portovenere is far to expensiv!! I stayed there when it was free then at once it cost 90,000l PD !!!! anyway i went to St Magarita Ligurie, which is also pay now, but less than proto venerre on the old transit key

Is La Grazie still free????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
 
I can provide you the system I used when I lived on my boat in the Med.
I am now an Inmarsat Partner and get my BGAN connection for free so don’t need my VSAT solution.
Worked with a land based dish used on the key side or place ashore when at anchor. This has WIFI build in and allows me to connect while at anchor.
Used to cost me £70 per month unlimited bandwidth, even used to use for VOIP telephone calls. The option I had was 512Kb but I know other options available go up to 2Mb.
Please feel free to get in touch. For others I can provide systems, configure and provide support if required as this is an area I have researched and used in anger personally.

Please feel free to PM me

Regards

RR
 
If you find the answer you are apparently looking for, that is for cheapish broadband on an anchored or sailing vessel without a stabilised antenna, I would appreciate it if you let me know. I do not know of anyone who has found the answer. That because the higher the speed the more power is required and that generally equates into needing more antenna gain meaning more accuracy in pointing the antenna.

I rely on GPRS myself but it can be expensive if ones provider does not have good reciprocal international roaming deals in other countries and, of course, it does not work outside of cell site coverage (although in my home country - which is not in Europe - we get coverage over most of our 9,500 mile coastline and we carry the local service providers coverage charts on board to assist).

John
 
I have not sailed in the med and do not have a lot of expriance at all, just 2 weeks sailing in last 8 years (this will change before we go my family hes been out in a force 7/8 no probems).
I do need a good system for the internet, I will find one that is cost effective, from your reply I would be a prat to try to pin boat down with anchors thanks for input
 
Thanks for your input.
if a broadband system is possible the costs are £59 per month for med and canaris unlimited webcam serfing and phone this to me is cheeper than mobile but if it is not possible i will have to wifi gprs ect
 
there are land based sytems that cover med and canaris for £59-75 this is what i want to get on a boat this may be a dreem but a man in spain says he can do it for £10000 i am trying to do it cheaper
 
But are you looking for an on board broadband system or just one that can be put on shore and linked to the boat (which poses a security problem, especially if at anchor, unless you take it ashore and then return it to the boat anytime is used). If on shore is acceptable then that is easy - doing it on the boat is the only hard one.

John
 
Two anchors will not work. Boat will roll and connection will dip in and out. Aslo make for very uncomfortable life on-board. A land based dish is designed to work in a very small window with little or no fluctuation.

If you want this type of technoligy you need to use a gimbeled tracking self positioning setup. Which most prople find very expensive notjust to install but also to run - ongoing costs are very high AND you do not get vert high download speeds.

What sor tof comms do yo uwant to achieve? What do yo uwant to use th einternet for? A GPRS/GSM and/or 3G card may siut you and whilst still a relatively costly option will be much cheaper than the SAT dishes.

Also this technology will change beyond all recognition over the next 2 years. A series of Sats have just been launched that allow the poovision of true high speed mobile communications. In th enext year or two you should start to see services being opffered off these.

Right not the operators are protecting their revenue streams and not releasing the bandwidth.
 
If I can get a system that works anywhere in Spain, Ballearics for 59 quid, thats the one for me, please send me a pm with details, thanks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top