Satphone choices...

[RJJ]

Hi all

Looking at equipping ourselves for the Atlantic later this year. Hopefully. The requirement is: make an SOS call reliably and be able to receive email GRIBs; at minimal expense.

Currently drawn to either an Iridium phone or Iridium Go.

It's all new to me so any advice is welcome. Specifically, does anyone have any informed views on:
1. Actual download speed on the handset. This affects the cost as the Go packages come with unlimited data; the handset is cost-advantageous as long as you can get your GRIBs within 2-4 minutes, but if it takes 10+ minutes on the handset then the Go starts to look cheaper. I appreciate it's dependent on file size.
2. Pairing with "red port" to compress and optimise data...vs saving £170 or so and accepting the airtime
3. Antenna
a. Benefit from a fixed external antenna vs the handset/Go antenna (assuming I take it briefly on deck)
b. efficacy of the round "car" antenna that seems to come with the handset (compared to the £spenny marine fitting)

 

[duncan99210]

When I helped my mate take his boat over to Barbados, we had an Iridium Go, which generated a wifi hotspot to which we linked a tablet. We used it for emails. It was fine as far as it went but data speeds were slow, like painfully slow. We used it once a day to download an email with a synoptic chart. The Go had to be used on deck to get a signal and was not all that user friendly.
We also had a Garmin InReach which was happy to sit inside the cabin on a mount that was near to a portlight. The mount was also the charging cradle. It was always on and sent a position message every 10 minutes. The subscription we had gave unlimited two way messaging and social media posts as well as access to customised weather forecasts.
Of the two, I’d go for the InReach any time. Less trouble to set up, easy to use and reasonable costs compared to the hassle of Go.
For distress signalling, we carried an EPIRB for the boat and PLBs for each of us. Whilst both the Go and InReach offer distress signalling, it’s not their primary purpose nor do their systems link automatically to the SAR systems.

 

[jwfrary]

I have a little used iridium extreme phone if your interested. No box but all the accessories except for the main charger. (I always used the usb.)

Been sat in the draw for 3 years now so PM if you would like to make an offer!

 

[Whiterose]

Atlantic and Pacific crossings I took a Garmin Inreach ...fantastic value and if you take out a package for unlimited use...that’s about £65 a month ..stop and start whenever you want.What you can do is send unlimited messages to emails or phones ..They are limited in characters ..but you just carry on with a second third message etc for long chat ..you can get weather for where you are or where you will be ..for an additional cost..link up to your IPad or laptop and it’s a doddle highly recommend

 

[Laser310]

I have quite a bit of experience with all the iridium handsets.

I own both a 9555 and a GO.

I also own an InReach.

The InReach is quite limited and would not be my choice for an Atlantic crossing.

I first used a 9505 back in 2003 on a transatlantic. All of the handsets, as well as the Go have a data speed of 2.4kb/sec. You will sometimes see the speed advertised as 9.6kb/sec with compression.

2.4kb/sec is very slow - but it is fast enough to get all the weather you need to get, and stay in touch via email- PROVIDED.., you follow best practices. That's another subject though. I will say that both the Go and the Handset should be used with a fixed external antenna for best data performance.

I have navigated many ocean races.., and as a scientist am something of a weather geek. I can get pretty much everything i need with an Iridium, including Gribs, and surface analyses/forecasts.

All of the boats I race on these days have some sort of satellite broadband - usually Inmarsat.., it's too much of a competitive disadvantage to not have it on a racing boat. But for cruising, Iridium is fine.

As far as Go vs handset: simply put, the Go is a bit easier to use, and you can get a great deal on an unlimited data plan. The handset is a bit harder to setup for data - maybe - but has the advantage that you can make a voice call without an iphone. If I was getting into a liferaft, i would rather have a handset than a Go - preferably the waterproof 9575.

on balance, for most users, the unlimited data plan of the Go is the deciding factor

 

[RJJ]

I have a little used iridium extreme phone if your interested. No box but all the accessories except for the main charger. (I always used the usb.)

Been sat in the draw for 3 years now so PM if you would like to make an offer!

Thanks folks for v helpful replies, much appreciated.

Jwfary I will PM you.

 

[Laser310]

Jwfary I will PM you.

if i was getting a handset today, that's definitely the model i would buy.

I haven't looked into the data plans recently.., but it might be worth checking into that before you buy anything. In particuar, see if there is anything for a handset that competes with the unlimited plan for the Go.

Everybody has different weather requirements; for some a tiny low res grib every few days is sufficient.., for others a large grib at least once a day (maybe two models). plus surface forecasts, plus checking in at the national hurricane center just to be sure, plus the met area forecast... Now you could be well over 10 min of phone time per day.

Decide which you are.., and think about your budget for this.

also, realize that any unusual weather event - I had an out of season tropical storm one year (mid December) - pretty much right on the route to the caribbean - may cause you to get forecasts several times a day for several days.

Then, with all this in mind, weigh the handset vs. Go, and see which fits your use better.

also - with the handset, you might want to buy one of the "optimizers" - there are several competing versions. It's built into the Go.

again, for both, a fixed external antenna will make a world of difference - probably half of the people who complain that their data doesn't work don't have one. The other half are using poor practices - basically not getting the gribs and WX images the most efficient way.

 

[GHA]

Getting an ssb receiver is well worth considering as well, a lot of the time a weatherfax is more than enough with no need for gribs so could save a load of data costs. Tablet or laptop will decode images.

 

[paulajayne]

I have been looking at Starlink as it may be the way forward for communications whilst on board.
Not sure how well it will handle a rolling boat mid Atlantic.

 

[RJJ]

I have been looking at Starlink as it may be the way forward for communications whilst on board.
Not sure how well it will handle a rolling boat mid Atlantic.

Thanks - doesn't look like an option for us yet, coverage-wise let alone hardware availability?

In two or three years time, could be great.

 

[RJJ]

also - with the handset, you might want to buy one of the "optimizers" - there are several competing versions. It's built into the Go

Thanks - is that "red port" or similar? Any recommendations?

So with "Go" you just don't need that? I'm leaning towards a handset for (as you mentioned) ease-of-use in emergencies.

 

[rgh27]

It maybe worth looking at KVH V/IP-series Airtime Plans.

 

[Laser310]

Getting an ssb receiver is well worth considering as well, a lot of the time a weatherfax is more than enough with no need for gribs so could save a load of data costs. Tablet or laptop will decode images.

you can get gribs and WX images over email with an SSB and a pactor modem - the connection is faster than an iridium.., but unless you are good at radio.., the learning curve may not be worth the effort. Combination of SSB, Pactor Modem, and antenna is not cheap...

 

[Laser310]

Thanks - is that "red port" or similar? Any recommendations?

So with "Go" you just don't need that? I'm leaning towards a handset for (as you mentioned) ease-of-use in emergencies.

yes- redport and similar

I have the first generation and haven't looked into it since then.

to be honest, even when i use the handset, i rarely use the optimizer. the optimizer offers 2 things - a firewall, and wifi access to the phone. a lot of people have trouble setting the phone up for a USB connection to the laptop (do _not_ use the iridium software) and for them the wifi is easy. I know how to install the phone as a modem on the laptop, so i use the USB. I have not had any trouble that required a firewall.., so as i said, i usually don't bother.

anyway, as i mentioned, i am mostly using broadband these days - not iridium.

 

[Laser310]

It maybe worth looking at KVH V/IP-series Airtime Plans.

V-sat is one of the main broadband sat systems, and I have used it a lot - it's great - very fast, and with very low data costs - but you need to use a lot of data for it to be worth it from a strictly financial point of view.

same with Fleet Broadband - the Inmarsat offering, which now has several names. I have used it a lot, and is typically a little more expensive per MB than V-sat, but has better coverage, and at one time at least, the minimum hardware was less expensive than V-sat.

These "broadband" systems are great - they make everything easier. You don't have to worry about using the "best practices" i mentioned above. you can behave more or less as if you are at home - speeds are not as fast as that, but you can go to web sites etc. easily. You will _not_ be browsing the web on an iridium phone.

it's all a question of needs and money. Do you need to be connected to the office and do actual work? if so, you need a broadband connection. Do you just want weather once a day, and say hi to the family occasionally? Iridium is fine.

 

[dovekie]

No experience other than the Iridium GO, so due respect the comments above.
Just wanted to mention we use a GO for Gribs when out of mobile range, never let us down. More relevant, lent it friends who used it in pretty bad weather in west Biscay, where it enabled them to track and avoid a nasty albeit brief storm 10. My point it that it works in poor conditions - handsets may too.

 

[GHA]

you can get gribs and WX images over email with an SSB and a pactor modem - the connection is faster than an iridium.., but unless you are good at radio.., the learning curve may not be worth the effort. Combination of SSB, Pactor Modem, and antenna is not cheap...

An ssb receiver is cheap though - that was the point, very little learning curve, very little power, connect to a shroud for an antenna, unlike ssb/pactor no expensive license required for very useful wfax. Personally its one of a few things I wouldn't like to cross oceans without, even with advance ham license and radio onboard. Ham allows email access as well.

 

[Laser310]

No experience other than the Iridium GO, so due respect the comments above.
Just wanted to mention we use a GO for Gribs when out of mobile range, never let us down. More relevant, lent it friends who used it in pretty bad weather in west Biscay, where it enabled them to track and avoid a nasty albeit brief storm 10. My point it that it works in poor conditions - handsets may too.

i think the handset has a better built-in antenna than the Go.., but they both work much better with a fixed external antenna.

 

[Laser310]

An ssb receiver is cheap though - that was the point, very little learning curve, very little power, connect to a shroud for an antenna, unlike ssb/pactor no expensive license required for very useful wfax. Personally its one of a few things I wouldn't like to cross oceans without, even with advance ham license and radio onboard. Ham allows email access as well.

I think NOAA is going to stop sending the weatherfax over HF pretty soon.

It won't be long before no weather service is supporting this technology

 

[GHA]

I think NOAA is going to stop sending the weatherfax over HF pretty soon.

It won't be long before no weather service is supporting this technology

Rumors like that have been doing the rounds since sailing forums began One day maybe NOAA & DWD might stop broadcasting over HF but right now there's nothing to suggest that will be any time soon and wfax remains an extremely useful offshore resource for weather data. And even though gfs gribs are very reliable these days it's still nice to see a forecasters name on the fax midocean.