Does anyone have an Iridium Go yet?

[petert96753]

This was the email I got from Iridium over a month ago . . . the have still not fixed the bugs in the software as of today . . . yes, and I'm still paying $125 per month of the "service."

On Dec 4, 2014, at 7:33 AM, Data Support <DataSupport@iridium.com> wrote:

Hi Peter,

I was finally able to test on 8.1.1 and have found that the connection and web buttons do not respond. Under Facebook, the attach photo does not respond. These issues have been escalated to the app development team, sorry for the inconvenience. In the meantime I am currently working to see if we can release the older firmware until the problems have been wrinkled out.

Regards,

Brandon Newsome, Data Support Specialist

Iridium | 8440 South River Parkway | Tempe, AZ 85284
ph.1.480.752.5100 option 2 |f: +1. 480.752.5101 | www.iridium.com

[simonpickard]

Hi Brandon,

Not sure if you are aware of this but there is also a limit on the email creation. You can only type about a page and a half and then the screen won't scroll. You can keep typing but you can't see it.

It would also be amazing to see the realtime Satellite positions (aka weather 4D pro) from within the app as I think this would solve many peoples connection issues.

Lastly, I personally wish the GO! App included mail and web within itself. It's a currently a bit messy having re GO's features split between two apps. Any chance of merging them?

Regards,
Simon



Please visit my blog:
www.sailing-interlude.com

[simonpickard]

I just replied to a quote didn't I?

New Years DOH!



Please visit my blog:
www.sailing-interlude.com

[Can-Vik Cat]

Sorry for delay in providing a review. We crossed the Atlantic from Dec. 13 to Jan. 15, 2015. We were 5 users and everyone got lots of emails. Also the SMS was used quite a bit and worked well.

It can be cumbersome to log on and download email. Sometimes we had to try 5 times and more, but eventually got it. We had lots of time on our hands, and therefore got used to the waiting, and slow downloads and sending.

None of us used Facebook or Twitter. The WeatherApp in Iridium works very well in my opinion, and relatively fast.

If you are going to be using it, make sure to let friends and family know to not send you photos and other files. I had one day where someone had done just.....I spent 4 hrs downloading with lots of interruptions.


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[petert96753]

Thanks . . . I have found the GO system to works well for the email and SMS . . . we are able update our sailblog (Night Sailing | Sailing Kealoha) . . . the Ocens weather app works well with the GO system . . . the PredictWind app (which uses a computer rather than the iPad) is good, but I wish it would work on the iPad or that their GRIB's would open in their app like thew Ocens app . . . I have even printed cards for friends and family with our GO email address and specific instructions for them not to send us photos or attachments . . . TEXT ONLY! . . . Enjoy!

[hoppy]

Do you use a normal email account on the Go or is it an account connected to Iridium?

Either way, it sounds like the email app/email service need to be redesigned so you can download just the text and then choose to download the attachments.

[georgelewisray]

An option is SailMail software 'Airmail ver 3.5.025' that was originally intended to support digital communication over SingeSideBand radio links. It now supports IridiumGo.
( Sailmail access via the Iridium GO! mobile hotspot )
SailmailPrimer: ( SailMail Primer )

The commercial SW package that seems to be most widely used is XGate. It is sold under the XGate name and I think is also resold under different names by several vendors. ( Satellite Phone Email| Iridium 9555, Inmarsat, Globalstar via XGate | GMN )

Notes:
A slow and expensive network connection works most economically with software that handles things like compressing data, preventing unintentional transfer of large files (e.g. aunt millie's latest full size cat photos attached to email) and making sure unintended background tasks do not use the network (e.g. auto download of large SW update files).
Iridium Website list of SW: ( https://iridium.com/IridiumApps.aspx )

[petert96753]

The Iridium GO apps include a special Iridium email address/connection . . . the app also has a "Big Mail" folder that supposedly will capture and filter anything over 50K . . . you can then delete or choose to try and download the larger file (this has NEVER worked for me) . . . the GO system ( in my opinion) is really ready for primetime . . . especially at $125 per month . . . on the other hand, as I can't spend $5000 on a fully set up "Pilot" system . . . it's the best that is available for me right now . . . the Iridium apps could be much better and supposedly Iridium will be adding new satellites over the next two years which will up the speed to 3G LTE . . . but so far much of what Iridium has promised has proven to be "vaporware." The Iridium GO web ability is a complete joke . . . the shouldn't have even tried . . . the GO Opera Mini browser lists about 20 low bandwidth websites you are supposed to be able to access . . . I have tried to get all of them and was only able to get to the first page of two of them . . . this was with 5 bars of connection! . . . complete waste of time . . . as I stated earlier the Ocens weather app seem great . . . while I think their weather forecasts are some of the best, the PredictWind apps are not very user friendly . . . have not tried the SailMail email system with the GO . . . But my thought was why pay an additional $250 per year for and email system when it's included with the GO service . . .

[c.spots]

I am almost ready to order the Go, after dumping my Isatphone pro. After 2 years of promises, they never made the drivers for Windows 8.
I am not sure an external antennae is needed for the Go. After all, it is reasonably weather proof, so why not place it in an open space, since it is a WiFi hotspot, and unlike the sat phone, doesn't need to be where you are.


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[Feral Cement]

Originally Posted by c.spots

I am not sure an external antennae is needed for the Go. After all, it is reasonably weather proof, so why not place it in an open space, since it is a WiFi hotspot, and unlike the sat phone, doesn't need to be where you are.

We sprang for the antenna set-up so that we would not damage the unit or any connections moving it in and out of the cabin. We get good reception with the external antenna on the arch and the GO screwed to the wall by the nav station.

[georgelewisray]

c.spots,
I suspect an external antenna helps a lot.
I am maintaining two threads about Iridium_Go , one on CruisersForum and one on Seven Seas Cruisers Associasion, both titled "Problems with Iridium Go during Pacific Crossing" . These are to help s/v Issuma who has had iridium phones for years in N & S Atlantic and NW Passage and now has the Iridium Go from Vancouver to Mexico to Easter island and will arrive Chile in next week. Connection success rates with no external antenna and the GO held outside with clear view of sky are less than half of previous years with other phones and mostly some form of external antenna. Looks like an external antenna is in thier future. .... There is a poster in this thread CanVik Cat that has an external antenna and just did Atlantic crossing. He seems happy but his post mentions multiple tries and it is not 100% clear to me what his connection success rate was. For s/v Issuma in Iridium years past the connection rate was about 90% success. Now it is 40-50%.

[Feral Cement]

Originally Posted by georgelewisray

c.spots,
I suspect an external antenna helps a lot.

<snip>

For s/v Issuma in Iridium years past the connection rate was about 90% success. Now it is 40-50%.

Our connection success rate has been 100% with the external antenna. We lost one connection due to a gap in satellite coverage, out of maybe 15 connections.

[ipsum]

Can I make a call with Google Nexus 7 and Iridium Go? Or I need mobile phone for this? Can I get grib files on tablet and PC?

[georgelewisray]

Feral Cement:
Thanks very much for your post, It has been very difficult to get any info from any of the vendors technical people although GMN has recently posted on CruisersForum and the info has been very helpful.

Seems the first generation of the Iridium_Go could use a better internal antenna and included software needs some work ( can leave the $$$ connection open and billing ). s/v Issuma ( Towards The Rising Sun | Issuma ) is using XGate software and is pleased with it. The Airmail / SailMail software by Jim Correman has recently been updated to support Iridium_Go but i have not heard any reports about it yet.

Thanks Again

[georgelewisray]

Ipsum,
I do not know about android but with IOS iPhone/iPad there are several Wx/GRIB/Nav apps that support Iridium downloads . .