Does anyone have an Iridium Go yet?

[Feral Cement]

Originally Posted by 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?

In our never-ending quest to keep it simple and cheap, we are hot-spotting our iphones (already in use when GO came out) and we access PredictWind via our Mac Air (also already in use when we got the GO). I'm not sure if PredictWind has a Windows compatible version for PC yet; was supposed to be "days" away when we bought. Also, we have not tried to access PW via the ipad.

That said, our experience has been that for a typical "session" where we upload one e-mail to 4 people and receive 3 distinct e-mails (all on the Iridium mail program) and download a week's worth of wind and wave data, the total connect time is usually about 5 or 6 minutes, occasionally as low as 4 or as high as 7, maybe 8 minutes. Even at 7 or 8 minutes a pop, we can get weather 20 times a month with the 150/5 plan. We've never come close to that, by using our cell phones, with or without our Wilson Amplifier Cell Extender, and by using wifi when and where available. We are no transoceanic sailors, either - island hoppers on a 34 foot cruiser/racer.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by Feral Cement

Even at 7 or 8 minutes a pop, we can get weather 20 times a month with the 150/5 plan.

Exactly. When I showed the math earlier in the thread, it was nearly impossible to justify the unlimited data option. You would have to have a professional crew downloading and uploading data all day to gain significant benefit from the cost.

The other reason I would not go for the 'go' is that I see the a sat device as a tool to be used in an emergency, for example in a liferaft. Good luck talking to someone through the 'go' without a 2ND device like an iphone and who wants to depend on an iphone as an emergency device in a bad sea.

[ipsum]

Do I need external antena to use with Go? Is antens improving connection quaity? Also could someone recomend online shop to buy this unit in europe. Thaks.

[ipsum]

This article was already posted? Iridium GO! and data transfer : the disappointment – Navigation Mac

[cwyckham]

Totem has one and has had really good success with it in their last crossing: They review it in detail here

[cwyckham]

I've always considered satellite devices to be way over my price range. I'm really surprised by the true current costs.

An Irridium Go! is $1150, including an external antenna, cabling, and mounts. The unit itself is $825. Enough of a data plan for all of my en route data needs is $95/month.

That actually compares pretty favourably to a Samsung smart phone for $600 and $90/ month for my cell plan.

Of course, I get much better functionality out of the smart phone and terrestrial network, but it struck me as an interesting comparison. The only key difference between the two is that I trade coverage for bandwidth.

[ipsum]

If any Iridium GO owner is here please drop me PM, I need your help. It seems I have got defective unit and would like to ask to perform a small test. Thanks in advance.

[petert96753]

yes, you can email me at
petert@petert.com

[ipsum]

Please help. Got GO + 150 min plan, but can't connect to network "failed to connect to network". Any ideas? Phone calls and SMS are working fine, just can't send SMS to mobile number.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by StuM

Time for another scratchpad and a bit of education. 2.4Kbps is Kilo bits per second. which is about 250 bytes per second (theoretically 300 since there are 8 bits in a byte, but the overhead cuts is down a little).

SO 250 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 365 = ~ 8 GB per year

(Edit: It's worth noting that a 100KB GRIB file will take about 7 minutes at that rate)

StuM,

You are right.

I've seen a few companies stop selling the Go because the speed is so slow. They don't even recommend it for e-mail.

You are paying $1200 a year or more for 8 GB of data.

[bgallinger]

Originally Posted by ipsum

Please help. Got GO + 150 min plan, but can't connect to network "failed to connect to network". Any ideas? Phone calls and SMS are working fine, just can't send SMS to mobile number.

I bought the Iridium Go with the Predict Wind package a few weeks ago. Here's what I found so far....
1) Email, SMS and voice calls all work.
2) Read and follow the installation instructions from Predict Wind to the letter.
3) Set aside LOTS of time to learn how to run it.
4) Iridium will assign you a unique sat phone number. It's international so SMS to your phone will cost the sender as well as voice calls. I have heard you can buy a US phone number but Iridium doesn't tell you about that. I will probably never use the voice call feature
5) You MUST have a clear view of the horizon.
6) Forget surfing the web. Too slow.
7) It ain't cheap.
8) Predict Wind HELP line is very good. Their weather service is comprehensive.

I'm hoping this will replace Bahamas WiMax (awful and expensive) in the Bahamas this year!

[zboss]

Originally Posted by bgallinger

I bought the Iridium Go with the Predict Wind package a few weeks ago. Here's what I found so far....
1) Email, SMS and voice calls all work.
2) Read and follow the installation instructions from Predict Wind to the letter.
3) Set aside LOTS of time to learn how to run it.
4) Iridium will assign you a unique sat phone number. It's international so SMS to your phone will cost the sender as well as voice calls. I have heard you can buy a US phone number but Iridium doesn't tell you about that. I will probably never use the voice call feature
5) You MUST have a clear view of the horizon.
6) Forget surfing the web. Too slow.
7) It ain't cheap.
8) Predict Wind HELP line is very good. Their weather service is comprehensive.

I'm hoping this will replace Bahamas WiMax (awful and expensive) in the Bahamas this year!

We also found Bahamas wimax to be terrible and expensive. Batelco is much faster, much more reliable, and cheaper as well.

[lamadriver]

I recently bought a GO and agree with the Ballinger's comments.

note that the unlimted package now gives you 150 minutes a month instead of 5 . You can't even come close to prepaying iridium minutes for a phone at that cost.

Couple of comments.

1) YOU MUST HAVE THE EXTERNAL ANTENNA

2) If you plan on using a tracking function if you mount the unit inside you must still have some sort of line of sight outside . The GPS antenna is internal and must *Kinda* see the sky. Mine is mounted with a view through a port light and works fine.

3) Predict wind is great, and Im sold, It is not cheap and again as stated it takes some serious learning. The new app for mac has a built in grib viewer * awesome* as you now dont have to be a computer science major to display grib files.

I have been turning up and down the predict wind subscription as needed for passages. The amount of data you can get is incredible. It took me a bit of time to figure out but the the wx data in the route planner is so comprehensive you almost dont need to download the gribs.

The help desk is incredible. I have never purchased a product that has been that responsive.

I have been told they are working on an IPAD offshore app, which will be great

I wont go into the pro cons of Go vs SSB, enough threads already bashing that. I like having relaible comms and data for wx.

IMO It boils down to your comms / wx needs and where you will be operating if the cost is worth it.