Quote:
Originally Posted by Antipodean2
My main use will be for the HF or Iridium Go is weather fax /grib files, communication, emergency.
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For
communications via email the GO is tough to beat for convenience - I use mine for almost all email, wfax, and weather downloads through SailDocs as email attachments.
Setting up the GO is not super simple, give yourself at least 3-4 days to figure out what it can do and how to integrate it into your onboard
communications. You will want to setup a compression/email management account - usually SailMail, XGate, or similar - to handle the dropped connections as satellites orbit by overhead. You will also want an external
antenna so you can mount the GO belowdecks and safe, a computer set up with an email client that Iridium GO will
work with (there are a few, but not many, that are GO-certified), and keep your 'smart'
phone safe and charged with the GO apps installed.
I am a SailMail
member, and use the account for purposes of maintaining connection to my private email via AirMail's ShadowMail (that's what Jim called it).
For cruiser-related SSB/HAM nets, there are many out there, and if you want to talk to the other folks around you to find out what's happening, where you can find
parts, ideas of things to do - the SSB/HF radio is the tool of choice. I use my
Icom M802 all the time for that kind of thing - I have a HAM general
license as well, useful on the HAM nets.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Antipodean2
If I upgrade the HF and Tuner, is there a need for the pactor modem, if you have the Iridium Go?
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You only need the Pactor modem for managing email traffic; if you're going to use the GO for that purpose then you don't need Pactor for HF voice communications.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Antipodean2
My other concern is with HF there is no guarantee some one will hear or answer , either from atmospherics or just no one listening in this area of the world.
How does one find the schedule times and frequencys for Radio nets .
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Sure, happens all the time - sometimes you can get through, sometimes you can't. Same can happen with Iridium, though rarely - sometimes it just won't
work, happens more often near tall things that block the signal (buildings and narrow fjords come to mind).
To find the radio nets, use a search
engine and look for HF and SSB nets in the area of interest.
- rob