Inmarsat - Receiving Data and Plan Costs

[dennisail]

Sounds about right VB. What are you doing for weather info? I do have a sony worldband receiver, so with any luck I can get weather with this. Plus I can have someone SMS me weather info over the sat phone anyway to alert me of any serious weather. But I would like to have the ability to use the phone for weather data too. Not that I can go outside in rough weather to get it connect to a satellite anyway.

msponer. After messing with the UGRIB software I can get data for an area about the size of Australia (isobars and wind minus rain) with a resolution of 1 degree for 5 days every 12 hours for under 100kb.

You can use Sailmail's email autoresponders without subscribing to their service. They are nice like that. You send an email to one of their computers, which responds with the GRIB file you want.

How exactly do you do this?

[msponer]

Autoresponder instructions for SailDocs are here: Requesting grib files from Saildocs (2010-07-08)

It's quite cool -- the computer will even respond with "spot" forecasts, which is a text copy of a GRIB at a specific place (say, if you are just anchored and want to check that the wind won't come up a whole lot).

Here's a ~4k GRIB query I used to request in the Sea of Cortez, which is the box of 24-26N, 109-111W, 0.5 degree detail, every 6 hours for the next 4 days, only the wind information: 24N,26N,109W,111W|0.5,0.5|6,12..96|WIND

So, yes, getting all the data for something the size of Australia would be expensive. But I am not sure it's necessary.

[VirtualVagabond]

[QUOTE=dennisail;874379]Sounds about right VB. What are you doing for weather info? I do have a sony worldband receiver, so with any luck I can get weather with this. Plus I can have someone SMS me weather info over the sat phone anyway to alert me of any serious weather. But I would like to have the ability to use the phone for weather data too. Not that I can go outside in rough weather to get it connect to a satellite anyway.

/QUOTE]

Thanks
I haven't made any plans for weather yet. I figured I'd see what the boat has once we find her and then learn to use what's there, or upgrade to something current if need be.
The big challenge is to find the right boat. I've got the time to get the boat cruise ready and then start our cruising life wherever that happens to be, but heading back to Australia as seasons permit.
Vic

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by dennisail

(...)
How exactly do you do this?

Yep.

Gribus sends only a very small request file and the download area can be any size and content you wish (well, nearly, wave info is not there). Also, US radiofax can be gotten via autoresponder.

Many ways to go.

Iridium OpenPort expensive? Man. Go get Inmarsat broadband. Now this can be expensive! I bet OpenPort is somewhere mid-way (?).

b.

[nwdiver]

I have been using inReach by DeLorme (it uses the Iridium satellites) and my Droid smartphone for a month, testing it to see if it’s the comm device I want when I go off shore. I am getting 250 messages (8.33 messages per day is allot more than I need) and unlimited tracking for $50 a month. It has tracking and auto SOS with coordinates built in.
I like it allot so far and may drop down to the $26 month 100 messages and 25 tracks which would is no problem as it use very few tracks mostly one at daily intervals for a month to 45 days. I could let it track me every 10 minutes for 30 days that would be an interesting trip to review.
For weather I’ll use a SSB receiver which cost me $150.00.
I need weather and two way communication I’ll pick up detailed longer emails when I am near shore.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

I have been using inReach by DeLorme (...)

Yes, DeLorme and its clones are becoming the thing in many ways.

This: Features

Promises some form of wx alerts, two way messaging, and plenty of other goodies.

They claim it can be rented, hence you save on bullet hardware costs.

b.

[nwdiver]

The inReach was $275 why rent it?

[barnakiel]

Here:

"... Alerts

1) Cerberus' patented alerting system lets you receive critical weather, health, geopolitical and news alerts in real-time, based on your location or a location of your choice.

2) Don't see an alert you'd like to have? Create your own on CerberCenter. Share it with other Cerberus users or keep it private.

..."

Gods only know what they mean but who knows maybe there is a way to create a 'high winds' alert? Probably the company will respond when one is actually willing to buy the thing.

Cheers,
b.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

The inReach was $275 why rent it?

I was not talking DeLorme I was talking the Briartec gizmo. It can be rented. One can rent it for the passage and so avoid the immediate full cost of the hardware. Irrelevant to some but perhaps of value to others.

Cheers,
b.

[morgan3]

I'm also on the verge of picking up one of these phones. We are about to leave CA sailing to Hawaii, and really just need this phone to get some weather info (since we're sailing during tropical storm season), and emergency communication.

I will probably buy a used phone and a data package, then sell it when we get to Hawaii.

It seems to me that the simplest way to get weather info, is to give our friends/family a job to do. Basically just go to this site: High Seas Forecast (NE Pacific)

copy/paste the text into an e-mail and send it off to us

i suspect we will be completely satisfied with this information each morning. The rest of our forecast will be created by us from our cockpit ;p
"
000
FZPN03 KNHC 151529
HSFEP2

HIGH SEAS FORECAST
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1630 UTC TUE MAY 15 2012

SUPERSEDED BY NEXT ISSUANCE IN 6 HOURS

SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE
HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT.

SECURITE

E PACIFIC FROM THE EQUATOR TO 30N E OF 140W.

SYNOPSIS VALID 1200 UTC TUE MAY 15.
24 HOUR FORECAST VALID 1200 UTC WED MAY 16.
48 HOUR FORECAST VALID 1200 UTC THU MAY 17.

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING...
.TROPICAL STORM ALETTA NEAR 10.6N 109.6W 1004 MB AT 1500 UTC MAY
15 MOVING W OR 280 DEG AT 8 KT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS 35 KT
GUSTS 45 KT. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITHIN 80 NM NE QUADRANT
AND 60 NM NW QUADRANT. SEAS 12 FT OR GREATER WITHIN 80 NM NE
QUADRANT AND 60 NM NW QUADRANT WITH SEAS TO 14 FT.
.24 HOUR FORECAST TROPICAL STORM ALETTA NEAR 11.3N 113.2W.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS 40 KT GUSTS 50 KT. TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS WITHIN 60 NM N SEMICIRCLE...30 NM SE QUADRANT AND 0 NM SW
QUADRANT. SEAS 12 FT OR GREATER WITHIN 90 NM N SEMICIRCLE AND 30
NM S SEMICIRCLE WITH SEAS TO 15 FT.
.48 HOUR FORECAST TROPICAL DEPRESSION ALETTA NEAR 12.0N 117.0W.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS 30 KT GUSTS 40 KT. SEAS TO 12 FT.
.72 HOUR FORECAST POST-TROPICAL REMNANT LOW ALETTA NEAR 12.5N
119.0W. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS 25 KT GUSTS 35 KT.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK...USE FOR GUIDANCE ONLY...ERRORS MAY BE LARGE.
.96 HOUR FORECAST POST-TROPICAL REMNANT LOW ALETTA NEAR 13.0N
120.0W. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS 25 KT GUSTS 35 KT.

.SYNOPSIS AND FORECAST.

.EXCEPT AS NOTED IN WARNINGS...WITHIN 100 NM N SEMICIRCLE AND 60
NM S SEMICIRCLE WINDS 20 TO 33 KT. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT.
.24 HOUR FORECAST WARNINGS...WITHIN 120 NM N SEMICIRCLE AND 60
NM S SEMICIRCLE WINDS 20 TO 33 KT. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT.
.48 HOUR FORECAST EXCEPT WARNINGS...WITHIN 120 NM NW SEMICIRCLE
AND 60 NM SE SEMICIRCLE WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT.

.LOW PRES NEAR 06N125W 1006 MB MOVING W-SW 10 KT. WITHIN 90 NM
NW SEMICIRCLE OF CENTER N TO NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS TO 9 FT.
.24 HOUR FORECAST LOW PRES TO WEAKEN TO TROUGH ALONG 126W. S OF
10N BETWEEN 120W AND 136W WINDS LESS THAN 20 KT. SEAS TO 9 FT IN
MIXED NE AND SE SWELL.
.48 HOUR FORECAST TROUGH DISSIPATED. WINDS LESS THAN 20 KT. SEAS
LESS THAN 8 FT.

.N OF 24N E OF 120W NW TO N WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS TO 9 FT.
.24 HOUR FORECAST N OF 27N E OF 120W NW TO N WINDS 20 KT. SEAS
TO 8 FT.
.48 HOUR FORECAST WINDS LESS THAN 20 KT. SEAS LESS THAN 8 FT.

.FROM 15N TO 25N BETWEEN 120W AND 131W NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.24 HOUR FORECAST FROM 10N TO 21N W OF 130W NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS
TO 8 FT.
.48 HOUR FORECAST WINDS LESS THAN 20 KT. SEAS LESS THAN 8 FT.

.WITHIN 30 NM OF LINE 16N95W TO 14N96W...INCLUDING GULF OF
TEHUANTEPEC N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS TO 9 FT.
.12 HOUR FORECAST WINDS LESS THAN 20 KT. SEAS LESS THAN 8 FT.

.REMAINDER OF AREA WINDS LESS THAN 20 KT. SEAS LESS THAN 8 FT.

CONVECTION VALID AT 1500 UTC TUE MAY 15...

.NUMEROUS STRONG WITHIN 240 NM NE QUADRANT AND 150 NM NW
QUADRANT OF T.S. ALETTA.

.INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH...
MONSOON TROUGH FROM 11N86W TO 11N105W THEN RESUMES AT 08N11W TO
04N126W. ITCZ FROM 04N126W TO 03N140W. NUMEROUS MODERATE TO
STRONG FROM 06N TO 13N BETWEEN 85W AND 98W.

$$"
.FORECASTER DGS. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER.

[engele]

I use an isatphone pro to download weather at sea combined with xgate for compression, but I've been told that the sailmail app can work with it for free compression. The charge is by the minute, so it's usually about three dollars to get weather. I use a non USA capable sim card so there is no monthly fee. 170 minutes (that I got with the phone) has held us over for three months of weather and the occasional call, but I try not to use it. If we have an Internet connection on our first gen kindle I use that, or if we have a cell sim card for the country we are in and have service, I use that. It has been an inexpensive, very nice thing to have onboard.

[jaredko]

Morgan,

You can have saildocs send you that forecast. Just send an email to query@saildocs.com with the message body:
send FZPN03.KNHC

or to subscribe to get the forecast everyday:
sub FZPN03.KNHC

[morgan3]

Thanks Jared! that's very good to know

[dennisail]

I got 2 x 200 unit sim cards and the phone is saying "operator determined barring" when I try to make calls. The first card done this after only 75 minutes and the second card also done it way before the credit was used. Does anyone have any idea what is going on?

This is really hard to fix when most places do not have internet and I obviously cant use the phone!

[BlueSun]

Aussie members - have a look at the government's sat phone subsidy scheme. This is what we did and it saved us half the cost of our Inmarsat phone. To be eligible you just have to be out of mobile phone coverage for a certain percentage of the next two years (within Australia) i.e offshore, remote areas, etc. Apparently the scheme ends in 2013, so make like a bunny and hop to it!
The Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme | Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy