Iridium Next close to completion...

[N3VR L8]

Originally Posted by Sea-TechSystems

ISatHub will actually be worse than the Explorer 510. The Explorer has a wider antenna field so it's less picky about the satellite angle.



I can't help but wonder why the focus on lan BGAN for a boat. I get that some of the data plans are a bit different, but the Fleet One hardware is about the same cost as the Explorer 510 and the Fleet One is fit for purpose.

Agreed, and aside from that Inmarsat will shut down a land BGAN SIM if consistent offshore traffic occurs.

You'll soon see the FBB150 completely discontinued and all small vessel focus shifted toward the FleetOne. Both the WideEye and Cobham variations are very affordable and work very well.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by Sea-TechSystems

ISatHub will actually be worse than the Explorer 510. The Explorer has a wider antenna field so it's less picky about the satellite angle.

I can't help but wonder why the focus on lan BGAN for a boat. I get that some of the data plans are a bit different, but the Fleet One hardware is about the same cost as the Explorer 510 and the Fleet One is fit for purpose.

Fleet One hardware is over €6,000. The Pilot for Iridium is a similar price.

Isathub can get for €1,000 and the Explorer for a little more used.

The Go, 9555, or Auroa can all be had for between €700-2000 respectively, but of course just much slower, though adequate for the gribs I'd use, but no chance of a basic whatsapp text.

Inmarsat don't seem to mention that the Explorer or iSathub airtime will only be valid on land. One of the reasons I was leaning that way was that I've seen Atlantic rowers use them whilst doing a crossing.

I do see pitching as being a problem since the three sats are in a geostationary orbit and the units use direction antennas, but I don't see how it's worse than waiting for an Iridium sat to fly overhead. Of course I don't have any experience with either so more than happy to be corrected. Thanks for the input so far.

[N3VR L8]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

Fleet One hardware is over €6,000. The Pilot for Iridium is a similar price.



Isathub can get for €1,000 and the Explorer for a little more used.



The Go, 9555, or Auroa can all be had for between €700-2000 respectively, but of course just much slower, though adequate for the gribs I'd use, but no chance of a basic whatsapp text.



Inmarsat don't seem to mention that the Explorer or iSathub airtime will only be valid on land. One of the reasons I was leaning that way was that I've seen Atlantic rowers use them whilst doing a crossing.



I do see pitching as being a problem since the three sats are in a geostationary orbit and the units use direction antennas, but I don't see how it's worse than waiting for an Iridium sat to fly overhead. Of course I don't have any experience with either so more than happy to be corrected. Thanks for the input so far.

Whoa, I can guarantee you the FleetOne hardware is nowhere near $6000, let alone Euro.

Now as for the difference between Iridium and Inmarsat, the Inmarsat antennas are only looking at one specific satellite and which you must point at depends on your location in the world. They don't move.

Iridium satellites are constantly passing overhead, it's an omnidirectional antenna hence the lower speeds... Until Certus. The Certus systems are still omnidirectional, sort of, but use electronically steered arrays to determine which "part" of the antenna is able to see the current overhead satellite.

And while Inmarsat may not outright say taking land BGAN offshore is an issue online, it is certainly in the Ts and Cs any service provider has with them.

Sea-Tech will surely give you some FleetOne h/w pricing at a much more competitive rate than whatever it is you've found.

[svmobert]

Originally Posted by N3VR L8

Whoa, I can guarantee you the FleetOne hardware is nowhere near $6000, let alone Euro.

Now as for the difference between Iridium and Inmarsat, the Inmarsat antennas are only looking at one specific satellite and which you must point at depends on your location in the world. They don't move.

Iridium satellites are constantly passing overhead, it's an omnidirectional antenna hence the lower speeds... Until Certus. The Certus systems are still omnidirectional, sort of, but use electronically steered arrays to determine which "part" of the antenna is able to see the current overhead satellite.

And while Inmarsat may not outright say taking land BGAN offshore is an issue online, it is certainly in the Ts and Cs any service provider has with them.

Sea-Tech will surely give you some FleetOne h/w pricing at a much more competitive rate than whatever it is you've found.

I will sell a brand new Cobham Sailor Fleet One system for $2500 USD, with a global and coastal SIM ready to go.

If you want the handset then it's more like $3000, but you don't necessarily need the handset, you can use a old school house phone, or plug it into your wifi network on board and use an app on a smartphone to make a call.

Shipping could add a little if it's going somewhere outside the US.

I can also set you up with a new Iridium Certus system (Thales or Cobham) with 3 months promo of free hardware, free tracking (for Thales unit only) and free cloud firewall for bandwidth management. But you'd have to pay for the unit after 3 months. Hardware is about $7500.

[dzhiurgis]

OneWeb is bringning their constellation out soon, probably going to be cheaper (or at least force some competition) than Iridium: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneWeb..._constellation

TBH it's quite interesting competition. You'd think it would be best if Iridium leveraged SpaceX to launch more sats, their existing network of customers to market and upsell and OneWeb to partner building sats.
Instead they going into this competition over what is essentially a monopoly. Similar to how 4G/5G is of limited spectrum, shady government auctions sky-rocket(pun intended) prices to end customers.
But then it's ludicrous you'd be able to regulate something like this on a global scale...

[N3VR L8]

Originally Posted by dzhiurgis

OneWeb is bringning their constellation out soon, probably going to be cheaper (or at least force some competition) than Iridium: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneWeb..._constellation



TBH it's quite interesting competition. You'd think it would be best if Iridium leveraged SpaceX to launch more sats, their existing network of customers to market and upsell and OneWeb to partner building sats.

Instead they going into this competition over what is essentially a monopoly. Similar to how 4G/5G is of limited spectrum, shady government auctions sky-rocket(pun intended) prices to end customers.

But then it's ludicrous you'd be able to regulate something like this on a global scale...

Shoe box satellites are not competition for Iridium in any fashion.

[dzhiurgis]

Originally Posted by N3VR L8

Shoe box satellites are not competition for Iridium in any fashion.

> The satellites in the OneWeb constellation are approximately 150 kg (330 lb) in mass[35], a bit smaller than the 2015 design estimate of 175–200 kg (386–441 lb).

Quite big shoes you wearin

[N3VR L8]

Originally Posted by dzhiurgis

> The satellites in the OneWeb constellation are approximately 150 kg (330 lb) in mass[35], a bit smaller than the 2015 design estimate of 175–200 kg (386–441 lb).



Quite big shoes you wearin

Industry term - Iridium SV2 are over 1500#...

[JimboSailing]

I've been reading through this thread here in 2021. It seems the Iridium Certus product is gaining great traction.

I have an Iridium Go!, which I use for portability; I sail on a lot of different vessels and need something I can take with me. For some time I've been researching a 'solution' that is just as, or almost as, portable, that will allow me to communicate with the family on WhatsApp as well as e-mail and internal text.

Doesn't seem to exist yet - am I right? Sea-TechSystems mentioned there may be Certus products in the pipeline that are similar to the Go!; any info on these or release dates?

I'm heading across the Atlantic later this month, and could possibly take a BGAN Terminal, but that seems a bit tricky to use while underway. Globalstar coverage doesn't quite cut it, so it looks like 2.4kbps and certified apps only on the Go! it is!

[sailormed]

Hy Jimbosailing, welcome to Cruisers Forum. I hope someone with more experience with offshore communications will chyme in to answer your question.

[JimboSailing]

Originally Posted by sailormed

Hy Jimbosailing, welcome to Cruisers Forum. I hope someone with more experience with offshore communications will chyme in to answer your question.

Thanks for the welcome Sailormed :-)

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jimbo.

[JimboSailing]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jimbo.

Likewise thanks for the welcome :-)

[JimboSailing]

I get the impression I'm probably a year or two too early for what I really need - which is an Iridium Go! like device that works on the Certus network.

The MCD-MissionLINK is gross overkill for what I'm after (and waaaaaay over budget lol) but perhaps one day the Go! hardware can be upgraded, and an 'Iridium Go! NextGen' (to offer a marketing suggestion...) will be released :-).

[JimboSailing]

Having just crossed the Atlantic with a temporary internet solution, can I take this opportunity to wholeheartedly endorse Richard and his business.

One day I may buy some actual hardware from him (chat to him about the SkyLink 6100 Maritime - seems a great option for a lot of small boat needs) but for now all I did was buy some BGAN airtime for a terminal I picked up on EBay. Richard gave me great advice, answered all of my questions, and was far more helpful than the doubtless small margin on the airtime will have compensated him for.

A big vote for Sea-Tech Systems.

Originally Posted by Sea-TechSystems

I will sell a brand new Cobham Sailor Fleet One system for $2500 USD, with a global and coastal SIM ready to go.

If you want the handset then it's more like $3000, but you don't necessarily need the handset, you can use a old school house phone, or plug it into your wifi network on board and use an app on a smartphone to make a call.

Shipping could add a little if it's going somewhere outside the US.

I can also set you up with a new Iridium Certus system (Thales or Cobham) with 3 months promo of free hardware, free tracking (for Thales unit only) and free cloud firewall for bandwidth management. But you'd have to pay for the unit after 3 months. Hardware is about $7500.