Getting Grib from Sat Phone

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

great. I will contact them. Actually, since I want the data on the computer, it actually might be easier to use a regular sat phone? The GO connects to my phone, I don't want to be getting emails etc. I just want to get 1 grib file onto my computer. On my phone, I have 3 email accounts, as well as other apps that try to get data (too many to think of). When travelling internationally, I just turn off data if I don't want to use it via cellular, and when get to a hotel with wifi, turn it on then.

Although what you are suggesting here would seem the case, it isn't. If you connect your phone/tablet/computer to the GO or Sat Phone, you are not going to be getting any emails from your current email. Only the Iridium Go email will work, with the Iridium App. Very limited web browsing will work, only with the special browser.

This is why with sat phone, you will need Sailmail(or something similar). Your current email will not work with a Sat Phone or the Go.

The Iridium go does work with a PC, its only the free Iridium email that does not(there is no Iridium Go email app for the PC). So with a PC, you will need Sailmail or Predictwind. By far the easiest way to get up working is the GO and a Predictwind subscription. In the short term, it might even be the cheapest option, as Sailmail is $275 for a year, which is a lot more expensive than Predictwind for a couple months.

If you use a handset, here are the instructions to set it up. You should read these now, and understand, at least a week, and probably $50 in airtime to get it working. If you get the handset a couple days before you leave, you will have wasted your money.

https://sailmail.com/sailmail-via-iridium-handsets/

[jbinbi]

Thanks to this forum, found a place that rents GOs!

Wholybee, thank you for all your great input.

For data, I just need to get a grib file to my computer running opencpn on day3 and day 5. That is the whole extent of my data requirement needs.

Opencpn creates what it needs, I can copy that if on my computer, and paste into a mail message. It comes back with a grib file as an attachment, which I need on the computer.

I had thought a regular sat phone as a modem on the computer would be easiest to do this. If the GO can do this, great. I had thought the GO connects via your smartphone, so I then need to setup my phone as a hotspot and connect my computer to it? Maybe I don't understand how the GO works.

As far as the rest of the phones useage, it is for emergency communication, we hope never to get a message. Ideally the only phone useage is for those 2 Grib files.

[wholybee]

The GO itself is a hotspot. The computer will connect directly to it.

[TheOffice]

jbini, Ive been struggling with the same problem.

I upgraded my predictWind account and installed the PredictWind Windows 10 app and the Offshore app on my iPad. I've only tested PredictWind and the Go on my iPad - it works. It should download to the PredictWind Windows app (works over the internet). The GRIB files are put in your downloads/PredictWind directory and can be imported into OPENCPN.

[fogmachine]

For my last long offshore trip we used a Go which we tested with a Mac, iPad, and Windows 10 machine before we left using saildocs and PredictWind. All methods worked. We also tested making voice calls and SMS with the Go and that worked fine, too.


For us the best solution was to use the free Go mail app for requesting GRIBs and other wx info (like surface charts) from saildocs and importing them into various apps. PredictWind can do the same thing - it just deposits GRIBs into a directory and they can be imported into OpenCPN or elsewhere.


Using an Iridium handset is also possible, but requires a bit more software configuration.


The biggest difference is that with a handset data time is charged against your monthly minutes while the Go offers an unlimited data plan. The Go unlimited plan used to be available in 3 or 4 month chunks but now requires a 12-month commit which eliminates it for the kinds of trips I do.


For the OP's question, it sounds like he's found a place to rent a Go with a plan that will have enough airtime for downloading a few GRIBs and can make voice calls in case of emergency. This sounds like a sane and cost effective solution.


The key was that we tested everything more than a week before we left. This meant walking to a park with a clear view of the sky carrying computers, cables, and the Go. Nothing worked on the first try. Since the OP is computer-savvy it shouldn't take too long, but as we said when I was in the computer biz, "If it isn't tested, it doesn't work."

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by fogmachine

. . . The biggest difference is that with a handset data time is charged against your monthly minutes while the Go offers an unlimited data plan. The Go unlimited plan used to be available in 3 or 4 month chunks but now requires a 12-month commit which eliminates it for the kinds of trips I do.. . .

When I went to the Arctic with an Iridium Go, I bought my airtime from The Satphone Store. From their website, it appears that the $139 unlimited data plan (which is an outstanding bargain and absolutely the way to do) is still available on a month-to-month basis:


https://www.satphonestore.com/airtim...ime-rates.html


I don't see anything about a 12-month commitment on the PredictWind plan either: https://help.predictwind.com/en/arti...-airtime-plans


"* Plans can be cancelled at any stage during the month, the cancellation will happen immediately. No refunds will be applied to the existing plan. You cannot cancel the plan in the same month that you activate."

[fogmachine]

I got a quote for Go service last month from them; they said the short-term unlimited plan is no longer available.

[jbinbi]

Thanks to all who responded here. I found a great rental of a go. What I have not found is how to connect my computer to get a grib file to it.

I don't as of yet have the device, but see that I need the Android apps, one to connect, one for their mail. So getting email on my phone will work, unfortunately I need to get the grib file on my computer for opencpn. I had originally thought that I could use the go as a hotspot and then connect my computer to it and just send to saildocs.com for the grib file, but I see that I need to use the iridium mail app for email. I can create the request on my pc, see what it is, and type that short sentence on my phone to send. However, the return email is a file, and I need that on the computer.

How do I get a file to my computer, or how do i send/receive via my computer.

[belizesailor]

Options for connecting directly to Windows seem limited and/or bothersome, but you should be able to download to your Android device (supports up to 5) and then use something like WiFi direct to send to your Windows device, or USB tether to your PC, or use a flash drive.

There are also some pretty good Android emulators for Windows that you could try. Ive used "BlueStacks" and its pretty good. No idea if it will work in this case, but not hard to try it.

[Steelcat]

Have you seen Xgate
How To Use Iridium GO! and Microsoft Windows Together
I have not used it but it looks perfect for your situation