Large Email files

[hellosailor]

AFAIK Sailmail is designed for use with HF radio and that inherently has slow transmissions times, i.e. 300-1200bps effective speeds even with compression internally enabled.

You will need a satellite solution in order to get enough bandwidth to send those files in any reasonable time. And, unless it is an expensive marine system designed for moving boats, you won't get and hold connections. Conventional satellite dish systems (for land use) require a steady base, a floating boat in a dead still marina would barely work. One in motion? Uhuh.

So you're looking at solutions like INMARSAT and other commercial players. You aso need to come up to speed about file transfers. The best way to transfer files is with FTP, the File Transfer Protocol over the internet, not with email. New FTP clients can resume and repair broken connections to resume file transfers instead of losing the whole thing if the connection drops.

But anytime you are talking about computers and satellites and things three YEARS down the line...There is no way to predict what will be available, much less still in business, by then. Odds are it won't be cheap, unless you get in the habit of making landfall at "internet cafes" and using the broadband connection from the landline.

Anything else? Will be commerical marine communication prices, ka-ching. Or else dead slow, i.e. satphones that can run you $1/minute for 9600bps transfers.

[2divers]

Ok so from everyone I've heard so far is that unless I can afford to spend $$$ or use very slow transfer rates, the best alternative NOW is that I use land side internet. I have about 3 or 4 years till I cast off, but this definitely brings it closer to being a reality by a year or so. There may be even better forms of communication before I leave so I'll look into it then in more detail.

Still working 5 days a month to feed my lifestyle of choice doesn't seem to bad.

Thanks All!

2divers