Navegation

[Unclebairdy]

This is my first post so a big hello to you all. Sailing from the BVI to Tahiti early next year and need to purchase a Sat Phone. I have been looking at the Garmin GPS Map 86i but have been told it will not be compatible with Predict Wind Software & i should go to an Iridium Go. If this is correct is there other good software that is compatible with the Garmin or is the Iridium a better Sat Phone. Looking forward to all your feedback, cheers.

[mabowers]

The Garmin isn't an actual phone. It can do 2 way text messaging over Iridium satellites, but not download of grib files, nor work with Predictwind, or make voice calls.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Unclebairdy.

[tkeithlu]

You have your choice of two major satellite systems. Iridium uses a satellite swarm as does GPS. Inmarsat uses five or six geostable satellites over the equator. Iridium gives world-wide coverage including the poles, where the Inmarsat satellites would be at the horizon and useless. Inmarsat is a bit cheaper and fine for your tropical cruising.

Try this site to get yourself oriented:

https://satellitephonestore.com/cata...tellite-phones

I use an Inmarsat telephone plus a satellite text message/tracking/SOS device, a SpotX in my case, but Garmin makes a good one also. Neither has gotten me out of trouble on the boat, but the SpotX has been a great help twice when I broke down (went splat) on my dirt bike outside cell phone range in our nearby swamp.

Data on a sat phone is going to cost you big time.

Welcome to the forum.