Skymate Question

[gbanker]

I am thinking of using Skymate's e-mail capability when bringing a boat from South Africa to the Caribbean this winter. Does anyone out there know if the coverage area is anywhere like that touted on the Skymate website? Any users have anything good or bad to say about Skymate? Thanks

[Sunspot Baby]

I have used Skymate for 6 years and am happy with it. Can't speak for coverage in your planned waters, but has worked great in Bahamas and East Coast U.S.

George

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

I have used Skymate as far south as Panama without any lapse in coverage. I had to replace the cable to the antenna when I relocated it to install a solar panel mount but otherwise it has been very reliable. Of course the weather reports (supposedly based on Buoyweather) it spits out aren't nearly as reliable as the system itself.

[Christian Van H]

Can Skymate provide GRIB files?

[barnakiel]

As far as I know there is a coverage map at Skymate site.

As far as I know they do not provide attachments - thus no GRIBS.

Will love to hear others' comments as this system looks very well on paper.

I met only one person who had this thing on board and he loved it.

b.

[MarkJ]

Its the one I have been looking at (but can't aford yet! )

My recent email:

Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 8:16 PM
Subject: RE: Skymate sales in Australia?


Hello Mark,

SkyMate does not have dealers outside of North America and the Caribbean. You can purchase the equipment online from Consumers Marine (www.consumersmarine.com) who ship worldwide.

Price is about USD$1000.

I think its nearly the way of the future.

I not their coverage area is MUCH better than the Globalstar based systems Find Me Spot

[Christian Van H]

It just seems so expensive per email...$70 US a month for somewhere near 30 weather reports and a few emails...am I reading this right?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

It just seems so expensive per email...$70 US a month for somewhere near 30 weather reports and a few emails...am I reading this right?

No. You re not reading it right.

Get some glasses


OK I just said that to use the little drawing

The idea of Skymate is when you are off shore out of internet range. Its a replacement for HF radio.

We want to for our passages. Including a secure means to comunicate with the authorities while going to the Red Sea. HF and VHF are insecure.

Skymate is also vastly cheaper than HF and pactor modem.

We would use the lower plan USD$34 per month and get weather when needed only, every few days if available.

The daily tracking and the sms/email is its real use.

Gold Plan

Send or receive 20,000 characters per month for just $34.99. Additional data costs only $1.90 per 1000 characters.
Silver Plan

Send or receive 8,000 characters per month for just $17.99. Additional data costs only $2.25 per 1000 characters.

Mark

[Christian Van H]

OK...I put new contacts in. I can see clearly now. Anyone have any experience with their weather products? I've grown accustom to GRIB files, and their awesome free viewers!

[emagin]

The only thing that seems lacking is the inability to get GRIB files. Seems like that would be useful, although even if you could convert grib to text it would chew up a lot of characters.