Iridium GO! cruising
Since it was introduced to the market in September 2014 (Eh, yes, 5 years already !) this device, with its indisputable ergonomics and excellent quality/price ratio, has become a must-have for offshore sailors. Easy to implement, without the need for an external antenna (except metal build) it can be used inside the boat.
A test run of several weeks, carried out in October and November 2016 during a transatlantic delivery, had already demonstrated its ability to download GRIB weather files and weather maps despite the low rate (environ 10 KB / mn). With the new Iridium NEXT constellation (¹) we notice since 2019 a real improvement in the global coverage without satellite disconnection.
Antenna and reception
The reception quality of the rotating antenna, which serves as an on/off switch, is surprising. During conveying, the device was used mainly inside the boat, a Dufour 560, in the salon or under the cockpit top. I myself did a commissioning in the salon of a RM 12,60 in the old harbour of La Rochelle, surrounded by towers and buildings, without any difficulty. This supports my earlier observation that : an external antenna adds nothing to the reception quality, except in a metal boat. A significant money saving.
Voice / data
Voice use from a smartphone remains excellent, the same quality level as Iridium handsets. Despite the spacing of satellites in inter-tropical regions, signal losses are significantly less than with the old constellation. For file transfers from an iPad, especially direct downloads of GRIB weather files with Weather4D (²), the observed flow rate allows an average download of 10 KB / minute. On the other hand, This slow throughput is largely balanced by the following two benefits :
Uninterrupted connections…
Unlike with satphones 9555/9575, the messaging app Iridium Mail & Web app does not hang Iridium GO! if a transfer is interrupted by loss of signal which can still occur between two satellites. The application remains active and the device in standby resumes the transfer by a single tap when a new satellite signal is received. This allows you to overcome the maximum size of 50 KB imposed by the very short time passage of an Iridium satellite above the boat (5 up to 6 useful minutes), and thus make requests for much larger GRIB files that will be partially transferred by several satellites until they are fully loaded without the need to operate the device. Simply resume the transfer in the messaging application or in Weather4D. It is immediately apparent that the communication costs are likely to be prohibitive in use. But…
…and unlimited data
[Update 17/01/2020] Iridium has planned a specific offer for the GO! with monthly subscriptions with unlimited data. Several different airtime are offered by operators. For example by iTabNav.fr :
- Unlimited plan Calendar (from 1st up to 31 th of the month) : data + SMS unlimited + 150 mn landline and mobile calls (169 € + 25 € SIM activation)
- Unlimited plan Sliding month : (date to date) : data + SMS unlimited + 150 mn voice landline and mobile calls (179 € + 50 € SIM activation)
- Unlimited plan FLEX : (date to date) : data + SMS unlimited + 50 or 150 mn landline voice calls only (179 € or 199 € + 50 € SIM activation) may be interrupted and placed in stand-by, lossless call number or SIM renewal (optional Stand-by 10,80 €/month). Assigning a US-Number to be called least cost.
So there is something for everyone. And plans cost is is not much higher than the prepaid cards for Iridium phones. Indeed, if we take as an example a Sliding Month Plan for an Atlantic crossing Europe – Antilles, strolling through the Canaries then the Cape Verde Islands, or approximately 3 months, this makes a cost of (179 € x 3)+50 € = 587 €. For six months in the Caribbean, no need for Iridium. Return crossing to Europe from June, passing through the Azores, thus 2 months up to (179 € x 2)+50 € = 408 €. Total cost = 995 €. Compared to a Special GO prepaid SIM card! limited up to 500mn / or 1000mn voice / data valid 1 an = 998 € (SIM included) France tariff (Orbitica) or even to a carte SIM standard prepaid 600mn valid 1 an = 811 € (Orbitica), the subscription offers at an almost equivalent price a service data + SMS unlimited and 150mn / month for voice call.
Tracking
TRACKAmap offers a geolocation service from 8 $/months (for one point every 12 hours steps), just program Iridium GO! at the subscribed rate so that it sends the GPS position by SMS automatically (even in standby). A web interface allows your loved ones to follow your progress at the rate of shipments. With an unlimited data subscription, we can use a higher cadence without additional cost. In addition, nothing prevents the device to be continuously powered at a good location inside the boat (except metal boat or carbon deck !).
SOS Emergency
For support function SOS, Iridium contracted with the GEOS Travel Safety Group to provide an emergency coordination measures for Iridium GO! at no additional charge. Just register for free on the page GEOS Iridium and follow the procedure described in the Iridium GO user manual! The service will be operational the setting is completed.
The support service offered with the Iridium GO! covers all land and maritime activities. Therefore it can be an alternative to an RLS (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon). However, for ships flying the French flag, a Cospas-Sarsat EPIRB became mandatory in blue water sailing since May 1 2015 (Entries D240 - 2.08, 240-2.17, D311-Annex A.1/5.6).
To conclude
All these elements, financial on the one hand, functional on the other hand, offer a certain attraction for this device on long trips.. Much cheaper to purchase than an Iridium 9575 to which a WiFi gateway will need to be added (RedPort Optimizer) and an external antenna + essential wiring, an adjustable airtime will offer unlimited data transfers at a cost equivalent to most standard prepaid offers, a lowest market price tracking service, What more could you ask for ?
Let's add, to be exhaustive, that the battery life is given for 7 hours of continuous conversation, 16 standby hours (according to setting of position sends), and its use for a temperature range -10 ° to + 55 °.
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(¹) The new Iridium NEXT constellation is completed
(²) Direct download with Iridium GO! ® Grib direct download with Iridium GO!®
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Congratulations for your article.
Bonjour
I can't find the name of the operator 169 monthly euros.
Please give me his name and contact details..
Have a nice day
Hello Francis, happy new year by the way. We need to call each other.
Since this crossing, I was the skipper ? One more and one more to come in 2 weeks. Should I say that I accumulate experiences ? Good for the deckchairs I stopped counting, but back to the GO.
Since I'm not Croesus, I still hesitate. For someone who is not yet equipped, let's just say it, there is no photo. I would even add that for a traveler you end up with satellite minutes that are cheaper than roaming minutes via traditional mobile operators., all the more reason not to hesitate.
For someone who is already equipped, it's less obvious, excluding the cost of the equipment, I think it will depend on the program, the GO package offer, unless I'm mistaken, it's 1 month from first to first, therefore minimum for a deckchair 2 month see 3 as you say in your example. With a classic iridium, I just got a 500 card′, 700 euros, (701,28 HT), cheaper than what you advertise, and with that I hold 1 years due to 6 up to 8 month at sea (minimum hein ?). And the second point, in voice, it’s rather less good than classic iridium “what are you saying .. I can't hear you anymore, allo, allo ». I exaggerate a little, but since I asked myself the question and you know my geek side. For a first equipment yes, without hesitation, from there to abandoning the “old” Iridium, I must say that I am waiting for the new generation of satellites, the promised high speeds and the “Official” list of what will be compatible.
And before I get on the phone, a little note on this blog to wish you happy new year, it's not too late and thank you again for all your work.
PS : I know you will like it, after Olivier, it's basically Mark (SEAIq) who comes with me for my next deckchair … It's still going to be a geek boat …I need a cook.
I am less than satisfied with Go! unit. I have an aluminum boat so require and external antenna. The connector from the Go! unit to the cable is very weak and not a solid connection therefore reception is poor. The only thing we can use is the SMS which works most of the time. Gribs from PredictWind often don’t come in and their other services never.
I am less than satisfied but I am happy to hear others are doing well with it. Perhaps it is my installation and problems with PredictWind.
Even finding for PredictWind. You have tried Saildocs queries by email?
I did the same deckchair in November and apart from the quality of the calls I admit that the use of this tool completely satisfied me,
I don't think it is serious to venture offshore with this unique SARSAT means like an EPIRB. But an excellent way to keep in touch with the earth with the possibility for each person on board to have their own emails.