If you hook a BGAN up to an ordinary laptop running Win7/Win10/OSX, be extremely cautious with what it's set up to do on the network automatically - you would not believe the ridiculous BGAN bills I have seen people incur from windows updates, automatic itunes updates, leaving Outlook open but not doing anything and having Outlook decide to resynchronize 1GB of email with a remote Exchange server, etc.
Leave a laptop connected to a BGAN overnight and transfer 2000MB at $5/MB... On Mon, Jul 18, 2016 at 7:46 PM, Brandon Yuchasz <[email protected]> wrote: > Eric and others thanks for the help. Looks like BGAN is what I will want > to be looking into if I want to do it right. I could cover the majority of > my needs for about 500$ for 100 meg in data over a 90 day period. That > would more than likely cover my needs during the fall which is when I take > all my trips “way up north”. > > > > The whole thing started with me looking into GPS messenger / texting > services so I could stay in touch. Then I started getting greedy. > > > > I think I will do a little test over the next week and see how much data I > use tethering to my phone that will give me a good idea how much I would > need in a really remote area to log in a fix a few things. > > > > Brandon Yuchasz > > GogebicRange.net > > www.gogebicrange.net > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Eric Kuhnke > *Sent:* Monday, July 18, 2016 8:33 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Satelite connectivity while traveling. > > > > Iridium Go still uses the existing Iridium network, it's still 2400 baud > with v42bis (until the next generation of Iridium LEO satellites launch), > it's just a small portable modem with bluetooth/wifi link to your devices. > I assure you it'll be completely frustrating and impossible to use for > interactive TCP/IP services at 2400 baud and 1350ms latency with 5% packet > loss. It's for email and SMS only. > > The current Iridium network is not really 9600 baud, it's quoted as 9600 > because that's a theoretical speed you can achieve if transferring a v42bis > compressed text file at 2400 bps. Basically the same as BBS dialup with a > good quality US Robotics modem at 2400 baud if you download a pure ASCII > text file. > > It's actually kind of a miracle of voice codecs and compression technology > that they managed to squeeze voice calls into 2400 baud with R&D from > 1994-1998. If you ever have the pleasure of speaking with someone on a > handheld Iridium phone it's very robotic. > > There is also an Iridium product for maritime use that multiplexes three > or four Iridium modems into a single terminal, for somewhat better speeds. > It's marketed at large ships and for yacht owners who are so rich that they > don't care about the $/MB transferred or that it costs $13,000 in diesel to > fill their yacht. > > Interestingly Iridium coverage gets BETTER as you go further north (or > very far south, like the Antarctic peninsula and plateau) because the > satellites are in 90 degree inclined polar orbits, their orbits all > converge over the poles (example: historical satellite collision with dead > russian satellite!). There's also fewer active users and SBD terminals as > you go further north. > > > > > > On Mon, Jul 18, 2016 at 5:26 PM, Paul Stewart <[email protected]> > wrote: > > I had option B for many years simply for making voice calls in remote > areas. Worked very well … > > > > Eric did a great summary of options (way better than I ever could) … > wondering if Iridium Go! Is an option that might work … don’t know much > more than what I read on the website though … and I didn’t see anywhere > about speeds but $159/month isn’t bad for something like this… (150 minutes > voice, unlimited data and SMS). Hardware options include vehicle kit and > other stuff …. > > > > Eric – do you know much about that particular service and it’s totally got > me curious too as I ATV sometimes into very remote areas where there’s no > cell coverage and my emergency plan is SPOT satellite messenger device > (just upgraded to Gen3) which works great, but just being able to make a > phone call is appealing too …. Just noticed actually on the findmespot.com > website that they now have a phone service too with a data option – 9600 > baud but better than nothing ;) > > > > How far “north” is the real question – I had my Iridium phone a couple > hundred miles south of Alert one time and it didn’t work at all which > wasn’t surprising but it did work in Resolute which did surprise me… > > > > Paul > > > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Brandon Yuchasz > *Sent:* July 18, 2016 8:11 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Satelite connectivity while traveling. > > > > Option B is certainly something I would consider. Phone is good but > without data I am still pretty blind. > > > > Option C sound promising. 5$ a MB is fine if I spend 100$ + to deal with > an issue that needs to be dealt with fine. > > > > I should point out a vehicle installed / mounted option would probably be > a good way to go. Its my truck that goes on these trips. > > > > Best regards, > > Brandon Yuchasz > > GogebicRange.net > > www.gogebicrange.net > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:[email protected] <[email protected]>] *On > Behalf Of *Eric Kuhnke > *Sent:* Monday, July 18, 2016 6:45 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Satelite connectivity while traveling. > > > > I've worked in satellite for many years... You have a few options and > none are cheap for high latitudes: > > a) Portable VSAT terminal 0.9 to 1.2 meter size range, Ku or Ka-band. > Expensive hardware and service *starts* from $450/mo in a highly > contended TDMA network. You'd need to verify spot beam coverage and signal > strength in particular locations if you're going to the north. Most > consumer grade VSAT stuff is not appropriate. There are Ka-band services on > Telesat satellites which are resold by XPlornet and others in Canada for > high latitude fixed-site Ka-band VSAT services. Not very portable stuff - > it's designed to be installed and aimed once on the side of a house. > > b) Iridium handheld phone - works literally anywhere on the planet but > you're NOT going to web browse on it. It's 2400 baud with v42bis > compression. Works for SMS, voice and email. > > c) Inmarsat BGAN terminal - how do you feel about $5/MB? Also, uses > geostationary satellites so if you're going to high latitudes connectivity > might be a problem. Can't use the very small laptop sized BGAN terminals in > northern Canada. > > For a "shit hits the fan" solution there's nothing more portable and > better than an Iridium phone and a portable 20W solar charger. The $40/mo > service accounts come with no minutes, you set up your credit card for > usage billing. If SHTF then you don't care that it's $1.19/minute to make a > call. > > > > > > On Mon, Jul 18, 2016 at 4:35 PM, Brandon Yuchasz <[email protected]> > wrote: > > I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with and products that > would provide me a data connection through satellite? Not a dish system > something more portable. > > The scenario is I have a few trips coming up. The first later this year is > the same I take every year far north Canada and no cell signal where we > stay. I can get texts sometimes and have to go to town to find wifi 45 > minutes one way one truck for the group so going to town affects everyone. > I don’t every plan to work on this trip but if SHTF then I might need to > get online diagnose and instruct what to replace. So this leads me to the > idea of satellite remote access. I would need to connect via VPN to the > network speed is not terribly important. > > > > Anyone got any experience? Upfront cost is a little of a concern. Minutes > / data cost is not if its expensive fine. > > > > > > Best regards, > > Brandon Yuchasz > > GogebicRange.net > > www.gogebicrange.net > > > > > > >
