Internet Access

[mtschindler]

What are the options for Internet access between Ft Lauderdale and BVI?
I understand that once in BVI most places you can get connected on wireless network.
Please set me straight if I'm day dreaming.

Mark

[sailingdog]

Are you talking about getting internet access on the water, out sailing, at anchor or at the dock? Wifi is becoming a more common option at the dock. Elsewhere, your options are probably, in order of increasing expense, cellular or satellite phone or dedicated satellite.

For cellular, you can either use a tethered cell phone, via bluetooth or USB, or a dedicated cellular modem card.

For satellite, you can use a tethered handheld satellite phone. Speeds are fairly limited, and far slower than a 3G cellular connection, but available in more places.

You could also get a gyro stabilized high-speed satellite system, but they're very, very expensive and both handheld and gyro stabilized satellite systems will generally charge per megabyte. The cellular plans, at least in the USA, are often flat rate per month.

[mtschindler]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Are you talking about getting internet access on the water, out sailing, at anchor or at the dock?

All of the above

Originally Posted by sailingdog

For cellular, you can either use a tethered cell phone, via bluetooth or USB, or a dedicated cellular modem card.

How far offshore you get the signal. I use my blackberry for a tethered modem.
Mark

[sailingdog]

Depends on the cellular network, where they have their antennae located and if you use an external antennae or not. An amplified antenna on the mast is going increase your range a bit.

Originally Posted by mtschindler

How far offshore you get the signal. I use my blackberry for a tethered modem.
Mark

[camaraderie]

If you are going offshore the only option for internet is satellite gyro like KVH which runs about $5k to install and at LEAST $1k per month in access fees.

You can do TEXT only e-mail through a sat phone or SSB

ALL harbors have wireless access or internet cafes.

[sailingdog]

Cam-

You can do full internet access through a satellite phone. I used to set them up for reporters going abroad, and they were able to FTP photos back to us... so full internet access is available via satellite phone.

For coastal cruising, at least in the USA, the cellular option might be workable.

Originally Posted by camaraderie

If you are going offshore the only option for internet is satellite gyro like KVH which runs about $5k to install and at LEAST $1k per month in access fees.

You can do TEXT only e-mail through a sat phone or SSB

ALL harbors have wireless access or internet cafes.

[camaraderie]

Dawg...well you can do 9600 baud...but I don't call that full access. Fine for email and some ftp stuff but I've done 9600 on my cell phone and internet was simply too painful. Funny...I still remember my FAST 9600 baud modem...course it was a text and cga world back then!

I believe Iridium is only 4800 with Gstar 9600 and you lose the signal every 10 minutes!
BethLeonard & Evans S. use Iridium to send in pix and stories but at $1.50 a minute or so...even that can get expensive at 4800!

[sailingdog]

Yes, the Iridium/Globalstar phones do only 9600, but some of the Inmarsat ones do 128Kbps or 256Kbps and effectively provide an ISDN equivalent broadband connection. However, these are considerably more money, since they require a external antenna and need to be gyro stabilized.

BTW, first modem I owned was an Andersen Jacobsen 110 baud Acoustic Coupler.

[Birdface]

Damn Dog, now you're dating yourself!

Mine was a 1200 baud Hayes Modem. I had a coupler, but it was CRAP.

Ahhh I can still remember how happy I was when Y and Zmodem protocols were released.

[sailingdog]

Shoot... Y-modem and Z-modem are relatively new protocols...I remember when X-modem was introduced...

Originally Posted by Birdface

Damn Dog, now you're dating yourself!

Mine was a 1200 baud Hayes Modem. I had a coupler, but it was CRAP.

Ahhh I can still remember how happy I was when Y and Zmodem protocols were released.