Stingo
regular
Reged: 17/10/2001
Posts: 6664
Loc: Durban
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I've finally had the SIM card activated for my SatPhone. To set up the email connection, all I had to do was click on the set up program from Mailasail too get it working. The only input I had to make was ticking the "disconnect when send/receive has completed" box. How simple is that?
I have to say, I am very impressed - even my dear old mother would have been successful at setting it up.
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Cruising and Sailing Wiki By Cruisers
Anecdotes From Stingo
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Grehan
regular
Reged: 11/06/2001
Posts: 1168
Loc: Inland France
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Good for you, John.
Out of interest, what are the (thumbnail) costs for using Satphones? Is there any difference between voice and data? You'll gather I'm dead ignorant about such things.
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___ Grehan :: French Waterways information ___
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Stingo
regular
Reged: 17/10/2001
Posts: 6664
Loc: Durban
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I've gone for PAYG i.e. 500 minutes of airtime (data or voice), which cost US$750-00.
If you go onto the http://www.mailasail.com website, there is a whole section explaining all the possibilities. The mailasail service costs £10 per months, so approx US$20 per month = 240 per year, so a total budget for comms of US$ 1,000-00 per year.
The comms gives unlimited weather in GRIB and txt form and of course, voice calls.
On my previous jaunt I used sailmail, which is now about US$250 per year (IIRC), but has loads limitations and blank spots around the world.
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Cruising and Sailing Wiki By Cruisers
Anecdotes From Stingo
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whipper_snapper
regular
Reged: 09/08/2006
Posts: 1547
Loc: Kenya
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which sat system did you go for ?
I nearly got an isatphone, but then blew the dosh on a pactor modem instead, on the grounds that it provided more entertainment if less actual communication.
Now regretting it as SWMBO is out of contact in deepest darkest Mozambique and she could have taken the satphone!
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Stingo
regular
Reged: 17/10/2001
Posts: 6664
Loc: Durban
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I bought a Motorola many years ago that was on special at LBS. IIRC, it cost about £500 with loads of spare batteries, two charges etc. It uses the Iridium network.
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Cruising and Sailing Wiki By Cruisers
Anecdotes From Stingo
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Troutbridge
regular
Reged: 19/03/2007
Posts: 333
Loc: Cruising, mon, cruising
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The costing of the connection is a minefield. Some providers are cheaper for data transfer, others cheaper for voice calls. Not even the people who sell the phones can give you a straight answer (because they can't work it out either).
Like Stingo, I'm with Mailasail. For the money you also get a web diary. A bit like a blog except that people can't add comments! It's probably cheaper to pay up front for airtime, the more you buy the cheaper it gets. My calls work out at 80p per minute. Cheaper to use my mobile with it's international SIM card except you don't always have coverage (and strangely enough no coverage at all mid-Atlantic/Pacific 
Got the phone at last years Sou boat Show. Brand new, data kit, all wiring etc etc, ready to connect up.....£1250. It's a 9505A. Iridium network is the way to go.
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Some see the glass as half full, some see it as half empty. I see it as too damn small.
http:/blog.mailasail.com/troutbridge
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HoratioHB
regular
Reged: 02/10/2006
Posts: 533
Loc: Croosin da Caribbean man
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Sat phones are good my iridium costs me £15 a months and 70p per minute but if you can get on line get Skype. Call to UK landlines are 1.2p per minute and not much more to mobiles. We use it all the time here in the caribbean for international and local calls where wifi is rampant. The Iridium is effectively for emergency calls from the liferaft now!!
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I have gone down to the sea again
The lonely sea and the sky
and am drinking too much rum
www.yotblog.com/HoratioHB/
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csail
regular
Reged: 24/08/2005
Posts: 4085
Loc: Rhoose/Cardiff Bay,UK
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So what is the most cost effective way to buy and run a satphone,, i quite fancy getting one..
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Marine grade vinyl boat names & graphics made to order just pm me.
Reduced price for you guys seeing as it is only a hobby. http://www.h2o-marine.co.uk/
(mention this forum)
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HoratioHB
regular
Reged: 02/10/2006
Posts: 533
Loc: Croosin da Caribbean man
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Got a good deal at the boat show but still has to pay £1k ish for the stuff and a one year contract - but for the ability to ring anyone on the planet from anywhere thats got to be good.
Oh and G Comm were my suppliers.
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I have gone down to the sea again
The lonely sea and the sky
and am drinking too much rum
www.yotblog.com/HoratioHB/
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