Using Email & Internet Technologies Onboard

There are basically four technology options are available for connecting to the Internet at sea: Cellular Phones, Wireless Internet, HF Radio and Satellite microwaves. 

Be aware that the "Internet" comprises a number of separate functions (or technologies), the common ones are EMAIL, WEB BROWSING, CHAT ROOMS and NEWS GROUPS, not all Internet technologies are suitable for use without a high speed wired or wireless connection.

Standard email (ie: text only messages) is best suited to on-board internet connections. This is currently undergoing a rapid state of change, however at present (but check back in 6 months), the connection speeds and high connect costs are just not appropriate for "surfing the 'net" or downloading graphic intensive news articles or videos or songs.

Transferring large email attachments, and other time consuming endeavours such as chat rooms are also generally not practical on-board. The quality of the connection is typically not stable and timed connection charges tend to be exorbitant.

Hopefully, the information presented in the following table will help to answer some questions and assist you with deciding on which option is best suited to you. (Relevant as at 2004, check other sources.)

Cellular Phones

Technologies:
* Mobile phone modems use the GSM (Global System for Mobiles) or CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) land-based cellular networks
* Globalstar Digital/Satellite Phones utilising CDMA, create a satellite link between you and the nearest ground station (max 200nm)

References:
Your normal mobile phone account provider

Check List

Limited Range

  • Mobile phone coverage is generally limited to populated coastal regions only

  • The newer CDMA network is good to about twice the range of the GSM cellular network - about 40 km from the nearest node.

  • Vodafone's Globalstar covers ALL of continental Australia and up to 200 nautical miles off the coast, and coverage across 27 other countries. Currently voice only, data/fax capability expected mid-2002

Max Speed 9600 bps 
 - increases significantly each few years

PROS: 
  • Use your current ISP account and email address - or you may want/need an email address just for the boat. 
    -  Ideally your ISP would have a local dial-up number from anywhere around the coast, although as you're making a mobile or satellite call, the long distance savings loose their significance.
  • Cheap (compared to other sea options)
     - standard mobile call connect charges will apply, these costs are dependant on the particular carrier (Telstra, Vodafone etc) and contract details of your account.
  •  Fast access speed (although slow compared with land-based broadband)
      - web browsing is possible at GSM speeds (9600 bps) and quite OK with the CDMA phones (at 19,200 bps and higher), however web sites with many images, animations, fancy buttons and the like could be agonisingly slow.
Radio Signals

Technology:
 HF SSB Radio Waves

References:
Penta-Comstat
 SailMail Association

Brunei Bay Sailmail

Check List

 Limited Range
 - Eastern Australia
 - South-western Pacific Ocean
 - portions of the Atlantic & Indian Oceans
 - Caribbean & NE Pacific

Max speed approx. 140 characters per second (300-1200 bps)

 

Station Locations

range is up to 5,000nm from each station (marked as Red)

PROS: Cheap: about $200 annual subscription fee is charged, there are no further communication charges. A PACTOR HF radio modem is required to connect the computer to the radio.

All users must be members of the SailMail Association an email address is then issued for your vessel, ie: YOUR_CALLSIGN@sailmail.com

CONS:

  • Slow (1200 is suitable only for simple, short text messages)
  • Email not private - the radio waves are used to transmit and receive your messages, any other radio receiver can "listen to" and pick up your emails.
  • A maximum message size of 5,000 bytes applies (about 2 pages of typing)
  • Attachments are NOT available for transmitting or receiving
  • Web Browsing is NOT available
Satellite Phones

Technology:
CAPSAT
INMARSAT

References:
Inmarsat Defined
Capsat Marine Phone

Check List

 World Wide Coverage

Max speed 1200-2400 bps

INMARSAT Pacific Coverage

 PROS: Email from anywhere on the planet


CONS:

  • Very slow
  • Expensive
  • Attachments and browsing are possible, but due to the slow speeds they simply are not practical
  • Anyone sending email to you must have an account with the satellite provider