[Rhodes22-list] Internet from your boat?

[brad haslett]

Mark,

I looked at the Verizon coverage map for my lake and
I'm in a coverage hole.  Cingular shows coverage for
their EDGE data service, something they apparently got
from AT&T through the merger.  Their advertised speed
rates are slightly higher than Verizon.  YOUR MILAGE
MAY VERY.  The last time I looked at Cingular this
wasn't available but the market changes so quickly.  I
know we had this discussion on the list before, but
again, things change so quickly maybe it needs to be
looked at again.  Here is a link to an article on cell
phone boosters.  It looks like one of these hooked up
to an antenna on the mast might increase the range and
reliability considerably.

http://www.digitalantenna.com/docs/Powerboat_Article.pdf

Brad


--- Mark Kaynor <mkaynor at gmail.com> wrote:

> >From the Verizon web site:
> 
> "NationalAccess is capable of data speeds bursting
> up to 144 kbps,
> delivering average speeds up to 60 to 80 kbps. Speed
> claim based on our
> network tests with 5 MB FTP data files, without
> compression. Actual
> throughput speed and coverage vary." 
> 
> There are two major factors limiting performance -
> signal strength and
> number of users. 
> 
> If we have 2 bars it's about the same speed as
> dialup - perhaps even a bit
> slower. Without having done any actual performance
> tests, I'd say we
> probably see 70-100 Kbps with a good signal,
> depending on the number of
> users using that cell. Upload speed is slower. 
> 
> Cellular Internet access is like cable Internet
> access in that it's shared
> bandwidth, so the more users online at one time, the
> slower the connection.
> 
> In DC we got to use the Broadband Access at 400-700
> Kbps - that was nice.
> 
> Mark
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> Behalf Of Robert Quinn
> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 12:31 PM
> To: raz; The Rhodes 22 mail list
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Internet from your
> boat?
> 
> Raz:  Right off hand I do not have the speed but it
> is set at a data rate. 
> I'll hook it up tonight if I have time and get the
> speed.
> 
> Mark may have it at his finger tips as he is a bit
> more "techie" than I. 
> {:>)
> 
> Bob
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "raz" <razsail at gmail.com>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 12:22 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Internet from your
> boat?
> 
> 
> Do you have an idea of the bandwidth (baud)?  Is it
> noticeably faster
> than dialup (58K)?
> raz
> 
> On 5/23/05, Robert  Quinn <rjquinn at bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
> > Kathy and I have been using the Verizon wireless
> card for the last 18 
> > months
> > with good success.  Yes, there are spots where
> your reception will not be
> > satisfactory but that is true of most cell phones
> as well.  We find that 
> > if
> > it is not critical, we will wait until we move to
> connect again.  If it is
> > critical, we'll move to a location where we can
> receive and transmit with
> > not problems.
> >
> > Bob and Kathy on the "NoKaOi" and the Lazy Daze RV
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Mark Kaynor" <mkaynor at gmail.com>
> > To: "'The Rhodes 22 mail list'"
> <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 11:50 AM
> > Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Internet from your
> boat?
> >
> >
> > Brad,
> >
> > The card that plugs into your computer is assigned
> it's own phone number, 
> > so
> > two cell phones would be redundant. We looked into
> satellite and decided 
> > it
> > was too expensive and too slow - on top of the
> equipment costs, they 
> > charge
> > by the minute and we're online all day for work.
> We looked at
> > Winlink/Winmail - this still remains a viable
> email-only, offshore option 
> > as
> > we're both general-level hams, but we didn't want
> to spend the $1000 on a
> > Pactor modem until we really need it - the
> available technology changes so
> > quickly. I read that the WinMail guys are actually
> working on using the 
> > PC's
> > speaker circuitry instead of a Pactor - that'd get
> the in-the-door cost
> > down.
> >
> > Sprint also offers wireless Internet service as do
> most of the other 
> > players
> > these days - if they're signal is better in the
> area your friend expects 
> > to
> > use it I'd suggest checking them out.
> >
> > We live 4.5 hours from the boat, so the only way
> we get to spend much time
> > on her is to work while we're here.
> >
> > Mark
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> > [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> Behalf Of brad haslett
> > Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 11:33 AM
> > To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> > Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Internet from your
> boat?
> >
> > Mark & Bill
> >
> > I took a look at the Verizon site and that may
> just be the ticket!  Last
> > year a buddy went with me on a trip to the lake
> and he lost his Verizon
> > signal most of the way and had spotty coverage
> while on the lake while my
> > Cingular performed flawlessly.  However, I'm going
> to "borrow" his phone 
> > and
> > see if the coverage has improved.  We had Sprint
> for two years and it 
> > worked
> > OK provided you climbed half-way up a transmitter
> tower, wrapped your head
> > in aluminum foil, and stuck your arms out like Mr.
> Bean.
> >
> > The existing marine satellite systems rely on
> gyro-stabalized attennas, 
> > are
> > quite expensive and bulky.  But for most of us,
> cell phone coverage would
> > work just fine.  Boeing has developed airborne
> internet access and while 
> > the
> > development was slowed by 9/11, it is now becoming
> available for both
> > airliners and general aviation.  With the
> introduction of the Very Light 
> > Jet
> > market in the next year or so, the price will come
> down as the volume of
> > consumers go up.  Right now its still expensive.
> The FAA MUST update their
> > communication and separation technology to handle
> the expected traffic
> > increase and have some works in progress, but then
> this is the Federal
> > government afterall. The advertised speeds for
> Verizon are about the same 
> > as
> > Boeing's service which uses Imarsat, same as the
> marine systems.
> >
> > Actually, we've had satcomm onboard our aircraft
> for about ten years but 
> > use
> > it for datalink only because of the cost.  I ran
> into a friend of mine at
> > DFW a couple of months ago that had just shut an
> engine down on approach
> > because of severe vibration.  He called back to
> Global Operations Command 
> > to
> > report the incident and was told they already knew
> about 
=== message truncated ===



		
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