Panbo

The Marine Technology Hub

Category: Communications

Iridium’s GO! satellite WiFi and Globalstar’s mysterious SatFi 28

Wireless & Apps / Communications / Safety & SAR

Iridium’s GO! satellite WiFi and Globalstar’s mysterious SatFi

Iridium_GO_satellite_hot_spot.jpg

Wow! With a bounty of significant cruising electronics news on my desk, the new Iridium GO! may rank #1. Think of it as the Iridium Extreme — arguably the most versatile, rugged, and expensive sat phone available — with the phone interface replaced by a WiFi radio able to handle five smartphones or tablets. The GO can install semi-permanently with an external antenna, or sit on deck while you make a quiet call below, or go in your pack when you hike in Tierra del Fuego. You’ll still be able to make and take phone calls anywhere, but they will be easier, less expensive, and purportedly better sounding. Plus there’s global email, tracking, and so much more…

Icom M506, five models of goodness 58

Communications / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

Icom M506, five models of goodness

Icom_IC-M506_aPanbo.jpgWhen Standard Horizon introduced its Matrix AIS/GPS radio in December, we learned from a European reader that Icom UK was showing off a VHF with just about every feature a boater might desire (with the possible exception of a built-in GPS).  As hoped for, Icom America has now revealed its version of the IC-M506 and will be showing it in Miami next week. It turns out that at least here in the states the M506 will be available in five models so you can get the features you want without paying for ones you don’t…

Standard Horizon Matrix AIS/GPS and Raymarine Ray260 AIS/N2K VHF radios 28

Communications

Standard Horizon Matrix AIS/GPS and Raymarine Ray260 AIS/N2K VHF radios

Standard_Horizon_Matrix_AIS_GPS_GX2200_VHF.jpgWhile it looks and works very much like the Matrix AIS GX2100 that caused quite a splash here in 2009, Standard Horizon’s just announced Matrix AIS/GPS GX2200 very usefully includes a built-in 66 channel GPS. And it still has the same $400 MAP (minimum advertised price) as the evolved Matrix AIS+ GX2150, which will now get a $350 MAP. Two years ago Standard introduced the Explorer GX1700 — the first fixed VHF with GPS built in, and still the only one (I think) — and while I haven’t tried one myself I think that front panel satellite antenna bump works pretty well even when installed under a fiberglass deck or top…

GOST, FLIR, and KVH: working together 1

Communications / The Trade

GOST, FLIR, and KVH: working together

GOST_FLIR_KVH_joint_advertisement.jpgIt’s quite unusual to illustrate a Panbo entry with an advertisement, but I think this one has editorial content. Isn’t it great to see three separate companies state in print that their electronics will work together to accomplish a complex task? Won’t that make it harder for any one of the three customer service departments to point the blame for operational problems elsewhere? Plus the task in this case — to put the control and output of yacht cameras onto the Internet so owners or crew can access it anywhere — is pretty impressive. 

Testing the Wilson AG Pro Quint, and hello Shakespeare Anywhere cell boosters 13

Wireless & Apps / Communications

Testing the Wilson AG Pro Quint, and hello Shakespeare Anywhere cell boosters

Testing Wilson AG Pro Quint on Gizmo cPanbo.jpgThe test scene is admittedly messy, but having the Wilson AG Pro Quint cell booster out at the helm made it easier to read and photograph. I could also monitor the screen on the Medusa Power Analyzer that the 12v feed is running through (the Quint pulled about 11 watts with two of its amps turned up to about 70db and the other two at about 50 and 55). The best part, though, is how real the testing was. Gizmo is anchored in a wicked cell hole that also happens to be beautiful (mapped here via the test DeLorme InReach SE mounted to the windshield) and only about 11 miles from Camden. Heck, a Verizon call with my wife failed abruptedly about two miles from the anchorage and I couldn’t even get a text out!

Intellian Technologies: smart, articulate & classy 10

Communications / Entertainment / The Trade

Intellian Technologies: smart, articulate & classy

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Intellian Technologies has come a long way since they first introduced their own brand of satellite TV antenna systems at the 2008 NMEA Conference, where I first met them. In fact, the company may well be the fastest growing in marine electronics, going from 77 employees in 2010 to 160 today. Intellian has also gone from supplying only the relatively modest end of the marine TV antenna market to all size vessels, broadband satellite communications definitely included. The company story is interesting on many levels, but there was a particularly telling moment as Global Marketing VP Paul Comyns (standing above) and CEO Eric Sung (to his left) addressed the group of American and European boating journalists that Intellian hosted in Korea.

Gizmo’s antenna mast 2013: FLIR, Rogue, Wilson & more 24

Communications / What's on board...

Gizmo’s antenna mast 2013: FLIR, Rogue, Wilson & more

Gizmo_3-2013_new_antenna_rig_from_bow_cPanbo.jpg

I’ve heard it said that if you heeded all the manufacturer advice about antenna placement, you’d need a boat 100-feet long with four or five masts. I’ve been meaning to ask Panbo readers about how to best use Gizmo’s single (though beefy) antenna mast, but instead I went and rejiggered everything last week and your advice will have to wait for the next revision. What mainly drove the change is the long term loan of a FLIR M-Series camera system, which certainly deserves the premier masthead position…

MIBS 2013 Raymarine: Dragonfly, gS-Series, Evolution AP & much more! 41

Navigation / Communications / Electrical & Engines / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

MIBS 2013 Raymarine: Dragonfly, gS-Series, Evolution AP & much more!

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Raymarine was a little slow getting their Miami press releases out, but then again they have a LOT to talk about. And even with the six releases you’ll find at that link, they left out what I think is a significant move: the coming-soon Lighthouse 6 software release for a-, c-, e-Series — as well as the new gS glass bridge MFDs — will include support for Empirebus NXT digital switching and distributed power technology…

Navico: new GPS/Heading sensor & VHF/GPS handheld 80

Navigation / Communications / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

Navico: new GPS/Heading sensor & VHF/GPS handheld

Simrad_B_G_Lowrance_GPS-Compass_collage_cPanbo.jpg

Whether it’s called a Simrad GS50 or a B&G ZG100 or a Lowrance Point-1, it does not seem to be just another NMEA 2000 high-precision, high-refresh-rate GPS/Glonass sensor. Also integrated in is an “e-Compass/Gyro” heading sensor “that ensures access to stable and smooth vessel orientation” and “when used with a compatible” Navico display “greatly enhances navigational information by providing accurate course over ground (COG) data at any speed and enabling radar overlay on charts.” I’ve quoted the press releases heavily because I’m not yet sure that the sensor actually outputs Heading data, but I do know that whichever brand you buy, this souped-up overlay-enabling GPS is just $199 retail, and that sounds good…