Category: Communications

Alden AE 3300, marine BB WB AIO receiver! 8

Alden AE 3300, marine BB WB AIO receiver!

Alden_AE-3300_cPanbo

Sorry about my acronym thing! The relatively new and unknown Alden AE-3300 is a black box wide band receiver with included PC software that lets you easily receive Weatherfax, Navtex, Telex, and even medium and high frequency DSC messages, besides listening to most any frequency between 9 KHz and 30 MHz. Hence in marine terms it’s pretty much an all in one receiver…

Icom PCR, name a frequency! 6

Icom PCR, name a frequency!

Icom_PCR2500_cPanbo

I’m back in Maine briefly, which means I’m back to testing a couple of black box wideband radio receivers. And I mean WIDE. The Icom PCR2500 can tune in most anything from 10 kHz to 3300 MHz—less a few gaps like the cell phone bands (you have to be official to get that model). And I’ve got a pretty serious antenna…

Globalstar vs Iridium, no winner 1

Globalstar vs Iridium, no winner

Globalstar_n_Iridium_fie_cPanbo_lr

When I sailed from Bermuda to Maine in June, the happy electronics story was testing a Class B AIS. But there were other stories, like getting to try Iridium and Globalstar satellite phones side by side. One reason I’ve been slow with it is that neither phone seemed a real winner. In fact, that’s Vision of Johanna’s owner Bill Strassberg expressing our general “throw them both overboard” feelings…

Handheld DSC VHF/GPS, I wish! 4

Handheld DSC VHF/GPS, I wish!

DSC_Alert_HX470S_cPanbo_lr

Rusty commented that the FCC may make GPS mandatory in a DSC-equipped handheld VHF, adding that he’d “rather spend $300 on a 5 watt marine portable with GPS location rather than buy one of these FRS ‘locators’ {TracMe}.” I agree completely, and even see considerable safety value in a DSC handheld without GPS. If, say,…

KVH TP V7, big news for big boats 1

KVH TP V7, big news for big boats

KVH_TPV7_diagram

Game change! This morning KVH announced the TracPhone V7, a marine VSAT system capable of delivering truly broadband Internet, including telephone (VOIP), to big-budget yachts cruising much of the Americas and Europe (including transatlantic, see below). But you don’t need a mega-size platform for the V7’s dome, which is an astounding 85% smaller than what it currently takes to get this level of service (and 65% smaller than slower Inmarsat Fleet 77 domes)…