MatysOnBoard, all-in-one offshore comms

Here’s a reversal: I tested this Matys OnBoard Iridium/GSM distress/SMS/voice/email communicator months ago, and my PMY write-up is already online. There you can see the reassuring way the unit lets you know that an alarm message has been received, quickly too, as well as the system’s substantial cost. And the Matys site is good for the seemingly endless—tracking, weather, concierge, medical, etc.—services available.

What I want to point out is that cryptic but valuable status screen above, and bigger here. Translation: with the antennas rigged outside the lab, at this moment the Iridium signal strength was 5 out of 5 bars, the GSM cellular 2 of 5 with no GPRS data network detected, and the unit was in dual mode—i.e. making its own choice of comms based on availability—with tracking enabled and the GPS working. Good to know! And the screen below, full size here , shows not just tracking but how someone with access to your Matys page can send a text message right to the always-on box above. One reason I didn’t write about this earlier is that the company still hasn’t found a U.S. distributor, and its call center is not yet global. But I hear they’re working on it, including discussions with GEOS Alliance, those Brits in the bunker.