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Inmarsat- C
Sat C is a well-proven technology now very common on offshore cruising
yachts, consisting of a small antenna on deck and a transceiver mounted
below decks. Features include full global coverage, GMDSS emergency alerting,
similar to an EPIRB, free weather and navigational updates sent to the
terminal and a polling feature, which can be used by the MRCC and event
organisors such as WCC. As the service forms a part of GMDSS it is extremely
reliable and the equipment very robust.
Users are able to send text messages to any fax machine or other sat-C
terminal and e-mails to normal e-mail addresses. Sending e-mails to a
sat-C terminal requires the sender to be registered as a user with the
satellite service provider such as Stratos or Xantic, preventing expensive
unwanted junk e-mails.
Approximate message costs are 1¢ per character (including spaces).
When sending e-mail, every character in the message is charged, including
the IP address string, which can be expensive.
Inmarsat Mini C
Thrane and Thrane have recently launched a Mini-C terminal, which unlike
the standard terminal is one single piece of equipment, transceiver and
antenna combined into one unit. Mounted on the pushpit or on a pole, the
Mini C is similar in size to the antenna of standard C.
Mini-C comes with most of the features of the standard terminal, including
e-mail, fax, messaging between terminals and position reporting and polling.
Like standard C it needs a pc interface for messaging.
The main difference between the Mini and Standard C is that is does not
have GMDSS status as yet. As a result there is no emergency alerting feature
to set off and navigational and weather broadcasts (EGC messages) are
not sent out by Inmarsat to the Mini-C terminal.
Inmarsat D+
Inmarsat D+ is a satellite pager designed specifically to send small data
packets at low cost. Compact, lightweight and requiring no manual input
the D+ terminal is capable of sending automatic position reports using
its internal GPS. These position reports can then displayed at www.worldcruising.net
allowing friends, families and supporters to follow the progress of a
yacht.
As an automatic position reporting device Inmarsat D+ is an excellent
addition to a yacht's safety equipment, particularly as a low cost accompaniment
to SSB radio.
A two-way messaging service using Inmarsat D+ Terminals has been developed
by WCC interfacing using either a PC running Windows 95/98 or a handheld
device running Windows CE such as the HP iPAQ.
Text messages of up to 56 characters can be sent from the D+ Terminal
to a registered email address and messages of up to 200 characters from
a registered email address can be sent to the D+ Terminal.
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