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Thread: Offshore Tracking

  1. #21
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    Dec 2012
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    Alameda CA
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    I'll get right on that.
    all processing is onboard, and operator initiated.
    The grammatically dubious warning notwithstanding, I see no issue with it....

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
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    Palo Alto
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    Does anyone have any experience with YB3i and YB3? Fixed or handheld?

    I am getting less and less impressed with my Iridium GO! Somewhat neutral on my Garmin 86sci.

    I am impressed with the performance of the YB3 devices in the GGR 2022 especially during the current abandon ship rescue in the Southern Ocean. You can see Tapio being tracked in his liferaft and he is able to text (albeit poorly) from the liferaft.

    Though this is a tracking thread I would like to start a discussion maybe moving to another thread about satphones. The quality of the satellite calls from deep ocean in the GGR is very impressive. I think most are using the Iridium phones. and I think the majority of those are 9555 with some using the Extreme 9575. I got an Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 and the one time I used it way offshore David H could barely hear me. I may add an Iridium.
    Last edited by GBR3068; 12-23-2022 at 02:59 PM.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Berkeley
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    To give this thread a new *kick*.... Iridium just offered up the Iridium Go Exec. 40 times the speed of the Go. But with a cost increase. I read that the Go Exec does not offer any tracking on its own and requires the Data Hub to do tracking. One benefit being it can take many tracking positions and save them up, transmitting every 4 hours to save on data costs (Iridum has a minimum size charge for transmission, positions take up way less than that, so if you are sending position often, you are burning up a lot of data plan unused).

    I have been following StarLink closely as well. Much better throughput for comparable costs to Go. But to many unanswered questions at this point and only comes in 120VAC, meaning you either have to run it on an inverter or do mods to convert to 12V. Not really ready for the recreational boat community that plans on crossing oceans yet.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
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    Palo Alto
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    I got a "special invite" for the Exec but I looked at the price and compared with what I have in the GO! and my current thinking is I would rather spend that extra money on a YB3 for tracking in an emergency (I meant YB3 that is handheld vs YB3i that is the fixed puck). I have the PW "unlimited" data plan but its not that issue that bothers me most about PW and GO! its the fact I cant get anythng but basic weather offshore. The PW GO! tracking does work pretty well but Garmin is actually better. The GO! skipped a couple of times in the LongPac putting me in completely the wrong place. Garmin also allows you to edit and collect tracks (once you figure out their horrendous user interface). Either non-racing or in an emergency I'd like the best weather information and tracking I can get. The various PW plans are very confusing as to exactly what you get offshore at each PW level and honestly I still haven't figured it out.

    I have a StarLink but I dont think its going to be a sensible option on my small boat. I got too much going on electronically already. People have used them though. Several have said you need to mod the controller to fixed direction. I don't know about that. What is wacky is that its fine to spend a $100k on Internet satellite to get weather in a race but not to use PW.
    Last edited by GBR3068; 12-23-2022 at 02:58 PM.

  5. #25
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    May 2009
    Location
    San Francisco
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    113

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    I use both a GO! (to get GRIBS and do email thru Sailmail) and the InReach (which is dirt cheap and if you have the settings right will transmit for over a month... and its a backup for texting if the GO! packs it in). The GO! monthly subscription is a bit pricey ($140/month and you have to buy full months) last time I looked... with the InReach having a $15/month package (with the mobile app its fine for texting). Yes two ways to communicate... "belt and braces" (or aka "sxxx happens"). :-)

  6. #26
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    Jun 2021
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    Palo Alto
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    Thanks again Jim !! (you are answering all my other questions on the other threads). I just picked up a YB3 handheld in addition to my PW GO! and a Garmin 86sci. I will report back on the YB3 when I know anything. I'm not confident I could handle the Garmin 86sci (sort of an InReach) in all conditions, but since the subject of this thread is tracking, I think it does that well. I got the YB3 because I was really impressed with the way the YB3 handhelds have been handling the GGR emergencies so I talked to them and I got one. Intention is to use the YB3 for tracking but also in the ditch bag.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Berkeley
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    Just picked up a used Inreach Mini (not the mini2) for $200 online. They seem to go for 200-250 used and in good shape. New Inreach Mini2 is about $400.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    577

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    Update from Iniscaw: I haven't managed to hear a peep -- at least, not an intelligible peep -- out of my old SSB, even though I think I have a much better installation this time around. My plan was to rely on verbal weather forecasts from USCG as I did last time when it worked out pretty well. But I guess I'll be joining the 21st century arms race and adding an Iridium Go. Oh well, it's only another boat buck or so.

    I got my Inreach Mini a couple of months ago, figured out how to get it to do what I need, suspended the subscription, and now I've pretty much forgotten everything I learned. Par for the course. Hopefully it hasn't forgotten its setup.

  9. #29
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    Aug 2010
    Location
    Berkeley
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    I al currently running a test with my Inreach Mini. With it on “Extended” mode and set to send a track position every 4 hours the battery is supposed to last more than 20 days. So I have it out on the balcony and am testing this. I am about 11 days in. It misses a transit once in a while, going 8 hours instead of 4, but it doesn’t have an unobstructed view of the sky either, so not too bad. I will post here when it runs out of juice!

  10. #30
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    Jun 2021
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    Palo Alto
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    I am doing the same test with a YB3 V3 Mk II. The YB3 is supposed to last 36 weeks on 4-hour intervals. I too will report back when done, meanwhile a few notes:

    1. I can already report that texting on the YB3 is way easier than on any of my other devices, still not easy but do-able. I can see how this is pretty much the only device you can use for text in a liferaft.
    2. Folks may think this is more safety than tracking but to me tracking is really safety. I came across this report on what to expect from Iridium in an emergency: https://nzsar.govt.nz/assets/Downloa...une-2014-1.pdf Search on "Iridium". Sobering.
    3. What I see as a factor, but can't measure, is that Yellow Brick was originally designed for ocean sailing and these guys are sailors. They have a record of helping sailors out when in trouble.
    4. Yellow Brick warns that battery consumption will vary enormously depending on view of the sky: "Whilst it may still work perfectly well, a device with a poor view of the sky will use up battery 10 times more quickly than one with a good view of the sky!" That makes it harder to do any battery life comparisons.

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