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#1
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Iridium download time OPC WFAX map
SInce our SSB WFAX service may be droped in a efort to keep big govenment smaller, off our back, and out of our pockets I think I better consider Iridium. So how long does it take to download a WFAX map from the Ocean Prediction Center? Bob |
#2
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Iridium download time OPC WFAX map
"Bob" wrote in message ups.com... SInce our SSB WFAX service may be droped in a efort to keep big govenment smaller, off our back, and out of our pockets I think I better consider Iridium. So how long does it take to download a WFAX map from the Ocean Prediction Center? Bob, I don't have the exact time at hand, but last summer I was downloading my weather info via Iridium email, using Global Marine Network's (GMN, www.globalmarinenet.net ) Xnet service. My daily wx files we Grib, about 12Kbytes East Pacific surface chart, 36Kbyte 24, 48, 96 hour EPAC surface prediction charts, 85Kbytes total 24 hour EPAC wind-wave forecast, 25Kbytes These, plus any occasional email took about ten minutes of connect time. I occasionally had a connection drop before the download was complete, but the Xnet system is pretty good about picking up where it left off once I could reconnect. GMN also has a specific weather service that is supposed to be more efficient then what I was doing -- I haven't tried it though. I got the grib files from Saildocs (see www.saildocs.com), and I had a unix cronfile running on my ISP's server that would grab the daily WX charts I wanted, and email them to my satphone email account. On the other hand, I doubt that the HF WFAX service will really be dropped, in spite of the call for comments. Just my guess, but I could be wrong. Good luck, -Paul S/V VALIS |
#3
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Iridium download time OPC WFAX map
On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:43:16 -0700, "Paul" wrote:
"Bob" wrote in message oups.com... SInce our SSB WFAX service may be droped in a efort to keep big govenment smaller, off our back, and out of our pockets I think I better consider Iridium. So how long does it take to download a WFAX map from the Ocean Prediction Center? Bob, I don't have the exact time at hand, but last summer I was downloading my weather info via Iridium email, using Global Marine Network's (GMN, www.globalmarinenet.net ) Xnet service. My daily wx files we Grib, about 12Kbytes East Pacific surface chart, 36Kbyte 24, 48, 96 hour EPAC surface prediction charts, 85Kbytes total 24 hour EPAC wind-wave forecast, 25Kbytes These, plus any occasional email took about ten minutes of connect time. I occasionally had a connection drop before the download was complete, but the Xnet system is pretty good about picking up where it left off once I could reconnect. GMN also has a specific weather service that is supposed to be more efficient then what I was doing -- I haven't tried it though. I got the grib files from Saildocs (see www.saildocs.com), and I had a unix cronfile running on my ISP's server that would grab the daily WX charts I wanted, and email them to my satphone email account. On the other hand, I doubt that the HF WFAX service will really be dropped, in spite of the call for comments. Just my guess, but I could be wrong. Good luck, -Paul S/V VALIS you know, we hams regularly read the NWS forecasts on the air on the maritime net. I wonder if sailors would be interested if we downloaded the wefax pix from the NWS site and sent them over the air 'to other hams' (we aren't allowed to broadcast)....the fact that boaters would, coincidentally copy them as well would be just fine.... all boaters would need is a computer, radio and some simple software |
#5
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Iridium download time OPC WFAX map
On Jul 19, 2:25 pm, wrote:
... you know, we hams regularly read the NWS forecasts ... Yes, the ham nets are wonderful. Also there is lots of info available on winlink for hams with pactor and saildocs for everyone with some form of email. I use saildocs as a chopper for the gribs (you can get both the GFS and NGP from saildocs now). The only complaint I have with it is that you can't get the previous 6hr precipitation which provides very useful clues to the placement and strength of fronts, convergence zones, tropical waves, etc. I can't imagine why any boater bothers with 500mb charts anymore. But, I digress. More on topic, I too am thinking about getting a digital connection to my iridium 9500 because I've got lots of unused air time. Does anyone here have any recent experience with setting this up? I am curious about the hardware set-up, the software and the servers available and the quality of service. Cheers, -- T. |
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