Canadian Yachting — June 2017

26 Canadian Yachting JUNE 2017

The Globalstar Sat Fi is a Satellite antenna connected to a

Wi-Fi router. Apps are available for iOS, Android, Mac OS, and

windows. Seasonal packages are available that allow the user to

use minutes up front as needed.

Things are moving fast as companies respond to customer

demands for easier and cheaper access to the internet. At pres-

ent, most economical satellite communication systems are ade-

quate for voice, text, and short emails; however, speeds and

costs are not conducive to internet browsing.

REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE

If you do not need voice communication, then more economical

options are available to you. Bradd and Maeve Wilson have been

living abroad and cruising full-time for the last 15 years and have

covered some 70,000 miles. Having a solid business background

and being a self-described “pretty thorough guy,” Bradd realized

fellow cruisers could benefit from what he had learned. Bradd

started Cruising Solutions to sell products the couple had tested

themselves that had proven successful. To run a successful busi-

ness from their boat, the couple needed reliable and affordable

communications, even when they were in remote areas such as

the coast of Newfoundland. Since 2004, the couple has used

the Iridium satellite based Skymate system when away from cell

phone service and Wi-Fi. Bradd says the most recent version,

the Skymate I1000, is easy to install, easy to use, and has proven

reliable and affordable.

Skymate systems use the Iridium constellation of satellites

and GPS satellites to provide email, weather, and position track-

ing weblog. The system works like a Wi-Fi router but is connect-

ed to a satellite network rather than a DSL or cable provider, and

works with any Wi-Fi enabled device.

Spot Gen3 from Globalstar has been credited with

thousands of rescues.

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