LATEST ADDITIONS TO BRICK HOUSEDecember 2017 – in preparation for the Indian Ocean, we knew getting weather, not to mention email , on our Sailmail and Winlink – SSB/Pactor modem was NOT going to be good enough for this Ocean. First, waiting for the perfect propagation time wasn’t going to work, and second…we needed to get bigger, better reports than the Pactor connections could handle. We also needed to be sure our family could reach us any time. So we researched high and low, and decided that the Iridium GO marine package from PredictWind.com was going to be our best bet. I actually (conveniently) forgot to put it up here when we first got it (It’s June now). I wasn’t sure we were gonna like it, and felt a certain guilt for abandoning my SSB/Pactor loyalty of 10 years. I am happy to report it has been flawless. So now it’s up here. We can get our weather reports from PredictWind, that cover a much bigger and much more detailed area than the Pactor connections could handle in the best of times. We can get our email ten times a day if we want, and at any time. The Iridium GO has been a fantastic addition to Brick House!But the best things about the Iridium GO…the feature that it released in a big big way for Brick House, is PREDICTWIND. This software/service with the best weather and current forecasting models available is far and beyond the best software/service we have ever had on Brick House. Whether it be waiting for the right hour to take off a Genoa off the Profurl furler, or when to depart for the best weather to our next destination, to what route to take to follow the currents to our advantage, to whether we should leave a full main sail up at night, or if it will be settled weather to stay in an open anchorage. PREDICTWIND, and particicularly it’s proprietary models (which I didn’t believe at first) have been spot on for our weather both at sea and in anchorages. We baught it to be able to get the highly valuable ECMWF forecast model at sea…and the rest was just a bonus, But it turns out that Predictwind’s own proprietary models…PWE and PWG are the meat of their product…far better than GFS and ECMWF! And the selection of Currents models in the Professional Subscription is worth the extra price after all…even if not in an area famous for notorious currents. If you can go an extra knot or two because you know where the current is…well…isn’t that why we all fit fancy props to get an extra knot of speed? It changes more on a daily basis than I ever imagined. Knowledge is power….free power, and if you have PredictWind, you have an extra knot of power in many places! We never knew weather predictions could be so good…we are used to 10 years of looking out the window for the best weather report, and knowing GRIBS have a 50% chance of being right. With the models that PredictWind offers…it’s more like a 95% chance of being right! PredictWind works in conjunction with the Iridum GO as though they were made specifically for each other, and the two are going to remain a permanent fixture on Brick House. Anyone want to buy our Pactor III modem? It’s the best 8 track tape player you can buy!!!Seriously people. If you don’t have satellite communication yet, buy an Iridum GO…you will not regret it. And if you get the GO, or have another satellite solution, absolutely and positively get a Professional subscription to Predictwind. Also…if you want to get your email on just your device Iridium Go Mail will work fine, but not when you put it all on hold when you are in port…If you want to get your mail through your computer, your device, through the GO and equally as easily when just on a land internet connection, get Xgate since it offers much more flexibility for your email. PredictWind (and Xgate)CAN be used with SSB, but without satellite you will NOT be able to get the detailed larger reports that PredictWind can so easily deliver through satellite. Get the Unlimited data package through Predictwind and get any report you could ever want or need. Anything else, and you are in the dark ages…you CAN have correct weather forecasts now!!! It’s a changed world!
Here is a Link where you can find out more about the Iridium GO! order one, order the External antenna kit which I highly recommend, and even get SIM cards.
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