First off, thanks to everyone who responded to my build or buy/troller yacht
question. Very informative responses and interesting things to think about.
Definitely more research is needed on my part. =}

Getting back to the onboard stuff, I have some things I can experiment on
for the future while I'm docked and figuring out the whole boat part.

For those who don't know, I make most of my funds from tricky Internet
stuff, so the dream of being able to use my computer on the boat all the
time opens up some very interesting flying dutchman-esque possiblities.
Anyhow, in port right now I just use the IR port on the laptop to the IR
port on my cell phone which works quite well even if GSM is limited to
9600bps ( i know, I know, but typing on the back deck is great in the
sunshine.. =} )

However, I know my trusty Linux box here has the ability to use Ham Radio.
The Linux Ham Radio HOWTO is nowhere to be found on most of the places I
would expect it on the Internet, but....

I seem to think that this could conceivably be used like a shortwave radio
Internet server aboard ship or for store and forward provided I can link it
to shore. Theoretically, this is feasible, free, easy to maintain and
probably a hell of a lot more efficient and cheaper than using Immarsat C or
the other satellite alternatives (especially now Iridium is in the process
of being "de-orbited"). I'm not sure about the SSB spectrum stuff, but I'd
be curious as to whether anyone has played with it.

Does anyone know anyone who is using this type of system onboard and whether
they have had luck with it? What would be the effective bps speed? I kind of
like the idea of bouncing Internet packets off the ionasphere, but worry
about things like packet loss, comm delay, and effective range.
(theoretically world wide?).

Anyhow, looking forward to responses.

Later,
Daryl.

Daryl Manning
dmanning@interlog.com
le Neilali
4, Port des Champs-Elyses
75008, Paris
France

There is a system in use that uses Pactor.  Seems feasible to provide basic
email service about anywhere.  The ham version is called airmail and the ssb
version is called sailmail.  If you search on those you will find them.

I have used the systems a bit and think that it can provide quite adequate
basics  up to 1000 bits per second or so with full blown Pactor II and good
conditions. This is not sufficient to surf but does allow communications.

The amateur version is of course free but restricted to non-commercial use.
The ssb version is more open but requires some small payment - they are
running it as a non-profit deal I believe.

Both easily have the range to get into the system from virtually anywhere.

Jim KO6MH

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com
[mailto:owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com]On Behalf Of Daryl Manning
Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2000 9:27 AM
To: Trawler World List
Subject: TWL: Internet via Ham Radio/SSB from offshore (like, way
offshore)

First off, thanks to everyone who responded to my build or buy/troller yacht
question. Very informative responses and interesting things to think about.
Definitely more research is needed on my part. =}

Getting back to the onboard stuff, I have some things I can experiment on
for the future while I'm docked and figuring out the whole boat part.

For those who don't know, I make most of my funds from tricky Internet
stuff, so the dream of being able to use my computer on the boat all the
time opens up some very interesting flying dutchman-esque possiblities.
Anyhow, in port right now I just use the IR port on the laptop to the IR
port on my cell phone which works quite well even if GSM is limited to
9600bps ( i know, I know, but typing on the back deck is great in the
sunshine.. =} )

However, I know my trusty Linux box here has the ability to use Ham Radio.
The Linux Ham Radio HOWTO is nowhere to be found on most of the places I
would expect it on the Internet, but....

I seem to think that this could conceivably be used like a shortwave radio
Internet server aboard ship or for store and forward provided I can link it
to shore. Theoretically, this is feasible, free, easy to maintain and
probably a hell of a lot more efficient and cheaper than using Immarsat C or
the other satellite alternatives (especially now Iridium is in the process
of being "de-orbited"). I'm not sure about the SSB spectrum stuff, but I'd
be curious as to whether anyone has played with it.

Does anyone know anyone who is using this type of system onboard and whether
they have had luck with it? What would be the effective bps speed? I kind of
like the idea of bouncing Internet packets off the ionasphere, but worry
about things like packet loss, comm delay, and effective range.
(theoretically world wide?).

Anyhow, looking forward to responses.

Later,
Daryl.

Daryl Manning
dmanning@interlog.com
le Neilali
4, Port des Champs-Elyses
75008, Paris
France

: Wow, holy slow. 1200 bps. I haven't worked that slow since I hacked in
high
: school.

A good deal is a function of the size (so to speak) of an HF wave.  It's a
lot faster to modulate a UHF satellite wave than a big ol HF wave.  Sail
Mail and it's relatives (even with great compression schemes and error
correction protections--like Clover) are not intended to be web connections.
Nor are they TCP/IP hook ups at all. It is merely an e-mail forwarding
system for people in far away places.  I don't believe attachments or
graphic elements are possible.

:
: Hmmm.... I was thinking of something faster. I'm wondering whether

How deep are your pockets?  Equip you vessel with a 4 foot stabilized dish
and plug into the satellite systems.

Rick the Mouseherder - nh2f
Westsail 32 Xapic
Annapolis, MD

A small boat and a suitcase full of money
beat a 40-footer tied to the Bank every time.

Creative graphic solutions in vinyl for your boat lettering & designs
http://www.mouseherder.com

Visit the Xapic Homepage at:
http://www.abs.net/~nh2f

The Westsail Owners Assn. :
http://www.erols.com/woax

This is not a ad.

Karen, Amy, Heidi and I (the crew of Indiscipline) operate an ISP.  We
provide web hosting, web site development,  creative services, and systems
engineering consulting.  We are going to be operating our business from the
boat during our upcoming 12 - 18 month cruise.

Here is our solution to your dilemma.

Our boat is wired for 10baseT 100 mbps LAN.  Windows NT laptop will be my
computer and IP forwarder.  Karen has her Toshiba with docking station down
below (on the LAN).  The server and major equipment is staying behind, in
our local ISP co-locate room.  You must leave your heavy iron on land.

Both computers have land line modems.  We have a PCMCIA card with dual land
line and cell phone connection.  We have Airtouch nationwide, no long
distance, no roaming, 1000 minutes for $100/month.

Most marinas provide a place where you can plug in your landline modem.
When that is not available, we will use the cell phone modem.  When that is
not available, we are out of touch.  That is only going to be for a couple
of days at a time.

Karen's mother is going to be living in our house, and running our business
and home affairs from the land while we are gone.  We have a maintenance
contract on our servers.  We run PC Anywhere for remote access.

Keep in mind a fundamental law of (low budget) cruising:  you spend 10% of
your time sailing, 5% of your time at a marina, 85% of your time at anchor.

By that law, at worst, we will be out of contact by high speed email only
10 or 15 days per year.

Forget sailmail, ham radio email, and SSB radio email.  You can sail to a
place with cell phone access faster than you can download over those
things.  I have looked into it.

I want to add that we are using our computers for email, internet, for the
children's education, and for games (we all love games) and for my
maintenance log.  I have not gone the route of getting any navigation
software because it is too expensive and you need paper charts anyways.

I think we are going to have one of the best wired 35 foot boats around!

-JimB
Jim Baumgart
<")))>><
(760)749-4257 San Diego