From a private post:
<<For several years I have been trying to communicate from
Voyager via cell phone.  In the past it has been slow and costly.
Your message of today indicating that you sent it from your boat
was read with interest.
What cell phone did you purchase?  Is there anything unique about

your Dell laptop the facilitates the process, or would any other
brand work equally well?  For instance I use a Toshiba aboard
Voyager.>>

My cell phone is a Kyocera 2235, but the Mobile Office Kit (about
$80) is available for many other phones, from Verizon.  Nearly
any laptop should work, though it seems that it needs a USB port,
though this is not clear from the info I have.  Some Mobile
Office kits used to use Serial port connections, but they may not
be available anymore.  Any brand laptop should work fine if it
has a USB port.  I think it must run Windows 98 or later.

Other cell companies may sell something similar to Verizon's
Mobile Office Kit, I just don't know.

Mark Richter, m/v Winnie the Pooh
Stuart, FL

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One other thing you might want to consider when you purchase a cell phone
to do e-mail and internet on your boat is the availability of a external
antenna connector and external power when the data kit is used. In other
words some phones have a connector that does all these things but if you
hook up the data kit then you can't use an external antenna or external power.

You can obviously use battery power while downloading e-mail but if you are
using external power at the same time the performance of your phone will be
enhanced by the higher voltage of the external power. Also there is an
amplifier available to increase the power of your cell phone but it would
require the availability of an external antenna.

Just something to consider. Your mileage may .......

For those of you who are a little computer savvy, you can save some $$$
(anyone can with a little patience). One caveat: I use a Mac and everyone
knows it is MUCH easier than a PC.

If you are familiar with setting up you computer to work with a dial-up
modem, you should have no trouble. The cell phone works just like the modem
(but is not really a modem because it is digital to begin with). All you
need to make the cell phone work as a modem is the appropriate "modem
script." These are available free either over the internet or from your
buddy. Dump it in the appropriate spot on your hard drive (done
automatically on a Mac), set up PPP to dial your ISP (if you already have
used this computer to dial up your ISP on a regular phone line, then NO
CHANGES ARE REQUIRED) and off you go.

Oops, forgot the cable. Go to your web browser and Google your phone + "data
cable" (for Mark Richter that would be "Kyocera 2235 data cable"). If you
have an older phone, you could pay as low as $10, the cheapest I could find
Mark's was $30.

The CD which comes with the data kits has programs for other things like
synchronizing your phone with the rolodex on your computer, but if you don9t
want to pay $50 to $70 for that, just buy a cable (but find your modem
script first, just in case).

If you have a Mac, I will be happy to set you up.

Bob

R C Smith Jr
M/V MARY KATHRYN
Hatteras 58 LRC
Marsh Harbour, Abaco
BAHAMAS