Whoever does have one of these units, I would really like to hear about your results with it. The information on the website is very vague but I assume that this the equivalent to an old 3 watt analog bag phone and a device that produces a dialtone for the regular phone devices. When cellular phones were originally introduced, this kind of setup was fairly common. On the surface at least,, that would be a good solution. But what I don't know is how the various wireless providers will perform with this device. I'm not sure if the new digital wireless has replaced the wide area coverage of the analog systems or if the analog system coverage is still intact. I'm also not sure if the wireless companies will charge a premium price for service using an analog only devices. Finally, I'm not sure what wireless companies would support this device and what the programming steps would be if they do. PS - What's the price on these? Joe & Debbie Engel Marine Computer Services & JRE Consulting, Inc. MV Freda Fly - 40' Tollycraft Tri-cabin Portland, OR -----Original Message----- From: Edward G. Bottrell [mailto:bottrell@ns.sympatico.ca] Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 6:01 AM To: trawler-world-list@samurai.com Subject: TWL: High Power Cell Phone Bill et al, I think I was the one who was asking if anyone had experience with the RayCom unit that handles cell, FAX , data and up to 7 POTS (plain old telephone service) telephones using the standard RJ-11 'house jack'. Here is the URL http://www.raymarine.com/recreational/products/index/communications/index.ht ml <SNIP>

I think the news is pretty much all bad. The 3 watt stuff does not work on the digital systems and, while it is possible to easily rig a suitable amp - it is probably not legal. In many places analog is being cycled out with a premium price if you can get service. I have one remaining analog in a car and pay well over twice the digital price for it. The trend is also clear - lower power with more antennas at shorter distances. I think boaters not primarily operating in a major metro area are going to have to use Iridium or one of the other LEOS to get any kind of data service. Gates et al claims it will eventually be competitive - we will see. Jim > [mailto:owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com]On Behalf Of Joe Engel snip analog system > coverage is > still intact. I'm also not sure if the wireless companies will charge a > premium price for service using an analog only devices.

4800 to 9600 bps around the chesapeake. I've had the bag phone for nearly 10 years, and there is no special cost or fee. Don't know, though, if they would commission a straight analog phone now though, since they are trying to convert everyone to digital. the phones and the connection boxes are cheap on ebay.com. Frank At 08:52 AM 4/23/01 -0700, Joe Engel wrote: >Whoever does have one of these units, I would really like to hear about your >results with it. The information on the website is very vague but I assume >that this the equivalent to an old 3 watt analog bag phone and a device that >produces a dialtone for the regular phone devices. When cellular phones >were originally introduced, this kind of setup was fairly common. On the >surface at least,, that would be a good solution. > >But what I don't know is how the various wireless providers will perform >with this device. I'm not sure if the new digital wireless has replaced the >wide area coverage of the analog systems or if the analog system coverage is >still intact. I'm also not sure if the wireless companies will charge a >premium price for service using an analog only devices. Finally, I'm not >sure what wireless companies would support this device and what the >programming steps would be if they do. > >PS - What's the price on these? > >Joe & Debbie Engel >Marine Computer Services & JRE Consulting, Inc. >MV Freda Fly - 40' Tollycraft Tri-cabin >Portland, OR > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Edward G. Bottrell [mailto:bottrell@ns.sympatico.ca] >Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 6:01 AM >To: trawler-world-list@samurai.com >Subject: TWL: High Power Cell Phone > > >Bill et al, >I think I was the one who was asking if anyone had experience with the >RayCom unit that handles cell, FAX , data and up to 7 POTS (plain old >telephone service) telephones using the standard RJ-11 'house jack'. Here >is the URL >http://www.raymarine.com/recreational/products/index/communications/index.ht >ml > ><SNIP> >