E-Mail & Internet Browsing

Although we do our fair share of voice SSB communications, we are very involved with digital e-mail. We have three types of e-mail systems on board Dakare:

SSB Commercial E-mail - SailMail & Telnet

IMARSAT-C

Land Line Connections

GPRS

WiFi Interception

Radio-Based Email

The first two systems use the same software client (AirMail) and hardware, that being our Icom 710, the PTC - II Pactor modem and our computers. Airmail is the name of the common client software package that is used to support both HAM and commercial-based e-mail. Winlink is the HAM-enabled version and SailMail is the commercial-enabled version. By using a common client (Airmail) both the HAM and the commercial systems can use a common e-mail address book and mailbox, so there is no need to switch between systems to access your e-mail.

Although built and designed primarily as a HF SSB radio e-mail package, both the WinLink and Airmail versions support land line communications. WinLink also supports Internet-based e-mail access through its WinLink web site. To access the TELNET services for land line e-mail communications you must set the parameters in your Winlink & SailMail systems as follows:

For Winlink Stations K4CJX & KN6KB

Parameter	Insert
Host Name	K4CJX.NO.IP.COM
Port	12001
Time	30
Password	WL2KTELNETCLIENT
Proto	B2

For SailMail Station WHV382

Parameter	Insert
Host Name	R7FH.NO.IP.COM
Port	50001
Time	30
Password	Airmail
Proto	B2

IMARSAT-C is a dedicated satellite-based system that also requires the use of our computers. We primarily use WinLink for non-business related items and we use SailMail primarily for business related communications. Although we have used our IMARSAT-C unit, we rarely use it since the cost per character transmitted far outweighs the cost of either the Ham or commercial systems.

Dakare is provisioned to access telephone land lines and we can, if the service is provided dockside, connect the boat at any marina that offers the service. To date, we have used slow POP connections and high speed ADL connections while dockside.

GPRS is a cell phone based system that we can use and do use extensively in Med waters when we are in range of Cell phone transmitters. With GPRS, we can do email, Internet surf, etc. GPRS is economically viable for Email but surfing the web is somewhat expensive.

WiFi Interception

Dakare also employs a custom built, state-of-the-are Access Point (WiFi) system that works off of dual high performance antennas. One is a high gain Omni Directional antenna and the second is a highly directional, high gain, 10 degree subtended angle antenna. The first is ideal for connecting to available WiFi networks while at anchor. The latter has demonstrated exceptional performance when the boat is relatively stabilized in its position and the Access Point is far away. We have been able to connect to WiFi systems more than 700 feet away with performance equivalent to being hooked directly to an ADL line.

As currently configured, the system can support 2 users simultaneously but is configurable to up to 5 users.

Digital Selective calling is the neatest thing since sliced bread. Using DSC, we can avoid the unbearable chatter that one normally hears on the monitoring channel. DSC works in the background, making the radio ring like a phone when you have an incoming call. The only problem is that it is not widely implemented, even with cruisers who have the capability. We have implemented DSC on our VHF radio (DSC# 368421000.) but we have not implemented it on our HF SSB unit. That radio is DSC ready - which should be translated as: you have to purchase an additional box to make it work. Until DSC is more widely adopted in the SSB arena, this is not a wise investment for recreational users like us.

Table of Radio Frequency Bands

Designated Use

30-300 Hz 10-1Mm ............ELF (extremely low frequency)

300-3000 Hz .......................MLF (medium low frequency)

3-30 KHz 100-10 km ..........VLF (very low frequency)

30-300 KHz 10-1 km ...........LF (low frequency)

300-3000 KHz 1 km-100 m. MF (medium frequency)

3-30 MHz 100-10 m ............HF (high frequency)

..30-300 MHz 10-1 m ..........VHF (very high frequency)

300-3000 MHz 1 m-10 cm ..UHF (ultra high frequency)

3-30 GHz 10-1 cm ..............SHF (super high frequency)

30-300 GHz 1 cm-1 mm..... EHF (extremely high freq)

Omega

RDF, NAVTEX, AM Radio, Intl. Distress

HF SSB

Marine VHF, 2 Meter, Cordless Telephones. 6 Meters, FM Radio, VHF Television

EPIRB, Ham 440, UHF Television, Cellular Telephone, Air Traffic Control, RADAR, Microwave Ovens, Satellites

Satellite Bands (IMARSAT-C)

S-Band 1700-3000 MHz

C-Band 3700-4200 MHz

Ku1-Band 10.9-11.75 GHz

Ku2-Band 11.75-12.5 GHz (DBS)

Ku3-Band 12.5-12.75 GHz

Ka-Band 18.0-20.0 GHz

Radar Bands:

1-2 GHz ............30-15 cm ....L Band

2-4 GHz ...........15-7.5 cm.....S Band

4-8 GHz ........7.5-3.75 cm.....C Band

8-12 GHz ......3.75-2.50 cm... X Band

12-18 GHz ......2.5-1.67 cm...Ku Band

18-27 GHz .....1.67-1.11 cm....K Band

27-40 GHz 1.11 cm-7.5 mm .Ka Band

40-75 GHz...............................V Band

75-110 GHz............................W Band

110-300 GHz ......................mm Band

300-3000 GHz...................u mm Band

System	Description
VHF Marine Radio Model: GX 2350S The new Spectrum 25 Watt VHF/FM marine transceiver and loud hailer has generous gasketing and Standard Horizon's proprietary Humiseal protection to keep moisture out and keep you on the air. The 20 Watt loud hailer with listen-back broadcasts your voice or all preprogrammed fog signals over a PA horn.	WDA4905 DSC 368421000 S/N A8121
VHF Remote External Mike:	Model: CMP351B Color: Black Part#: MP51000410
2 Meter Ham Radio http://www.alinco.com/usa.html	Model DR-1200 Details
2 Meter Packet	E-Mail BBS
2 Meter Amplifier	rfConcept 2-23
WinLink Ham E-mail http://winlink.org	E-mail Weather Sat Info (Kep Data) Position Updates Binary File Transmission Pactor III Broad Band Comm Pop3 Communications
SailMail htt p://SailMail.com	E-Mail Pactor II Narrow Band Comm
AirMail http://www.airmail2000.com	Client Software interface for Winlink 2000 and shared interface with SailMail
HF SSB Marine & Ham http://www.icomamerica.com HF Transmit and 2182 KHz Alarm The latest in ICOM SSB technology and construction 150 watts of power, 100% duty cycle All modes, including RTTY E-mail ready. Receive 500 KHz - 29.9999 MHz Monitor all 976 ITU voice and data channels, HAM bands and aircraft Wx 1136 channels Transmit: IC-M710 version 22 THE HAM TRANSMIT & RECEIVE VERSION: 1.6 MHz - 27.5 MHz marine channels and all HF HAM bands	Icom America, Repairs 2380 116 Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98004 425 454-7619 IcomAmerica.com Support 425 454-7619
Automatic HF Tuner
SCS Pactor II Modem http ://www.SCS-PTC.com Farallon Electronics 415 331-1924 Pactor@YachtWise.Com
IMARSAT-C (SeaSat 2) SEA - DATAMARINE 7030 220th Street S.W. Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Voice: (425) 771-2182 FAX: (425) 771-2650 http://www.sea-dmi.com/marine	Sea Technical Article in Blue Water Sailing Magazine by Dan on E-mail Offshore
Icom's IC-M1V First in its class to use a powerful Lithium Ion battery. Charging is easy; with Lithium Ion, there's no need to fully discharge before recharging, as done with Ni-Cds.
Icom's IC-M32 is the smallest and lightest waterproof* marine handheld available.

NOTE: If you plan to dock in a foreign port (e.g., Canada or the Bahamas) or if you communicate with foreign coast or ship stations, you must have at least the RESTRICTED RADIOTELEPHONE OPERATOR PERMIT (sometimes referred to by boaters as an "individual license") or the more advanced operator's license entitled in MARINE RADIO OPERATOR PERMIT in addition to your ship radio station license. Section IV outlines the procedure for obtaining a permit. However, if (1) you merely plan to sail in domestic or international waters without docking in any foreign ports and without communicating with foreign coast stations, and (2) your radio operates only on VHF frequencies, you do not need an operator permit.

This information is taken from:

FCC document # PR500 issued Nov 14, 1996

Magazine	Title	Date, Issue, Volume and Page(s)	Comments
Sail Magazine	Publication Information to be posted	Publication Information to be posted	Focused on the Caribbean 1500
Sail magazine	Publication Information to be posted	Publication Information to be posted	Publication Information to be posted
Blue Water Sailing	E-mail at Sea	99	Discussion of digital Com options for voyagers; Satellite, HF SSB, etc.
Blue Water Sailing	Ham E-mail Advantage (Pactor II)	April 99, Vol. 4, Number 4, pp 27-31	In depth look at state-of-the-art Pactor II HF SSB digital communications for e-mail
Cruising World	E-mail with High Frequency Cover Story: Best Offshore E-Mail Solutions	November 2003, P 51 To Download: Visit www.CruisingWorld.com	Improvements in software & radio-based modems incorporating digital signal processing have resulted in faster/higher bandwidths, more robust & error free communications using SSB
Cruising World	The Warships are Coming	Publication Date Pending	Coverage of the second running of the Med Red Rally in 2006 just prior to the Hezbollah / Israeli war.
Bleu Water Sailing	AIS Targets - Do You Really Want To Know What's Going On?	Publication Date Pending	A technology report on the use of AIS (Automated Information System)
Blue Water Sailing	Countries in Contrast	Publication Date Pending	Passage notes on the Med-Red Rally

Call Sign	Frequencies MHz	Times
CFH Halifax	112.5 4271 6496.4 10536 13510	Continuous Continuous Continuous Continuous Continuous
NMF Boston	4235 6340.5 9110 12750	0230-1015 Continuous Continuous Continuous
NMG New Orleans	4317.9 8503.9 12789.9 17146.4	Continuous Continuous Continuous 1200-2045
NMC Pt. Reyes, CA	4346 8682 12590.5 17151.2 22527	Night Continuous Continuous Continuous Day
NOJ Kodiak, Alaska	2054 4298 8459 12412.5	0950-1159 16001748 Continuous Continuous 0400-0548 2150-0018
KVM70 Honolulu	9982.5 11090 16135 23331.5	1030-1630 Except 2345-0354 Except 1030-1630 2345-0354

Channel	Mode	Designation	Frequency	Receive Freq	Transmit Freq
6	Simplex	Emergency 2	2182
7	Simplex	Emergency 4	4125
8	Simplex	Emergency 6	6215
9	Simplex	Emergency 8	8291
10	Simplex	Emergency 12	12290
11	Simplex	Emergency 16	16420
12	Duplex	ITU 424		4426	4184
13	Duplex	ITU 601		6501	6200
14	Duplex	ITU 816		8764	8740
15	Duplex	ITU 1205		13089	12242
16	Duplex	ITU 1625		17314	16432