Peer-to-peer text messaging offshore?

[wrwakefield]

As others have mentioned, InReach, Iridium GO [I-GO], etc. all do what you are describing for SMS [via Iridium Short Burst Data; SBD].

We also desire to download weather files, GRIBS, etc. [beyond SMS via SBD] so we use our Iridium Sat phone in the same way- and for email, etc.

It can also be paired [via local WiFi] for use with with smart phones [e.g., using a purpose built WiFi hub like Red Port, the deprecated Iridium Axxess Point, etc.] and used wirelessly like an I-GO [with smart phones.]

Any of these devices— including HAM and Marine SSB radios— can accomplish the same thing.

As you already know, it is just a matter of having the contact info and preferred method[s] for those you wish to communicate with.

In case this is useful.

Best wishes determining what is ideal for your needs.

Cheers! Bill

[alansmith]

another vote for In-Reach. Wife is currently in Beijing attending a sick Father. I was in Sea of Cortez. No Cell signal at all where i was on Baja side for days. We had multiple text conversations between us. Subscription is monthly...can be stopped after that month and put back into safe keeping until next trip. In my opinion....best you can do with current technology. I think i paid a little over 400 dollars for the unit. It also has the capability of sending out emergency response requested to satellites that are being monitored all over the world by those whose job it is to save 'sorry arses' from mother nature's whims or crazy things happen out there.

How can you beat that combo?

Maybe when 5K comes along the technology will go warp drive...beam me up Scottie.

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by CFS Klopas

The US FCC is trying to implement a text message system using VHF-DSC called VDSMS.It hasn't really caught on yet, but it might.

https://www.panbo.com/uniden-mhs335b...c-and-texting/

Cool! Funny that the use case specified the Bahamas since that's the place I was thinking about as well.

I think the "mesh" thing would be so exciting though (and theoretically maybe useful in that VDSMS secenario). Sending an (encrypted) message being handed forward by a number of yachts until it reaches its final destination

The marinas in the cays seem to publish phone numbers, emails and VHF on their web pages.

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by alansmith

another vote for In-Reach. Wife is currently in Beijing attending a sick Father. I was in Sea of Cortez. No Cell signal at all where i was on Baja side for days. We had multiple text conversations between us. Subscription is monthly...can be stopped after that month and put back into safe keeping until next trip. In my opinion....best you can do with current technology. I think i paid a little over 400 dollars for the unit. It also has the capability of sending out emergency response requested to satellites that are being monitored all over the world by those whose job it is to save 'sorry arses' from mother nature's whims or crazy things happen out there.

How can you beat that combo?

Maybe when 5K comes along the technology will go warp drive...beam me up Scottie.

Sounds great!

What about the marinas? Do any of them use InReach so that you could contact them using that instead of VHF?

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

Best wishes determining what is ideal for your needs.

Cheers! Bill

Cheers back!

I'm mostly trying to figure out whether there's a problem waiting for a possible solution that hasn't been developed yet, but could be.

Usually these kinds of questions end up in finding out that someone already has developed the possible solution, or some alternative that is solving the same thing. Maybe not as well, or maybe even better.

This whole thing came to mind when reading that other thread about cruisers being a dying breed, and whether anyone is developing anything in the mesh networking world for digital/social communications between boats (and marinas).

Good, cheap satellite data is maybe the most straightforward solution, in the end. (AIS came to mind as an non-satellite alternative as some current solutions have some mesh networking in place already.)

[john61ct]

actual mesh networking is supposed to mean no service provider needed, nothing to do with satellites or the internet

Like what the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) and LibraryBox projects envisioned*

Here's a couple recent productized technology launches

https://www.google.com/search?q=sonn...a+mesh+network

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by mglonnro

Sounds great!

What about the marinas? Do any of them use InReach so that you could contact them using that instead of VHF?

InReach lets you reach anyone that uses the regular cellphone SMS network.

People can also track you & comm with you over your device's page on the web.

Google and read their literature

[Swammy]

Originally Posted by mglonnro

Yes! Sounds about right! InReach is connected to the "normal" SMS system so I can just text to a phone number? Or does the recipient have to have the InReach system/app as well?

And why is my girlfriend boating with some prince in the med!?? I'm going to ask her that if she texts me!

Read my message again. In the middle of the atlantic, text to any phone system just like a normal text. The recipient does not need anything other than a phone with texting. They can then text back. I have spent many a delivery texting my wife or sons or business things 1000 miles off shore. I also use it when I am doing remote trips like biking in cuba or Hiking in Patagonia etc.

And, you only pay for the month. Look it up on Garmin. You pay a yearly fee like $30 bucks which is you getting an official connection to the Iridium network. Then, you dont have to pay anything else. I am going on a sail in January for 3 weeks. Ill go on the website and activate the month of January and pay for the unlimited texts. Then in February, no fee or for the rest of the year. Also you can get rescue service insurance for an extra fee if you want it (the helicopters to come)

[boatman61]

Yellowbrick..

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Hmmm, maybe you need a better radio .

Seriously, look at inReach. I think it will do all you want. And there is an app to connect it to your smart device so you can use a reasonable keyboard.

I also think the new generation of SPOT does the same, but I’m not certain. Can anyone confirm?

You can also send DSC “text” messages via VHF as long as you have your target’s MMSI. I think they are limited standard messages, although I hear some new DSC radios are coming out with general texting capabilities.

I've never met a VHF that didn't need an external speaker in order to be intelligible. Len https://www.ebay.com/bhp/vhf-speaker

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by deblen

I've never met a VHF that didn't need an external speaker in order to be intelligible. Len https://www.ebay.com/bhp/vhf-speaker

Really? I’ve never had one that needed an external speaker. My current Standard Horizon is just fine. Maybe an issue of how noisy the boat is?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by mglonnro

Sounds great!

What about the marinas? Do any of them use InReach so that you could contact them using that instead of VHF?

No, but you can send text any cell phone or email...so you could text or email them from InReach. They can respond...though its a little clunky since they must use a web site link included in the message.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Really? I’ve never had one that needed an external speaker. My current Standard Horizon is just fine. Maybe an issue of how noisy the boat is?

Ambient noise is definitely a factor Mike. My experience was mostly with commercial boats & noisy diesels. But even on a sailboat,or other quiet location,the 2" speaker in any vhf is poor when compared to a 3-4" External spkr. in my experience. You may have different results-Standard is an excellent product,but I put ext. speakers on those also
When I hear someone comment about difficulty understanding VHF audio,I just naturally suspect the small built in speaker. Also,with VHF's located "out of the weather" away from the helm,an ext. speaker aimed out in the cockpit would seem to be a help. For $40,you can replace it if it gets weathered.
Just don't ever use a horn styl ext speaker for VHF audio-terrible!!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by deblen

Ambient noise is definitely a factor Mike. My experience was mostly with commercial boats & noisy diesels. But even on a sailboat,or other quiet location,the 2" speaker in any vhf is poor when compared to a 3-4" External spkr. in my experience. You may have different results-Standard is an excellent product,but I put ext. speakers on those also
When I hear someone comment about difficulty understanding VHF audio,I just naturally suspect the small built in speaker. Also,with VHF's located "out of the weather" away from the helm,an ext. speaker aimed out in the cockpit would seem to be a help. For $40,you can replace it if it gets weathered.
Just don't ever use a horn styl ext speaker for VHF audio-terrible!!

I’m sure you’re right; bigger is better when it comes to speakers. I have a main VHF at my chart table, with a RAM in the cockpit. I don’t seem to have any issues hearing or having a conversation, but a bigger speaker would definitely be even better.

[svmobert]

I am working on a solution for Whatsapp over Iridium with one of my partners. But right now it wouldn't work with Iridium Go!, but I can do it with nearly any other satellite solution. There is an Iridium Go! like device that allows for the Iridium Go! unlimited plan where it would work. Anyway, once I finish testing the solution I expect to be offering the package. I believe I can enable FB Messenger as well. The solution will limit the types of messages than can be sent, ie: text is good, but pictures/videos would be blocked by default for bandwidth reasons.

Having cruised with others down into Central America and finding that most of our fellow cruisers ended up on Whatsapp, and actually Cellular providers outside of the US provide unlimited Facebook and Whatsapp on their otherwise non-unlimited data plans, combining this with satellite would be pretty slick.

Anyway, I will keep the forum posted on this, hopefully with a full solution in the next month or two.

Richard Anderson, Sea-Tech Systems

Originally Posted by mglonnro

I'm not sure either but I gather the problem is that I detest VHF conversations in a noisy environment when I have trouble understanding what the other person is saying.

Solution: reliable short text messaging instead of poor voice communication.

WhatsApp has gained the critical mass (and far beyond) to be a generally accepted text messaging app, so I think customer service oriented marinas as well as boats wouldn't have a problem communicating with that. On the other hand, how usual is it that they listen to those satellite messaging systems? Maybe this problem has been solved already

For boaters the final piece of the puzzle would be the underlying communication. Either it's satellite or something else. I think Iridium Go doesn't support WhatsApp out of the box (?) but MailASail has some gateway that enables it? Do you keep Go always on, btw? Or is it just started/connected when you need to do something?

The "something else" part was just thinking whether a peer-to-peer mesh network could be a cheaper solution than satellite internet. And if there already is some commonly used infrastructure (VHF, AIS) that could be used as the lower layer beneath this mesh network.