Using Iridium Satphone in flight

[Sam Rutherford]

First stage complete...

I have an 'old' sigtronics headset 'multiplier', standard issue Transair etc. It has an audio out (for recording your flight to review afterwards??!!), and an audio in (for the ipod?!). I have found, for less than GBP10, the adaptors and leads to connect my single 2.5mm in-out on the Iridium, to the in and out 3.5mm sockets on the box. It all works perfectly on the ground (you even get the ringing in the headphones).

I am waiting for an 'external' antenna, to put as far forward as possible under the plexi.

Realtime testing next week, I'll keep you informed.

Sam.


PS the 2.5mm is pretty much industry standard on mobile (cell) phones, so this will also work with your normal 'phone - cue discussion about connecting to a terrestrial gsm network from the air...

[IO540]

Can you get an external (to the phone, not the cockpit) antenna to stick on to a side window?

Yes, details being investigated.

Unfortunately it would have to be moved from one side window to the other if you change the heading by 180. And if the satellite is right behind you...

One can also get a rooftop antenna which looks awfully like the common GPS one, and if it comes out to a BNC socket.....................

[mm_flynn]

Originally Posted by IO540

One can also get a rooftop antenna which looks awfully like the common GPS one, and if it comes out to a BNC socket.....................

Have one of those. Was very curious when I bought the plane what it was for -- the owner said 'Sat phone' and that it worked well. I only flew with the Sat phone once, but relays worked so I never actually tested it in the air.

[englishal]

What about data services by Inmarsat C or something like that? My brother took a yacht across to St Lucia and was sending us emails from mid atlantic. The unit was a small compact box with a small "gps type" antenna which he used to send emails etc....

Back in the 90's I used to have an account with Goonhilly to send Inmarsat C messages from my desktop PC...I used to dial into them, then could send Inmarsat C messages to Inmarsat terminals. I guess it has progressed a bit since then.....I seem to remember it was far cheaper than Inmarsat A/B as it was billed per byte as opposed to time.

Inmarsat-C is a two-way, packet data service operated by the telecommunications company Inmarsat. The service is approved for use under the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), meets the requirements for Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS) defined by the International Marine Organization (IMO) and is most widely used service in fishing Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS).

The service offers data transfer; e-mail; SMS, crew calling; telex; remote monitoring; tracking (position reporting); chart and weather updates; maritime safety information (MSI); maritime security; GMDSS; and SafetyNET and FleetNET services.

The service is operated via an Inmarsat-C Transceiver or a lower-power mini-C Transceiver. Both offering and approved for the same service.

The service is available for maritime, land mobile and aeronautical use.

[IO540]

Anything aviation certified = loads of money.

But if you pay, you can have GPRS-like speeds, or even faster. The latest antennas are small enough to go on a normal piston plane. The installation would be 5 digits though. Yachts have them (of course).

I am playing with something a bit more realistic.