It is sometimes difficult to be “out of touch.” Family emergencies, business contacts and a thousand other reasons require communication. My wife and I recently went to Cozumel, Mexico. While on the ship we used a satellite channel to connect to the Internet. The satellite system was smart enough to keep the ship moving properly. It was very useful for us to be able to reply to e-mail and find information about the trip online, when we were at sea or docked.
Similar systems are available for land vehicles, most commonly trucks and RVs. These systems are called very small aperture or VSAT mobile terminals. The most commonly used mobile VSAT dishes are 0.74 meters (about 29 inches) in diameter. Systems designed for land vehicles are different from the shipping system in that they are not intended to be used while the vehicle is moving, but when parking a vehicle. The ship only had a speed of 20 miles per hour. Currently, over 10,000 land transport VSAT systems are in use.
A signal with a satellite antenna usually exceeds the signal detected by a “dome” antenna. Dome systems must be clean and wiped out after a blizzard or rainstorm in order to maintain good reception. It can be a hassle to climb your car often to perform antenna maintenance.
HDTV and TV:
You can purchase a system that can simultaneously connect to the Internet and television (including HDTV, MHDTV). HDTV using DirecTV, Dish Network, Star Pick or Bell ExpressVu. However, core networks (NBC, FOX, ABC, CBS) can be a problem. Because of the FCC rules, these signals are broadcast using point beams, which will prevent them from being received, with the exception of a limited area.
A satellite dish is deployed by a command, identifies the current location and accurately indicates the dish. It usually takes less than five minutes to reach a lockout, and then the system is capable of a high-speed Internet connection.
It works in most countries of the world, even if cable Internet and DSL are not available. However, if you are traveling in the mountains, the system will not be able to communicate with the satellite when you are on the north side of the mountain or in a heavy forest.
Performance:
With a typical user account, the downstream speed is typically 500-800 kbps. Upstream speed is usually less. The sales literature states that it is expected up to 128 KBPS, but 20-30 KBPS is more typical. With more advanced equipment (F2 or XF2 and XF3 antennas), as well as higher monthly costs, 500 KBPS upstream and 2 MBPS downstream speed is available. Static IP addresses are also available (at an additional cost) for virtual private network (VPN) connections. The system includes the possibility of VoIP (voice).
The cost of a mobile satellite system is about $ 5000- $ 5500 for a purchase, including installation, and $ 50- $ 160 per month for an Internet service. Bandwidth (communication speed) affects service costs.
The hardware is available from several suppliers: the main suppliers are iNetVu C-Com, MSS, DTI DirecStar and Datastorm Motosat. Satellite service is available from HughesNet (formerly DirecWay) and Starband. Motosat / HughesNet has historically been the most common combination, but this is likely to change.
Ka Band (iNetVu):
INetVu C-Com now offers new technology for VSAT mobile. INetVu Ka66 was designed to take advantage of the new satellite, the Anik F2 satellite Telesat Canada. Anik F2 is the world's largest commercial communications satellite. Ka66 is the first mobile satellite Internet offering to work in the Ka range of frequencies.
The main advantage of the Ka group is that it requires a smaller dish (26 "x 30") to provide very good levels of performance. Ka Band uses point beams, which are more efficient than the traditional Ku satellite (technology used by other mobile VSAT systems). As a result, more and more users can enjoy a high level of performance. The service should be able to significantly improve performance.
Communication service provided by WildBlue. Wildblue also offers fixed systems. The cost of equipment and communication services should be significantly less expensive compared to existing alternatives for similar performance.
Professional installation required:
To install a mobile satellite system requires professional installation. The system is complex, and downlink wiring is critical. In addition, it is important that the external gear is mounted so that it does not come off the vehicle during transport or, more likely, because the gear is notched when it is not in use, during a strong wind. Winds that exceed 60 miles per hour can damage a dish when it is not drowned. When drowned, the system is resistant to speeds of less than 100 mph. In addition, a poorly installed system can interfere with other users, so usually HughesNet will not support a system that was not professionally put into operation.
Summary:
If you are a telecommuter, you can work with mobile VSAT from almost any place. VSAT can be a powerful and inexpensive method of communicating with remote areas that are not supported by cellular networks. Mobile systems can interact with bandwidth that cannot be provided over cellular networks.
The ability to use the Internet while remote can be important. A few years ago, this meant using a dataport to make a phone call through an Internet service provider (ISP).
But now our choices are improving. WiFi hotspots are being added, and WiMax will soon be available in major cities. Cellular services add fast and affordable data access. Other services will be unreasonably available in the coming years.
But at the moment, VSAT satellite is the only way to work almost anywhere. In addition, it is fun to play Buck Rogers.
