Skymate - Offshore Sailing Email Alternative

This new service requires some simple hardware components and uses your current VHF antenna system. Communication is through low level satellites.

You run special software on your on-board computer which put your email into packets for transmission. The rate you are charged is based on characters sent. You can buy monthly blocks in increments of 10,000. For smaller amounts of email this sytem is economical and allows mid-ocean communication except in the South Pacific. If you are sending larger amounts of email, the rate is quite a bit less through Globalstar but you have to be withing 200 miles of continental North America

Installation is very straight forward, one box with connections to your antenna and to your laptop. Skymate also allows you to send fax messages and voice messages to regular telephone numbers. It won't be your voice but it does allow you to leave messages. You can also have positon reports sent out to an email address to keep key contacts appraised of your progress.

They also have a special optional service which allows you to remotely monitor your boat.