Hey thanks to everyone for chipping in with info. Still don't know what I'll
do for a solution but it was helpful to hear your comments.

"Paul" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
Me again, ask, learn, ask, learn.

This one is about internet connectivity. The marina has wireless
connectivity which is great but what are my options underway or at anchor?

Are there any options for a substantial connection, something through
which
I could move larger files? I imagine that if cost is no issue then there
is
certainly an answer but last time I checked, cost was an issue.

If nothing affordable then even something to beam a few e-mails through
would be good. Maybe I should be looking more closely at those PDAs ...
just
replaced my cell phone, wonder if they'll let me return it.

Any of you guys connected while away from the docks? If so, tell us what
rigs you're using and what's good/bad about them.

On Tue, 05 Aug 2003 10:49:52 -0400, Gene Kearns
wrote:

Not entirely true, apparently, but for our discussion purposes it
probably could be considered so. See:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/learn/dns_vehicles.jsp
==============================================

That's for satellite TV service if I'm reading the page correctly.
Lots of folks have satellite TV on RVs and boats, and it works well if
you're not in motion. The trick is to get satellite internet service
for something less than $3 per minute. Apparently the aiming
requirements for satellite internet are much more stringent than for
TV which is why Direct TV will not offer it.

On Tue, 5 Aug 2003 08:27:07 -0400,
(Dionysus Feldman) wrote:
At our new house we have no solution -- sprint
doesn't come in well, the neighbors would be upset if we bulldozed a
path to the satellite through the trees, verizon doesn't do DSL here and
comcast doesn't do cable Internet.
==================================

You might be able to improve Sprint enough to make it usable with an
external antenna and amplifier. It would make quite an improvement
over a hand held cell phone with integral antenna.

KVH , www. kvh.com,tracnet systems which mobile
high speed internet access is.
only one way. not two way and the cost is 5k. a bit pricey for my budget. plus
irridium phone charge.
thats the reason we bought the
seatel system. it touts 56k and cost is only 99 ct a min. I have yet to see it
work yet though. probably me.

what mean to say... kvh tracnet direcpc is only one way satellite. We have
esentailly the same thing here with an outdated direcpc downlink and cell
phone. It doesnt work with the satellite phone though I tired to get it work
and seatel told me something about analog etc.
but it does work with the dock phone line or r cell phone. but wont work when
you are out of reach of cell phone if you are cruising in the bahamas unless
you have cingular. and it wont work past highborne cay.

One other solution would be to have a cheap and easy
land only based solution or couple this idea with
a cellphone.

Mail Station is a smaller than laptop text only email station.
I've seen them for $50-$99 purchase price. 800 number dialup
to check mail. you plug into phone line or hold up the phone
receiver (like the really old modems of the early 80's).
speed isn't a big concern if it's text only. it only is online
for receving/sending mail. no web acess. I think service
is $5-$9/month. Net concept for those who only need to
check email every few days at a gas stop or something.

(just an idea).

-mike

So it sounds like the only real world solution (i.e. one I can afford) is a
low bandwidth cellphone connection useful for checking mail. In which case a
PDA might be the simplest gadget.

To do any real work I would need some bandwidth but I think the technology
just isn't there yet, at least not for the average joe.