Marine Log - July 2008 - (Page 19)

BY NICK BLENKEY COMMUNICATIONS It looks like a birthday cake— and it has Iridium distributors celebrating. Weighing just 24.25 lb, the easy-to-install OpenPort antenna has a diameter of 22.44 inches and needs no stabilization platform MARINE SATCOM COMPETITION GETS HOTTER STAR WARS: vides three RJ11 jacks, enabling users to make up to three simultaneous voice calls, even during data transmission. Crew calls are easily separated from ship’s business calls for simplified accounting. Iridium OpenPort utilizes true IP T he marine satcom services market promises to get a lot more competitive. Iridium Satellite’s new OpenPort enhanced-bandwidth marine communication system is well-placed to grab a significant share of what is now estimated to be a $400 million annual market. “This breakthrough product will bring a fresh element of competition to the marine satcom market,” claims Matt Desch, chairman and CEO of Iridium Satellite, who says it offers “an unbeatable value proposition of multiple phone lines, IP connectivity and flexible data speeds up to 128 kilobits per second (kbps), with equipment and airtime costs substantially lower than any competitor.” Like other Iridium products, OpenPort also offers pole-to-pole global coverage with no gaps. LOW INSTALLATION COST The hardware involved essentially consists of an antenna and a below decks unit. The omni-directional antenna array does not require a stabilization platform and is virtually maintenance-free. It is just over 9 inches high, with a diameter of 22.44 inches and weight of 24.25 lb. It can be mounted in any convenient location on deck for quick, easy and inexpensive installation. The 7.78 inch by 9.84 inch below decks unit weighs less than 3 lb and pro- technology to provide a flexible and powerful array of data services. A single Ethernet port provides a connection to a standard PC or to a router or hub for multiple PCs. Engineered for simultaneous functionality, data and phone ports support FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE: NEW AIS SATELLITE FOR U.S. COAST GUARD T hanks, in part, to the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, the U.S. Coast Guard should soon have a greatly enhanced maritime domain awareness capability. Last month saw the launch of six Orbcomm satellites from Kapustin Yar, Russia, using a Russian Cosmos launch vehicle. The satellites, which are being integrated into Orbcomm’s existing 29 satellite constellation, are a U.S. Coast Guard satellite and five Orbcomm QuickLaunch satellites. The U.S. Coast Guard Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS) Project sponsored equipment on the Coast Guard satellite to test the feasibility and effec- tiveness of AIS message reception and reporting from space for ship tracking and other navigational activities. The Coast Guard says the launch marks an important milestone in the development of the NAIS project. The NAIS project will improve maritime domain awareness for the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Department of Homeland Security by using the integrated network of AIS equipment and user interface services that display and exchange AIS-equipped vessel information for maritime safety and security. Data collected by the NAIS, says the Coast Guard, supports the nation’s maritime interests by promoting vessel and port safety through collision avoidance, and www.marinelog.com JULY 2008 MARINE LOG 19 http://www.marinelog.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Marine Log - July 2008

Marine Log - July 2008 Contents Editorial Second Thoughts Update Inside Washington Coastal Shipping Communications Paints & Coatings WISTA’s Jeanne Grasso Showcase Newsmakers Tech News Contracts Events Website Directory ML Buyer's Guide ML Marketplace Tech Talk Gulf Coast Headliner

Marine Log - July 2008

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