OSIL Offers New Low-cost Satellite Modem
Ocean Scientific International Ltd (OSIL) has added a new low-cost, low-power satellite modem to its range of telemetry equipment. The system will publish data, including traditionally high cost/volume currents and waves, from any location globally using the Iridium satellite network.
Monthly line rental costs are minimal, and data costs are kept low (as little as 4p per message) by using SBD messaging with big bundle deals available for multiple or long term deployments. Conventionally current and wave data transmitted via satellite has proved expensive for the end user owing to the large amount of data produced, however OSIL are able to vastly reduce the costs by handling this data differently within the Iridium system.
The data can be encrypted or password protected for added security, and sent to a specific email address or directly to the client’s web-service. The system can provide customizable alarms for when readings fall outside of preset criteria or if, in the example of a buoy, the system drifts from a set GPS area.
The modem is cheap to run, is equipped with a sleep mode to reduce power consumption (max 450 mA), and employs an RS232 serial connection. The Iridium satellite network offers pole-to-pole coverage, stronger signals, a shorter transmission path and a shorter registration time than other satellite networks, all to the benefit of the end user.