VSAT
Flat panel arrays from the likes of Kymeta and phase array technology from Phasor, are catching on slowly but it would be very wrong to write off the dome
about the most effective on-board cyber security solutions, such as Fleet Secure Endpoint, and to assist the implementation of measures ensuring superyachts comply with new 2021 IMO regulations on cyber security.
Yet while technology has grown exponentially, yachts have not always stayed up to date. Recently, Yacht Projects attended a 51 metre yacht that carries 10 crew and 10 guests and found over 120 devices had been connected to the onboard network. 10 of these were Apple TV. Pippa Nicholas told us; “The owner had been told they would work fine. He didn’t question it as he had been told he had internet on board. At home the owner has a fibre optic multi gigabyte connection yet his family of four had 50 devices connected to it. Yet because he and his captain had not researched the matter carefully enough or stayed up to date with technology, his expectation was, that because he had Internet on board it was going to work like it did at home. Yachts of this size do not carry dedicated ETOs and the onboard techie is often just a geeky decky or an overworked engineer who have seen coping with the internet added to their already overloaded job description.”
Just because you understand how to use an Excel spreadsheet or understand how Windows 10 supports the system, does
not mean you can handle on board satellite communications. Yachts are often better served by companies that offer to do all the work remotely. Yacht Projects do this effectively and safely for their airtime contract holding customers offering a hand holding exercise at no extra cost. They do so, using a SEaWall firewall installed by them and ensure that the main users and the yacht’s owner have their expectations of the system met at all times. There are other providers who offer similar aspects of the overall solution but there are only a few who offer the complete solution from design, through to implementation and installation. In the case of Yacht Projects, the buck stops with Pippa. She says, “All parties involved have my email and telephone numbers and can contact me at any time.”
Hardware Aside of the service providers, equipment technology is moving just as fast. For yachts that do not venture far offshore 4G, 4G+, and now 5G offer similar service at sea up to 10 nautical miles offshore.
Satellite tracking antennas are getting smaller and more efficient. Flat panel arrays from the likes of Kymeta and phase array technology from Phasor, are catching on slowly but it would be very wrong to write off the dome. Based in South Korea, Intellian make and distribute satellite
antennae housed inside domes. From their perspective, superyacht connectivity has two fundamental requirements: aesthetics and seamlessness. The first, they say, “Is easily dealt with, and Intellian can deliver most of its satellite television antennas with domes to match its leading NX Series VSAT communications terminals.”
The latter is more of a challenge. For superyachts, seamless connectivity means that a user at sea should have the same experience that they do on shore, namely swift service with plenty of bandwidth to handle multiple demands, with no interruptions. It is in this area that Intellian has focused much of its recent innovation. The NX Series antennas, which range in size from 60cm to 1.5m, are able to track GEO, MEO and LEO satellites and may be easily be converted between Ku and Ka band operation.
Multi-orbit operability means that the NX antennas are truly future-proofed. LEO and MEO networks are set to proliferate in the next few years: OneWeb will begin operation in 2021/2022, and major players such as Amazon, Facebook and Google are actively developing LEO technology.
Considerable benefits The benefits to superyachts are considerable – LEO/MEO networks offer global coverage and minimal latency, meaning that connections at sea will be as swift as they are on shore. In addition, the amount of infrastructure being proposed will mean that there is plenty of bandwidth to support high demand usage such as gaming, video streaming, 8K TV,
IEC TELECOM OptiView Dashboard. Be in complete control of your vessel connectivity with the OptiView dashboard from IEC Telecom. The OptiView dashboard provides complete satcom consumption details based on websites visited, apps used and even blocked requests – giving you peace of mind over crew internet use and connectivity budgets. Set credit limits and thresholds easily and monitor data bundles and voucher use. Check the current status of the link – VSAT or L-Band – and view bandwidth use in easy-to-read graph form. Accessing the system via IEC’s state-of- the-art OneGate box gives a wide range of value-added services, such as detailed weather conditions based on your location. For more details visit
www.iec-telecom.com
ONBOARD | WINTER 2021 | 97
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