Following on from my thread on electronic gizmo's, I was wondering what the cruising clan are doing for interweb connection. I don't have a mobile phone (there is no mobile reception where I live) and before I got NBN Satellite I used a Telstra dongle to check emails (it was an hours walk out to where the dongle would work).
Do I need to get a mobile phone to get the interweb, or another dongle, or something else entirely?
Cheers.
I recently sailed from Fremantle to Bunbury and we were able to pickup Telstra 3G the whole way, except for the time we got more than 15NM offshore. So if you are coastal hopping within site of the land I would try your existing dongle, or pick up a new dongle. For further than 15nm you could pickup an aerial to extend the range to probably 20-30nm offshore. A mobile phone would also work, instead of a dongle
If you are sailing outside of celluar coverage (ie between say Esperance and Ceduna) then you will need some type of Satelite system. Iridium Go are very popular, but you will need a mobile phone to work with it. Otherwise Iridium handsets are available ie 9555. Note that the plans are really expensive.
Some people also still use HF radios however I would not bother.
Ilenart
Where are you wanting to cruise and what information would you require?
Cruising FNQ is a different kettle of fish to cruising Freo to Bunbury or as Ilenart said Esperance to Ceduna.
Mobile coverage was reasonable from Brisbane until north of Cairns then sketchy at best until TI. I was only really concerned about getting weather updates. But I also enjoy mucking around with my HF to get the voice weather. I never did figure out how to get a synoptic printout.
Telstra reception along QLD is pretty good, not perfect.
Mobilphone is ok but dongle is more flexible, Find the reception
walking around the boat, hoisted to the mast and still sit cabin.
If your going to use an iPad for navigation ,Navionics charts need to be downloaded for the sections your going to sail in BEFORE you lose mobile service/ internet . I just use my phone as a hotspot . Have only been from Sydney to the keppals but found reception most of the way . As a side note you can get external aerials for mobile phones to boost performance. I found just resting mine on the chainplate bolts ( from the inside lol ) worked wonders for reception when it was "iffy" ,failing that it was put in bag and hoist to top of mast as said earlier.
It looks like I will go with the dongle. I'm really only after something to check emails and send a few messages. Oh and get the latest weather. I'm from the Cairns area and I would like to spend quite a bit of time poking around between here and the Torres Straight. I've just been looking for the old dongle but can't find it but I did find the extension aerial. I thought about the mobile phone option but hell, then people can ring me 
According to the attached map Telstra coverage around Torres Strait is pretty limited.
www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage
For weather you might have to look at the VMC HF weather forecasts
www.bom.gov.au/marine/radio-sat/marine-weather-hf-radio.shtml
You maybe be able to find something like the attached to pickup the HF weather broadcast.
