The Iridium GO! exec needs an unobstructed clear view of the sky and horizon, away from radio frequency interference of marinas and port authorities. It may be necessary to take the boat away from the harbour (1NM) to test the connection thoroughly.
It is essential that you correctly mount the Iridium GO! exec and external antenna to ensure a strong satellite connection and signal.
Iridium GO exec Installation:
Find a dry location for the Iridium GO! exec inside the vessel, away from direct sunlight. Exposure to high temperatures under a spray dodger and bimini can result in overheating and battery damage.
The Iridium GO! exec comes with a plastic case. Please screw this lid to a bulkhead or similar, and the Iridium GO! exec can be inserted into the lid with a friction fit. Please note the internal antenna needs to be vertical in order to function and will not work inside the boat. Therefore in most cases, you will need an external antenna.
The external antenna Iridium has been very specific in the maximum 5m cable length for the LMR 400 Iridium GO! exec cable. Therefore we recommend you install the antenna on the pushpit of your boat and then mount the unit in a dry locker/lazaret close enough to allow the maximum 5-meter cable. You can then use any length of ethernet cable to connect the DataHub to the Iridium GO! exec. The DataHub will become the Wi-Fi hotspot to which you can connect all your devices.
The Iridium GO! exec device utilizes a negative ground system. When using a DC power source, such as a car or boat, the power system must be a negative ground system. Do not use the device with positive ground systems. Failure to properly ground the Iridium GO! could cause fire or could cause the device to fail so that it is unavailable in an emergency situation, preventing or delaying an emergency response.
Use the Iridium GO! exec device with Iridium-supplied power accessories ONLY. Use of non-Iridium-supplied power accessories could result in exposing the device to excessive voltage, which could cause fire or could cause the device to fail so that it is unavailable in an emergency situation, preventing or delaying an emergency response.
Avoid close proximity to instrument panels which may cause radio frequency interference.
External Antenna Installation:
The external antenna needs to be mounted where it has the best possible view of the sky and horizon with minimal obstruction to get the best possible Iridium signal level. If on a yacht, we recommend installing the antenna near the pushpit area above solar panels.
Avoid mounting the external antenna near any radar that is 4KW or higher. If mounting near the radar, please mount above the radar.
VHF antennas will not cause signal interference, but it is important they are not obstructing the Iridium GO! exec antenna's view of the sky/horizon. If you have a GPS receiver, it is important to mount the external antenna with at least a 1-meter separation between the two.
Avoid mounting the antenna within 2 meters of a wind generator which may cause electrical interference.
The black co-axial cable is not designed to be bent around any hard corners; it has a 25mm minimum radius.
Be careful of the Iridium GO! exec Cable Adaptor that connects the large cable to the Iridium GO unit. This is quite delicate.
Secure the Iridium GO! exec Cable Adaptor with cable ties so there is no strain on the small connector into the unit.
You are now ready to move onto Step 8: How to use the PredictWind Offshore App